1 comments about Understanding the I Ching.

1. When I purchased this book, I knew very little regarding the I Ching, the process and meaning(s) behind it. After reading the book I have learned a great deal of information. It's a book that anyone wanting to understand the I Ching should have in their collection. I also purchased I Ching Workbook by R.L. Wing along with this book which was extremely helpful. I took them both with me on a vacation I went on with my friend and we had a wonderful time with it.

5 comments about The Analects of Confucius.

1. A classic in Chinese literature. Arthur Waley is the best translator of Chinese works that I have found. This version of the Analects are extensively footnoted which I found broke up the flow of the reading. So I read it through first without the footnotes, then read it again with them. A interesting look at Chinese thought at the time.



2. Perhaps the best introduction to the Confucian philosophy. Extensive footnotes and explanations of key concepts. Language slightly archaic but still clear. Wade-Giles romanization.



3. THE ANALECTS OF CONFUCIUS. Translated and annotated by Arthur Waley. 257 pp. New York : Vintage Books, nd. Originally published by George, Allen, & Unwin, 1938.

   Classical Chinese is an extremely concise and highly ambiguous language. Since any given line can have a wide range of possible and equally valid meanings, there can in fact be no such thing as a definitive interpretation, and hence, as Burton Watson has pointed out, no such thing as a definitive translation, although Arthur Waley's scholarly reading of this important Confucian classic is possibly as close to 'definitive' as we're ever likely to get.

   What we may overlook when considering Confucianism, however, is that it represented an ideology very much like Marxism, one imposed by an all-powerful bureaucracy on a not-always willing population. As ideological documents of the highest importance, since they served to justify the existence of the Imperial system, works such as the 'Analects' were often engraved on stone.

   And it's interesting to note that, in the many popular uprisings which have riven China, the stone tablets and drums on which the 'Analects' and other Classics were engraved often became the first target of the mob's fury. They were regularly smashed and pulverized, only to be re-engraved on new stones when the Mandarinate re-established its authority.

   In addition, it goes without saying that the Communist Party, which is as it were China's modern 'Mandarinate,' also takes a very dim view of the Chinese Classics, seeing them as relics of a detested feudalistic past, a detestation not perhaps untinged with envy, since the Mandarinate was the most efficient, successful and long-lasting bureaucracy in human history.

   None of this, perhaps, need bother the modern reader as opposed to the scholar, since we go to these old books to discover in them what relevance they may have for our lives today, and there is much real wisdom in Confucius that anyone can benefit from.

   Arthur Waley's edition, while scholarly, is not so cluttered with scholarly impedimenta as to be unapproachable by the general reader, and is written in a style that remains relatively modern. After a brief Preface, he gives us an interesting and informative 66-page Introduction. Then follows his extensively annotated translation, and the book is rounded out with an Index.

   Though Waley was undoubtedly a brilliant translator, I was weaned on Ezra Pound's more lively and idiosyncratic version, and although I've read and compared both translations, the lines that tend to stick in my mind are invariably those of Pound, lines such as:

   "He said : A proper man is inclusive, not sectary; the small man is sectarian and not inclusive" (Book II, xiv).

   For the same passage Waley gives:

   "The Master said, A gentleman can see a question from all sides without bias. The small man is biased and can see a question only from one side" (p.91).

   Both, so far as I can see, mean pretty much the same thing, although Waley is a bit more prosy and takes almost twice as many words to say it. Pound's edition, besides its greater punch, also has the merit of being relatively free of distracting footnotes, and of including two additional and very powerful texts, along with beautiful reproductions of them from the stone Classics.

   Waley and Pound give us Confucius as filtered through two highly intelligent though different sensibilities, both of them valuable. My advice would be to read both. For those who may be interested, here are details of Pound's edition:

   CONFUCIUS : THE GREAT DIGEST, THE UNWOBBLING PIVOT, THE ANALECTS. Translation and Commentary by Ezra Pound. Stone Text from rubbings supplied by William Hawley. 288 pp. New York: New Directions, 1951 and Reissued.

