Dialogues of Confucius

Journal Data

TypeSOURCE_BOOK
PublisherPrinceton University Press (US)
ISBN-139780691276472
Total publications1
Coverage period2026 - 2026
LanguageEN

The first complete English translation of the Dialogues , a rediscovered companion to the Analects Labeled a forgery and ignored for centuries, the Dialogues of Confucius was nevertheless preserved and passed down through the generations, purportedly a companion to the Analects . Recent archaeological finds and renewed analysis now suggest that the Dialogues can be accepted as authentic and that it accurately represents the thinking of Confucius on a wide array of topics. In this book, Brian Bruya and Wenwen Li offer the first complete translation of the text into English as well as a detailed introduction discussing Confucian philosophy, the history of the text, and the debates around its authenticity. This new translation shows that the Dialogue s deserves a rightful place next to the Analects . In the Dialogues , as in the Analects , Confucius converses with his students and local potentates. The topics range from education to social norms to cosmology, and from cultivating individual virtues to instituting a meritocratic government. As Bruya and Li argue, the main value of the Dialogues lies in its many philosophical clarifications and elaborations. At its core, it offers a valuable resource for understanding Confucius, his interactions with his students, and his philosophy. Each chapter includes both the original Chinese text and the English translation. The introduction includes a philosophical lexicon, and a 600-entry glossary at the end of the book provides context from the time of Confucius, enabling readers to understand how Confucius viewed his place in the world.