The Four Books: The Basic Teachings of the Later Confucian Tradition

This book presents the four classical works that Chinese scholar-officials studied for the entrance examinations to the ruling bureaucracy. The Neo-confucian commentator Zhu Xi, whose interpretations guided the examinations for 700 years, holds center stage. Selected passages from each of the four books (The Great Learning, The Analects, The Mencius, Maintaining Perfect Balance) have been translated and the author provides a passage-by-passage commentary which focuses mostly on Zhu Xi's interpretations. I think this is a very useful and probably unique preliminary work if you plan to learn more about Chinese imperial government. The book may be of less interest as a work in Chinese philosophy because the Analects and the Mencius, at show more least, are available in more detailed translations elsewhere. show less

An odd volume: Gardner translates passages from the four books, then comments on them. I think the commentaries are all meant to be neo-Confucian, and particularly the interpretation of Zhu Xi. But there isn't much actual quotation from Zhu, and many of the interpretations are just straightforward. I'm glad to have read it; I suspect it would make more sense if read as part of a seminar with Gardner himself. Alas, few of us will have that chance. I'm half-way through Gardner's translation of selections of Zhu Xi's work, and would recommend that as a first stop--provided you've read the four books to begin with. (And if you haven't read the four books, I don't really know why you'd want to read this!)