   It is in Pound's translation of 'The Great Digest' that we find the striking line: "If the root be in confusion, nothing will be well governed" (p.33). And who would want to miss a line that has such a powerful relevance to the world that we see around us today ?




4. I listened to this book on tape...or I THINK it was this book. What I AM sure about is that it is worthwhile to read Confuscius---Why? His teachings teach us to be "better people". For example, as I wrote above in the title, Confucius taught The Golden Rule: "Do not do unto others what you would not have them do to you." The above maxim, and others, makes reading this early Chinese philosopher worthwhile. When I get this actual book that I just ordered, I'll update this review. But, once again, Confuscious DOES have something to say to the modern world! If you don't buy this actual book, I recommend you look into SOME book with his teachings.



5. This translation of Confucius' core teachings was completed in 1938, but it remains a great choice for the readers starting to explore Asian spiritual traditions.
   
   Arthur Waley, born in 1899, was a multi-talented linguist, scholar and writer who was part of the famous Bloomsbury literary circle in Britain. The Bloomsbury crew tended to regard him as more of a scholar and translator than a literary light in his own right -- but, years later, Waley's work stands out as a remarkable body of cross-cultural artistry. While working at the British Museum, he learned Chinese and Japanese and began translating classical works.
   
   In translating Confucius, he was more interested in conveying the meaning of the original text than in creating fresh poetry in English. So, his rendering is more wordy, more prose-like, than other translations of Confucius. But, frankly, reading Confucius' Analects as a 21st-Century Western readers, we need all the help we can get. And, Waley is a graceful writer, even if the Bloomsbury crew didn't appreciate the full significance of his work.
   
   I highly recommend this translation among the many choices available for a first reading of Confucius.

No comments about Wheels in the Head: Educational Philosophies of Authority, Freedom, and Culture from Confucianism to Human Rights , 3E (Sociocultural, Political, and Historical Studies in Education).

5 comments about The Analects of Confucius (Norton Paperback).

1. I enjoyed this book quite a bit. Granted, I haven't read other translations of the Analects, so my rating is for the book itself more than as a comparison to other translations.

   The fact that Confucius lived thousands of years ago is amazing to me ... the things he says apply to people throughout the ages, and they're full of wisdom. Having read the book, I find myself trying to be a bit more of a Confucian gentleman than I did before reading it. Confucius' teachings about humanity and being a gentleman span across the ages.

   I'm very glad I read this book. The only reason I didn't give the book 5 stars is because I can't compare it to other translations, and it seems a little improper to rate a translated book without comparing it to other translations. But I personally found Leys' lines to be easily understandable and interesting, even if I have no way of ascertaining their accuracy with the original text.




2. One of only two things I've ever went to the trouble to return to Amazon.com. I bought this translation because it was recommended in "Confucius Lives Next Door". Unfortunately, Mr. "Leys" goes out of his way to be homophobic in his footnotes. I've heard a lot of adjectives used to describe minority groups in my lifetime, especially since I live in the Midwest but "grim" is a new one (page 126). I am surprised that such a progressive company such as Amazon sells a book that incites such negativity about a minority group. Can anyone recommend a professional translation?



3. I can't read Confucius in the original so I really can't speak to the accuracy of Simon Leys' translation (or should we use his actual name - Pierre Ryckmans?). But without a doubt he feels it is the standard against which all others should be measured, as he constantly passes judgment in his Notes section on all who have gone before and finds each generally lacking in some way. Add to that his efforts to impress the reader with the breadth of his literary knowledge and his decidedly conservative social comments (another reviewer also commented on his anti-gay bias) and I'm left with a translation I would just as soon skip.



4. The importance of the historical use and misuse of the teaching of Confucius throughout the centuries in China can hardly be understated. While Confucian thought was on the outs with Communist intellectuals, others such as Lee Kwan Yew of Singapore point to Confucius' principles as the secret to the Asian economic tigers' success. Leys, the translator of this volume, notes that Chinese familiarity and historical misuse of Confucius prejudices many, but taken without these prejudices, Confucius is thoroughly modern in his application today.
   
