Ancient China in Context
The New Chinese Classics

These in-depth studies analyze a major text of pre-Imperial or early Imperial times, sometimes with a full annotated translation, or illustrate a large historical process with many illustrative translations. All bring the reader close to the mind of ancient China, as expressed in the words of one text or in the steps of one key development. Together, they present some of the major focal points in the ancient world of thought: the rulers of states in the time before Confucius, Confucius himself and the successor movement that made him a cultural icon, the meditation-based but wordly Dauists, the technicians of warfare, and the respected but treacherous Imperial history Shr Ji. An overview volume puts these and other pieces together in a panoramic view of the entire period. These books are addressed to readers, whether professionals or students, who want a detailed and consecutive impression of ancient China.

Future books in this series will continue the precedent established by The Original Analects, published by Columbia in 1998, and will maintain the same format and cover design. They are here listed in historical order by topic (the overview volume is last), with estimated dates of publication. Some have previews or supplements available on-line, elsewhere at this site.

• Springs and Autumns: The Chinese World Before Confucius (est 2017)
• The Original Analects: Sayings of Confucius and His Successors (Columbia 1998)
  • Supplement to The Original Analects (on-line at this site)
• The Necessities of War: Sundz and the Chinese Art of Leadership (est 2013)
• Quiet Ways: Dau/Dv Jing and the Chinese Meditation Tradition (est 2014)
• Historian of China: Szma Tan and the Shr Ji (est 2011)
• The Emergence of China: State Formation and Classical Thought (est 2009)
  • The Hundred Voices (on-line classroom module of The Emergence of China)

These texts, which range beyond the narrow Confucian canon, are Classics because Chinese tradition has come to regard them as culturally central. These particular treatments are New because they accept that wider definition of what a classic is, and because they bring a fresh approach and a penetrating analysis to bear on the texts included. A parallel series, supplementing these titles for the specialist and accessible to the general reader, is available under the rubric Introducing China.

17 May 2007 / Contact The Project / Exit to Publications Page