Confucius: A New Tradition - Hardcover

by Mark Csikszentmihalyi (Author)

A fresh look at Confucius through the oldest known record of his life.

People have written biographies of Confucius for over 2,000 years, but a recent discovery of a Chinese tomb containing the oldest written account of his life provides an opportunity to revisit Confucius afresh. In this book, Mark Csikszentmihalyi tells the story of the life and thought of the Chinese thinker by exploring Confucius as a ritual prodigy, moral educator, scholar, and political draftsman. He also considers how Confucius has been used as a symbol for traditional Chinese culture in modern times--by those who want to radically reform or destroy it and by those who seek to preserve or revive it. Confucius provides an insightful, accessible, and concise account of a key figure in East Asian thought.

Author Biography

Mark Csikszentmihalyi is professor and Eliaser Chair of international studies in the department of East Asian Languages and Cultures at the University of California, Berkeley. He is editor of the journal Early China.