The Analects

Confucius' iconic book of quotations and conversations is now available in a beautifully structured English edition. These proverbs and discussions were originally written during China's Warring States period. These topics span from crisis management to general advice on how to live a calm life marked by serenity, humility, and hard work. The importance of family life and communal harmony is also mentioned, providing insight into old Chinese traditions and way of life. Confucius and his contemporaries write about the politics of the time, which are replete with infighting between noble families and dukedoms. He freely offers instances and analogies to help illustrate his arguments, and he talks with various other philosophers over the course of the twenty designated books that make up the primary text of The Analects.