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Three Ways of Thought in Ancient China (China: History, Philosophy, Economics) (China: History, Philosophy, Economics, 36) 1st Edition

by Arthur Waley (Author)
4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 18 ratings
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First published in 1939. This book consists chiefly of extracts from Chuang Tzu, Mencius and Han Fei Tzu. Chuang Tzu's appeal is to the imagination; the appeal of mencius is to the moral feelings; realism, as expounded by Han Fei Tzu, finds a close parallel in modern Totalitarianism and as a result these extracts from a book of the third century B.C. nonetheless have a very contemporary connection.
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  1. ISBN-10
    0415612802
  2. ISBN-13
    978-0415612807
  3. Edition
    1st
  4. Publication date
    May 12, 2011
  5. Language
    English
  6. Dimensions
    6.1 x 0.64 x 9.1 inches
  7. Print length
    280 pages
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Fascinating both for its own sake and for its parallels with our own ways of thought in the West" - E M Forster

About the Author

Arthur Waley

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Routledge; 1st edition (May 12, 2011)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 280 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0415612802
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0415612807
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.15 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.1 x 0.64 x 9.1 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 18 ratings

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Arthur Waley

Arthur Waley

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Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
4 out of 5
18 global ratings
Highly readable
4 Stars
Highly readable
From antiquity the Chinese have always valued education. In ancient China civil war and social unrest brought out contending schools of thought on how China should be governed and how life should be lived. There were 10 schools of thought and three of strongest were Taoism represented by the poet Chuang Tzu (369- 286 BC), Confucianism represented by the sage Mencius (372- 289 BC) and Legalism or State control represented by the statesman Han Fei Tzu (280- 233 BC). Arthur Waley captures the poetry, humanity and logic in these translations and commentary.
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Top reviews from the United States

A. Astolfi
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on October 11, 2014
Verified Purchase
It's awesome.
One person found this helpful
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Thomas E. Chase
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2017
Verified Purchase
It isn't a narrated story with a plot. It is history of philosophy in China.
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Eugene W. Levich
5.0 out of 5 stars MASTERPIECE
Reviewed in the United States on July 4, 2000
This work is one of the very few great English language classics in the exposition of traditional Chinese thought. It is delightful reading. Its author, Arthur Waley, remains long after his death the premier translator of traditional Chinese and Japanese literature. The pleasure of reading this book for the first time, years ago, influenced me in great measure to complete a doctorate in Far Eastern Languages and Civilizations. Today, it is the first book I recommend that my students read as an introduction to traditional Chinese thought; the book gives a clear glimpse of the value systems of people in China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, and Singapore right down to today. Three Ways of Thought in Ancient China, by Arthur Waley, is a book not to be missed by any educated person. Enjoy!
56 people found this helpful
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Toshia
1.0 out of 5 stars One Star
Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2017
Verified Purchase
I hated this book. Forced to read it for a history class.
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Piano Cat
4.0 out of 5 stars Highly readable
Reviewed in the United States on October 12, 2020
From antiquity the Chinese have always valued education. In ancient China civil war and social unrest brought out contending schools of thought on how China should be governed and how life should be lived. There were 10 schools of thought and three of strongest were Taoism represented by the poet Chuang Tzu (369- 286 BC), Confucianism represented by the sage Mencius (372- 289 BC) and Legalism or State control represented by the statesman Han Fei Tzu (280- 233 BC). Arthur Waley captures the poetry, humanity and logic in these translations and commentary.
Customer image
Piano Cat
4.0 out of 5 stars Highly readable
Reviewed in the United States on October 12, 2020
From antiquity the Chinese have always valued education. In ancient China civil war and social unrest brought out contending schools of thought on how China should be governed and how life should be lived. There were 10 schools of thought and three of strongest were Taoism represented by the poet Chuang Tzu (369- 286 BC), Confucianism represented by the sage Mencius (372- 289 BC) and Legalism or State control represented by the statesman Han Fei Tzu (280- 233 BC). Arthur Waley captures the poetry, humanity and logic in these translations and commentary.
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VT-reviewer
5.0 out of 5 stars Great on its own or as a starting point for further reading.
Reviewed in the United States on March 24, 2009
If ancient Chinese philosophy is new territory for you, definitely start by reading this book. Arthur Waley's style is very readable, combining short translations with insightful commentary and analysis. I found the stories from Chuang Tzu to be especially entertaining. Before this, I read Waley's translations of "The Analects of Confucius" and the "Tao Te Ching". These were good but they left me with more questions than answers and they were a good deal drier in their approaches. For those with a casual interest in Chinese philosophy this book will scratch your itch. For those interested in learning more it will guide you in right direction. Highly recommended.
8 people found this helpful
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Lynn Hoffman, author:Radiation Days: A Comedy
5.0 out of 5 stars An Olympic Effort
Reviewed in the United States on June 18, 2008
It's easy to give short shrift to a book that hopes to summarize three major traditions of philosophy in just over 200 pages. What makes this brilliant is Waley's assembling views of Daoist, Confucist and Realist thinking in the form of imaginary colloquia between the various philosophers.
The result is an introduction, for the Western reader, to the rich and highly conflicted intellectual background of Chinese civilization.

As China becomes more of a world power, this little book, even without mention of Maoist thought and legacy will remain a good, short introduction to the foundations of that world.

Lynn Hoffman, author of bang BANG
10 people found this helpful
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General Pete
5.0 out of 5 stars Everyone with an interest in the Far East should read this
Reviewed in the United States on June 26, 2004
Mr. Arthur Waley has proven that a good work can stand the test of time. First published almost 60 years ago this work does a wonderful jobof explianing the differences between various schools of thought not just in China but in the rest of Asia.
The differences between the teachings of Chuang Tzu, Mencius and The realists may not seem like much to us westerners but these three groups have all done a lot to shape Asia.
The thing I like most about this book is that it is short and broken up into three parts. Therefore your mind doesn't do a blowout trying to digest all the material and you can study each school indivudally.
Overall-Great book, most of the stories are very deep and will hold some meaning for everyone if you are just willing to listen.
22 people found this helpful
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