Sincerity is the end and the beginning of all things; without sincerity there would be nothing. - Inazo Nitobe, The Way of the Samurai This beautiful jacketed hardcover collection brings together five iconic works of Eastern philosophy. Full of timeless wisdom and invaluable advice, these classic Chinese and Japanese texts condense the spiritual teachings from thousands of years of history. Includes: - The Art of War - Tao Te Ching - The Analects of Confucius - The Way of the Samurai - Mencius Drawing upon military strategy, leadership, honor and spiritual philosophy, this collection offers penetrating insights which are still pertinent in the modern world. ABOUT THE SERIES: The World Classics Library series gathers together the work of authors and philosophers whose ideas have stood the test of time. Perfect for bibliophiles, these gorgeous jacketed hardcovers are a wonderful addition to any bookshelf.
Authors
Mencius (Chinese: 孟子; pinyin: Mèng Zǐ; Wade–Giles: Meng Tzu; Zhuyin Fuhao: ㄇㄥˋ ㄗˇ, most accepted dates: 372 – 289 BCE; other possible dates: 385 – 303/302 BCE) was a Chinese philosopher who was arguably the most famous Confucian after Confucius himself. Also known by his birth name Meng Ke or Ko, Mencius was born in the State of Zou, now forming the territory of the county-level city of Zoucheng (originally Zouxian), Shandong province, only thirty kilometres (eighteen miles) south of Qufu, Confucius' birthplace. He was an itinerant Chinese philosopher and sage, and one of the principal interpreters of Confucianism. Supposedly, he was a pupil of Confucius' grandson, Zisi. Like Confucius, according to legend, he travelled China for forty years to offer advice to rulers for reform. During the Warring States Period (403–221 BCE), Mencius served as an official and scholar at the Jixia Academy in the State of Qi (1046 BCE to 221 BCE) from 319 to 312 BCE. He expressed his filial devotion when he took an absence of three years from his official duties for Qi to mourn his mother's death. Disappointed at his failure to effect changes in his contemporary world, he retired from public life. Mencius is buried in the "Mencius Cemetery" (孟子林, Mengzi Lin, also known as 亚圣林, Yasheng Lin), which is located 12 km to the northeast of Zoucheng's central urban area. A stele carried by a giant stone tortoise and crowned with dragons stands in front of his grave.
Inazo Nitobe (1862-1933): agriculturalist, scholar, Quaker, philosopher, statesman, educator. Inazo Nitobe was educated at Sapporo Agricultural College, University of Tokyo, Johns Hopkins, and University of Halle (Germany). Early in his life he expressed the desire to be a “bridge over the Pacific” and he devoted much of his life to promoting trust and understanding between the United States and Japan.
- - Main works in English of Inazo Nitobe held in the UBC Library Bushido: the soul of Japan; an exposition of Japanese thought. With an introduction by William Elliot Griffis. Rutland, Vt.: C. E. Tuttle Co., [reprint 1969] E-version of Bushido from Project Gutenberg. Reminiscences of childhood in the early days of modern Japan by Inazo Nitobe; with introduction and comments by Mary Patterson Elkinton Nitobé. Tokyo, Mazuren company, Ltd. 1934. The Japanese nation, its land, its people, and its life, with special consideration to its relations with the United States. Wilmington, Del.: Scholarly Resources [reprint 1973] Western influences in modern Japan; a series of papers on cultural relations, by Inazo Nitobe and others. Chicago, Ill., The University of Chicago press [c1931] The works of Inazo Nitobe. [Tokyo] University of Tokyo Press [1972] Japan, some phases of her problems and development. New York, Scribner, 1931 [London Ernest Benn limited 1931]. Use and study of foreign languages in Japan. Geneva League of Nations. Undated. Lectures on Japan; an outline of the development of the Japanese people and their culture, by Inazo Nitobé. [Tokyo, Kenkyusha, 1936] Chicago, Ill.: The University of Chicago Press, 1938.
Chinese philosopher Confucius, originally Kong Fuzi and born circa 551 BC, promoted a system of social and political ethics, emphasizing order, moderation, and reciprocity between superiors and subordinates; after his death in 479 BC, disciples compiled the Analects , which contains a collection of his sayings and dialogues. Teachings of this social thinker deeply influenced Korean, Japanese, and Vietnamese life. 孔子 - Kong Zi 孔夫子 - Kong Fuzi (Kung Fu-Tzu) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confucius
Sun Tzu (孫子; pinyin: Sūnzǐ) is a honorific title bestowed upon Sūn Wu (孫武 c. 544-496 BC), the author of The Art of War (孫子兵法), an immensely influential ancient Chinese book on military strategy. Sun Tzu believed in the use of the military sciences to effect outcomes that would result in peace. In the author's name, Sūn Wu, the character wu, meaning "military", is the same as the character in wu shu, or martial art. Sun Wu also has a courtesy name, Chang Qing (Cháng Qīng).
