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PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHYTHE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR PHILOSOPHY IN PRACTICEwww.practical-philosophy.org.uk www.society-for-philosophy-in-practice.org |
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PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHYTHE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR PHILOSOPHY IN PRACTICEwww.practical-philosophy.org.uk www.society-for-philosophy-in-practice.org |
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Readings in Classical Chinese Philosophy
Philip J. Ivanhoe and Bryan W. Van Norden (eds)
2001 New York: Seven Bridges Press,
pp. xvii + 362. ISBN: 1-889119-09-1 (pb), £20-95.
Practical Philosophy (Book Reviews) Autumn 2002 Volume 4.2
Reviewed by: Trevor Curnow
This book is a useful addition to the growing body of literature relating to Chinese philosophy. It consists of translations (mostly extracts) from the most influential thinkers and texts of the period from the sixth to the third century BC. The thinkers are Kongzi (Confucius), Mengzi (Mencius), Zhuangzi, Xunzi and Han Feizi. The only work translated in full is the Daodejing, traditionally attributed to Laozi, although most scholars now take the view that he is to be regarded as a figure of legend rather than history. Between them, the texts provide a substantial introduction to the principal schools of the period, namely Confuciansism, Daoism, Moism and Legalism.
Each section is prefaced by a translator’s introduction (six different translators worked on the book) and followed by a short annotated bibliography. The bibliographies provide helpful information both on other translations and on relevant secondary literature. The value of the introductions is more problematic. The editors (p. vii) explain their brevity on the basis that the book is not intended ‘as a philosophical primer for the thought of these authors’. However, it seems to me that a bit more of a concession might have been made to those coming to this area relatively cold. On the other hand, if the introductions are to the texts rather than to the authors, then more information about both the basis on which extracts were made and the content of what has been omitted would have been helpful.
Fortunately, some of the shortcomings of the introductions are compensated for by helpful footnotes and an appendix that contains a range of background materials relating to people, historical periods and other texts. There is also a glossary in which key terms are explained and matched with their original Chinese characters. The latter also appear regularly throughout the book and should be of assistance to those coming to it with a background knowledge of the language. Indeed, I suspect such people may constitute its intended primary audience.
To those without such a background and whose interests are more exclusively philosophical, the book serves as an introduction to the flavour and concerns of Chinese philosophy. The texts all come from a period when something recognisable as genuinely philosophical was emerging and finding its feet in China. From the traditionalism of Confucianism to the mysticism of Daoism, from the hard logic of Mozi to the hard politics of Hen Feizi, substantial swathes of the Chinese philosophical spectrum can be found here. Those with a more substantial interest in the subject will doubtless be more inclined to track down full or fuller translations of the works available elsewhere. Those who are content with less will find this book an attractive package. If nothing else, it is full of the distilled wisdom of sagely figures.
I could say more, but, as the Daodejing (p. 170) says: ‘To be sparing with words is what comes naturally.’
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