   Confucius is known for being a great teacher, but it was politics and government that was his passion. Today, Confucius is a good source for leadership philosophy. Far from promoting authoritarian despotism, the teachings of Confucius point to a higher calling of leadership through service, character development, and self-abandonment - all sorely lacking in Chinese leadership today.
   
   To learn was Confucius' calling. He said he did not have much innate knowledge and studied literature and history to learn (6.27). The responsibility of learning was on the learner not the teacher: "I enlighten only the enthusiastic; I guide only the fervent. After I have lifted up one corner of a question, if the student cannot discover the other three, I do not repeat" (7.8). While that may sound harsh, Confucius practiced what he preached. "Put me in the company of any two people at random-they will invariably have something to teach me. I can take their qualities as a model and their defects as a warning" (7.22).
   
   Learning was to be put into practice; this showed integrity. The first verse of the Analects says, "To learn something new and then to put it into practice at the right time: is this not a joy?" (1.1). Again, "Learning is like a chase in which, as you fail to catch up, you fear to lose what you have already gained" (8.17). Here we see the high value of action resulting from learning and not only study. He valued doing what you say. "There was a time when I used to listen to what people said and trusted that they would act accordingly, but now I listen to what they say and watch what they do" (5.10). Doing what you say is the heart of personal integrity. "A gentleman would be ashamed should his deeds not match his words" (14.27).
   
   Learning was his way of improving himself in order to govern well. Three major themes surface in Confucius' teaching regarding those who govern: be a gentleman, keep the rites and maintain your humanity. A gentleman was a moral superior, someone worthy of leading. A person becomes a gentleman not through birthright but through learning and right actions. These actions are called ritual, which is similar to courteous behavior, and maintaining humanity which is treating people with respect, dignity, fairness, justice and generosity to name a few of the qualities that Confucius praises. Ritual and humanity develop character in a person, and a person with character is the one whom Confucius calls a gentleman.
   
   Confucius and his contemporary political and intellectual leaders wanted to make a name for themselves. In a way, they could live on through that reputation. "The Master said: `A gentleman worries lest he might disappear from this world without having made a name for himself'" (15.20). However, in making a name a leader must not do evil or act without virtue.
   
   Official position was an obvious choice for ruling and making a name. Today, position is the most highly regarded form of authority all over Asia. Hear Confucius: "Do not worry if you are without a position; worry lest you do not deserve a position" (4.14). Again, "It is not your obscurity that should distress you, but your incompetence" (14.30). This is a powerful lesson for Chinese leaders to hear. Today too much emphasis is placed on leadership position, and not enough placed on competence and character. The results are personal empires, corruption, and incompetence that oppress those without power (position). "Before he gets his position, his only fear is that he might not get it, and once he gets it, his only fear is that he might lose it. And when he fears to lose it, he becomes capable of anything" (17.15).
   
   The wisdom available to contemporary readers goes on and on. I found this book extremely helpful for finding ancient Chinese cultural leadership principles that back up the principles of transformational leadership theory and servant leadership theory. I would like to read and reflect deeper to find Confucian principles that are not yet apart of contemporary models of leadership, but are consistent with it. This is a deeper task.
   
   Recently I have begun quoting Confucius during my leadership seminars. Although, a feel a bit dubious doing so - proof texting largely Western leadership principles with Confucius - the reaction from the participants has been enthusiastic. While many leaders are attracted to Western leadership theories, many also feel these theories are foreign. Many theories based on egalitarian social structure are foreign and are not appropriate for most cultures in Asia. However, some theories, working inside hierarchical social structures, are helpful but still smack of American "one, two, three" optimism. We are sometimes too brash and not mysterious enough, too left brained, in our presentations. Confucius has helped my audiences to embrace the principles I try to get across.
   
   I was surprised how readable, useful and contemporary the writing of Confucius is to me as a leadership consultant. He had a good grasp of humankind, and set the bar very high regarding how leaders should govern from character and justice. He encouraged people to higher traits of humanity, that if followed would make the world a much better place. We would do well to study and apply the teachings of Confucius.



