Confucius in a Nutshell

by Neil Wenborn

Confucius stands alone among the world’s greatest thinkers. Perhaps no other teacher has exerted so powerful a hold over so many people for so long. For two and a half millennia his sayings, preserved and developed by generations of his followers, have shaped the cultural and political life of the world’s most populous nation, and they continue to offer fresh insights for today’s globalised society. This text sets Confucius’s life and teaching in the context of the long history of China, and examines the origins, meanings and influence of one of history’s most enduring philosophical traditions.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, China

35 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 28, 2010

Reviews

[Karl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Några takeaways:

Confucius gör bildning till en av de främsta dygderna. Han säger ungefär så här:

En handlingskraftig man utan bildning är farlig. En intelligent man utan bildning tänker raffinerat men saknar verklighetsförankring. En god man utan bildning förstör för dem han vill gynna

Och I en slumpartad by med en befolkning på 100 personer så finns förmodligen några som är mer intelligenta eller flitigare än jag, men knappast någon som är mer bildad. Det är bildningen som gör att mina tankar har sådan potens.

Liksom Buddha och Socrates undviker han det metafysiska. Confucius uttalar sig inte om metafysiska ting och avråder sina lärjungar från att ödsla tid på sådant. På frågan vad hans mål är så svarar han att värna de gamla, barnen och freden, utan att blanda in något gudomligt.

Detta med att undvika doxa och fokusera på pragmata verkar vara det stora temat i axialålderns filosofer.

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very brief overview of Confucius, more about the context of his life and times in China than his actual philosophy. It does give you a bit of a clue as to how Confucius's ideology help shape Eastern thought. I feel that Confucius among other Eastern teachings gives Asian peoples within his sphere of influence (the Confucius belt) an extra veneer of civility that other cultures around the world just do not have. I have a little better understanding through this work, but still not a completely clear picture.

[Gigi · Rating 2 out of 5]

As the title says 'Confucius in a nutshell'. Summary of the context and life of Confucius but not too much detail about his teachings.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book describes the life and teachings of a master teacher referred to by the Chinese as "Kong Fu Tsu" which was translated to “Confucious” by western missionaries. Good backgrounder.

[Viktor Nilsson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Describing a complex and important man such as Confucius in little over one hour is barely possible, but this book does a good job. It's a good mix between Confucius the person, his teachings, the discussions among his followers, the environment in which they acted, and the influence that Confucianism has had and continues to have. (The narrator's pronunciation of Chinese words is awful though.)