Analects of Confucius: How it applies today, especially to modern China
The translation and commentary are by the late Raymond Dawson, former emeritus fellow at the University of Oxford. It is an intellectual analysis of a key source of Chinese philosophy since the lifetime of Confucius, 551 – 479 BC. His aim was to improve the mentality of every individual in China, from ordinary citizen to President (known as Emperor at the time the compilation of The Analects), thereby improving the personal qualities of all levels of officials. Apparently, more interest in Confucius in modern China is to the perception that “this creed might have the solution to problems which Western values have conspicuously failed to solve.” In modern China, it isn’t necessarily like that, partly due to the cultural deformity created since the Peoples’ Republic of China (PRC) was founded in 1949. Professor Dawson’s motivation to translate The Analects and provide commentary is remarkably similar to those of mine and The Trouble With China: “In any case I believe that we sh...