5. Those who complain about this translation being "uninspired" are missing the forest for the trees. Ley's rendition of the Analects is a modern, useful, and enjoyable read. The translation flows well and makes sense, and the authors comments are interesting and avoid being scholarly tripe.
   
   Confucius himself would agree that the purpose of his teaching was not to inspire linguistic debate, but to lead the recipient to right action. This book does the latter and avoids the former, and thereby gets my unqualified recommendation. No matter your religious leanings, if you read this book and put it into practice, you'll grow into a more *human* person. As this was the Masters entire point, I'd say this translation is a success.

No comments about China's New Confucianism: Politics and Everyday Life in a Changing Society.

5 comments about A Guide to the I Ching.

1. This is a great version of the I Ching! Carol Anthony takes the sometimes difficult to understand messages of the I Ching and turns them into plain english. Very good for beginners, or for anyone who wishes to get the full message of the I Ching without doing all the interpretation.



2. The most prominent idea I came away with from reading this version of the I Ching is 'not to give up on anyone'; remain open minded and accepting. One never knows when, but that the good will happen is reassuring.



3. I never give top billing to anything - there is always room for improvement. That being said, this is a great guide to the sometimes confusing realm of the I Ching. Clear spiritual insight, coupled with current understandable language makes this an essential companion to whatever other volume one uses to connect with the Power of the Universe. Let it be!



4. This book is amazing and has helped me to understand the passages of the I-Ching. Everything within the book has provided me with practical approaches to mundane/spiritual issues. It also has peaked my interest in purchasing yarrow sticks and the Wilheim book that Ms. Anthony sites as helpful to her own studies.
   Again, this book will prove helpful in learning more about I-Ching (this is my first book on it)and furthering the ongoing spiritual journey.



5. First off, I want to state that, when I first began doing I Ching readings, I referred to this book (and this book only, actually). This was the book that was recommended by my Acupuncture teacher. I, initially, found it to be incredible.
   
   That was until I found out that this book is simply Mrs. Anthony's interpretations of what the I Ching states. After I bought the Wilhelm/Banes translation, I began to use them both. However, after about a month, I stopped using Mrs. Anthony's book altogether. I found her interpretation to be more of a hindrance than a help, mostly because I didn't see how she got certain meanings out of passages. I enjoyed reading the I Ching and making up my own mind about what the passages meant to me.
   
   Do not get me wrong. I think many people will really enjoy this book. Mrs. Anthony gives a more Western approach to the I Ching and this is probably what many Westerners want and can use. However, for those who really want to get dig down into the hexagram meanings, the I Ching, Taoism, and the like, I would suggest starting with the Wilhelm/Baynes translation or, possibly, another good translation (I have heard there are some more recent ones out there). Then expand into other books that come your way.

5 comments about The Analects (Penguin Classics).

1. Filled with totally obfuscated phrases like, "The Kuan-chu Ode is lively but not licentious, plaintive but not harrowing," are gems like, "Po I and Shu Ch'i never remembered old injuries, and therefore their enemies were few." The thing about it, is that I read it cover to cover. Clearly, this deep and old wisdom is best taken in small bits for not many words are wasted. Also, the Lionel Giles translation I read was weak on supplemental commentary so I really felt like I needed a more knowledgeable guide as I was reading. Perhaps the Norton version would have better annotations then the beautiful Easton Press version from my library. It is clearly a five star book, but I think I only got about three stars out of it. Most certainly a book to read again, and again and again.



2. I guess, there is not much point in buying this book for the text of Lunyu itself: it is available in full on the Internet (for example at Wengu: http://afpc.asso.fr/wengu/wg/wengu.php?l=intro - in the Chinese original, two English - including Lau's - and one French translation) but it is the introduction and adjoining commentaries that are of value. In this respect, I found D.C.Lau's work quite pleasing. He explains the main terms and how they hang together, illustrates his arguments with quotations from the actual Analects and tries his best to relate Confucius' philosophy to suitable analogues in the Western tradition. I am no China-expert, so this helped a lot. The book also has a post-script outlining Kong-zi's life and a short piece on the individual disciples and friends that Confucius converses with in the book. I think there is $9 of value (or whatever the price) in this book.



