The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Confucianism

Confucianism can be defined as the teachings and practices associated with the historical teacher Confucius and his followers from the sixth century BCE through the twentieth century. Confucius saw in his own lifetime a world torn by civil strife. He sought to remedy its ills by teaching of a golden age when virtue prevailed. For Confucius, moral order could be brought to the world by emulating the ways of the ancient sage-kings. Fundamentally, his teachings stressed the establishment...
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Confucianism can be defined as the teachings and practices associated with the historical teacher Confucius and his followers from the sixth century BCE through the twentieth century. Confucius saw in his own lifetime a world torn by civil strife. He sought to remedy its ills by teaching of a golden age when virtue prevailed. For Confucius, moral order could be brought to the world by emulating the ways of the ancient sage-kings. Fundamentally, his teachings stressed the establishment of proper relations and respect between human beings. Confucius taught that each person had moral responsibilities to those around him or her. One was to develop one's life, as well as one's society, into a microcosm of the moral order of the universe itself; that is, the Way of Heaven. Confucianism flourished within China, but also influenced the cultures of Korea, Japan, parts of Southeast Asia, and recently the West. This comprehensive, two-volume encyclopedia clearly and effectively defines the major forces of Confucianism and shows us its relevance for the present day. This volume features over 2,000 thoroughly cross-referenced entries listed alphabetically describe the major beliefs and practices of Confucianism. Contents by subject section categorizes entries thematically: Art, Architecture, and Iconography; Astrology, Cosmology, and Mythology; Biographical Entries; Ceremonies, Practices, and Rituals; Concepts; Geography; Literature and Language; Music; Rulers and Dynasties; Schools and Groups; and Texts. Black and white photographs and illustrations throughout show key geographical sites and provide compelling portraits within Confucianism. Charts and maps provide additional information. Appendices provide a timeline of Chinese dynasties and glossaries of Chinese terms transliterated according to the Pinyn and Wade-Giles systems. Rodney L. Taylor, Ph.D. (Columbia University), is a specialist in East Asian religion and philosophy with particular expertise in Confucianism. Professor of religious studies at the University of Colorado at Boulder, Professor Taylor has also held a number of administrative positions including director of the Asian Studies Program, chair of the Department of Religious Studies, Associate Dean of the Graduate School, Interim Dean of the Graduate School, and Associate Vice Chancellor for Graduate Education. His publications include: The Cultivation of Sagehood as a Religious Goal in Neo-Confucianism:, Study of Selected Writings of Kao P'an-lung (1978); The Holy Book in Comparative Perspective (with F.M. Denny) (1985); The Way of Heaven: An Introduction to the Confucian Religious Life (1986); The Confucian Way of Contemplation: Okada Takehiko and the Tradition of Quiet-Sitting (1988); They Shall Not Hurt: Human Suffering and Human Caring (with J. Watson) (1989); and The Religious Dimensions of Confucianism (1990) as well as numerous articles. Howard Choy is, Ph.D. candidate in comparative literature and humanities at the University of Colorado at Boulder. He holds an M.A. in East Asian languages and literature from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and taught at Stanford University and the University of Colorado at Denver. He has published articles, reviews, and translations in several major scholarly journals. His dissertation is on the rewriting of history in contemporary Chinese fiction.