3. It's amazing how after so many years Confucius thoughts are still important. Here you can find the basis for most of the later philosophists, including some universal principles of most religions. Even though it is not easy to read, with a little effort is a book to enjoy.



4. While 'Penguin Classics' paperbacks are generally some of the best on the market, the Analects themselves are, in this case, a bit out a date.
   
   Better translations have been made, in my opinion. However, the prose itself is well-styled and clearly separated. Concise and easy to understand. The fluency of the book is what seems most troubling.



5. I have actually read The Analects before, as a student. Then, as now, I was attracted to a philosophy that did not hold out a reward of eternal salvation as the basis for establishing common morality. You should be a good person because it is effective and desirable. Nothing more. At one point in the Analects, Confucius mocks someone who wants to know about death when in his opinion the person knows nothing at all about life. I like that.
   
   It is always interesting (at least to me) rereading something that I initially read many years ago and which has meant something serious to me on both readings. I am certainly better equipped to understand this now then I was 19 years ago. I am emotionally and intellectually better suited to appreciate the ideas. On the other hand, reading it as part of a class and as a student gave me what I am sure was a much better framework for placing the work against history and context. This was one of those books where I longed to take a class to go with the reading/digesting of the text. I am frustratingly sure that I have missed quite a bit, and that both background and discussion would have been useful.
   
   The Introduction was actually rather helpful, in this case. D.C. Lau did a really able job of setting the stage for the reading. I had read Mencius two years ago and distinctly remember being frustrated by the introduction. I found it absolutely useless as a non-expert reader. I recognize that writing an introduction is rather a thankless job-- you either bore the experts or lose the newbies.
   
   I am not certain whether the Lau introduction to the Penguin edition of The Analects would bore an expert, but this (relative) newbie certainly appreciated its assistance.
   
   In the end, I appreciated this book in an almost physical way. It was like looking at a set of carvings. I took each paragraph out of the box, examined it, and returned it again. Some parts entranced me. Other bits I want to reconsider more later. Still other sections feel as though they will speak to a different me at a different point in my life.
   
   It would be impossible for me not to recommend the reading experience, but is that valuable if I do so out of ignorance? A lovely book. I am not qualified to judge the translation, so I will not try.
   
   (I am wondering if someone here can point me to a good text as to how this basic philosophy became the religion of Confucianism. Also: what Confucianism means as a religion rather than a philosophy.)

3 comments about The New Guide to Crisis & Trauma Counseling.

1. This is one of the best counseling books I have read. It has helped me view crisis and trauma from a different perspective. I highly recommend it.



2. I found this book to be very informative. Though not an exhaustive treatment of crisis cases the coverage is adequate and the author is easy to read and understand. Gives you a basic understanding and points you in a scriptural direction for helping those involved in crises.



3. Dr. Norman Write has again produced a book as comprehensive as any college level text book on dealing with life and death crisis. This book is of special interest to first responder peer support teams, chaplains, hospital crisis teams and others who deal with death and other traumatic circumstances. I especially appreciate the special consideration given to children, adolescents, and Biblical princlples.

5 comments about A Guide to Elegance: For Every Woman Who Wants to Be Well and Properly Dressed on All Occasions.

1. This book was written in the 60's and it's obvious once you begin to read through the chapters. It's been updated but it's still very archaic. The author says in no way can you wear heels with pants and yet it's all the rage in America as well as France. We've long gotten past the idea that you can't wear white past Labor Day, one of her beliefs, again quite dated, and that a woman's goal in life, despite working, is to capture a husband.
   
   It's an exquisite little book though, a pleasure to read and I love that the chapters are all in alphabetical order. I enjoyed reading this but I would have rather borrowed it from the library than own it. I would have given it three stars because it isn't updated well at all but it's such a delightful little read and has such a classic feel to it, her recommendations, that I didn't have the heart.



2. Very good tips for elegance. A good amount of them, timeless, the remaining part dated - 1964 to be precise. Thus I found worth the money, both fashion- and history-wise!



3. Best guide for girls.
   Genevieve Antoine Dariaux is so clever and funny.
   I am a fan and I am very happy to follow some of her advices.
   It's a very good present, always a hit !



4. I bought this book on a lark. Over the past year, I have found myself going to this little book for guidance over and over again. As I move up the corporate ladder, I see that the advice given isn't so dated but really applies to working in a formal, professional environment. Many firms in my field are bringing in "trainers" to give new employees advice on how to dress and behave. The "casual Friday" work environment is changing and this little book fills a real knowledge gap. I didn't know how to dress in an appropriate, professional manner when I graduated from college and started work. I have used the advice in this book to modify my wardrobe and the results are evident in my peers relations with me. Ms. Dariaux's book is great to flip through before buying clothes for the new season or attending a social event.



5. I love this book! I have read it twice already and keep it handy on my bookshelf for little tips here and there. It is apparent that Ms. Genevieve Antoine Dariaux is high fashion (hermes, etc.) but she translates a style that is applicable to any budget. She gives great tips on coordinating and teaches that elegance is more than dressing well, it's a state of mind.

5 comments about The I Ching or Book of Changes.

1. This I Ching is an essential tool of those seeking 'God' - in eclectic form. The I Ching orders one's life... so that God may speak back to you (2-way prayer, if you will)... and to send you on a life-long journey.
   Or you can just dabble.
   
   For those coming from a scientific or agnostic skeptiszm, this book allows you to prove for yourself the emperical existance of God. Even for the scientific atheist. Really!
   How?
   With constant use of the I Ching an obvious question results -"Who's messing around with the coins... these things are supposed to be coming out randomly?". And you might you suppose to just whom the 'Who's" refers.
   
   One sees that the very act of random throwing coins begins to defy probability theory. Hexagrams are received just too strikingly close to reality and certainly not randomly distributed...and I taught college level statistics and experimental methods. In my lifetime I have probably "cast the coins" upwards of 300,000 times... bit i am very old.
   
   Record the time, date and circumstance of each throw with a graded value (1 - 10) of how close to your reality the reading relates. The resulting scattergram will astound you... into accepting that there is more to this thing than meets even the 'inner eye'. You are in touch with something that sees right through you to your inner most thoughts. And then can proceed to "arrange your everyday world".
   Godspeed my felow travellers.
   Godspeed.



2. Dependably delivers divine insights for the mortally bound. Once you master the simple way of accessing and apply the I Ching you will be surprised to find that it delivers much greater spiritual insights with less effort than other approaches -- daily Bible banging for instance -- and does it directly in context with your need(s).



3. I just have a high school education but I'm spiritual. I can understand the Taroh, The Book of Runes, The Yoruba Dominos and the I ching as written by Sam Reifler or Brian Brown Walker. But this book doesn't make a lick of sense.



4. A more technical book that gives a thorough history of the I Ching, how it was used in Ancient China and contains multiple interpretations for each of the 64 hexagrams. Moving lines are defined within the definition of each hexagram with more of the ancient poetics included and the readings are probably closer to the original texts of yesteryear. Definitions of the hexagrams are more detailed than other guides but still an invaluable resource for anyone working with the I Ching.



5. This is by far and away one of the best translations/interpretations out there. Not necessarily the most understandable for beginners. A lot of the imagery is culturally specific and can be difficult to understand without a background in taoism and other asian ideas. However, the different sections offer different levels of interpretation and understanding, which i find very helpful. With persistence and patience, the illumination is well worth the trouble. One of the best, easiest to explore and get to know the I Ching, is The I Ching Workbook, by R.L. Wing. There are some inconsistencies in the divination method, but if you can look past that, it is an excellent beginning text.