Shizi

China's First Syncretist

Paul Fischer (Western Kentucky University)

$107.95

Hardback

Not in-store but you can order this
How long will it take?

Availability Information

We source books from suppliers in Australia and overseas. For books we don't currently have in stock, the time it takes to get them from our suppliers can vary widely - from a few days to a few months - so we check each book with each supplier to determine the expected time it will take to be supplied to us.

We then advise you accordingly. If the time taken to get any book is too long for you, you can let us know and we will cancel or adjust your order, and refund as required.

To find out the anticipated arrival time for specific items prior to ordering, please contact us by phone or email:

Phone +61 2 9264 3111, or 1800 4 BOOKS (1800 4 26657) if outside Sydney:
option 1 Abbey's Bookshop (Crime, History, Science, Kids & more) • info@abbeys.com.au
option 2 Language Book Centre (ESL & Foreign Languages) • language@abbeys.com.au
option 3 Galaxy Bookshop (Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels) • sf@galaxybooks.com.au

QTY:

English

Columbia University Press
03 July 2012

Oriental & Indian philosophy

By blending multiple strands of thought into one ideology, Chinese Syncretists of the pre-imperial period created an essential guide to contemporary ideas about self, society, and government. Merging traditions such as Ruism, Mohism, Daoism, Legalism, and Yin-Yang naturalism into their work, Syncretists created an integrated intellectual approach that contrasts with other, more specific philosophies. Presenting the first full English translation of the earliest example of a Syncretist text, this volume introduces Western scholars to both the brilliance of the syncretic method and a critical work of Chinese leadership.

Written by Shi Jiao, China's first syncretic thinker, during the Warring States Period of 481 to 221 BCE, Shizi is similar to Machiavelli's The Prince in that it dispenses wisdom to would-be rulers. It stresses the need for leaders to be detached and objective. It further encourages self-cultivation and effective government, recommending that rulers maintain self-discipline, hire reliable people, delegate power transparently, and promote others in an orderly fashion. The people, it is argued, will emulate their leader's wisdom and virtue, and a just and peaceful state will result. Paul Fischer provides an extensive introduction and a chapter-by-chapter summary and analysis of the text-outlining the importance of syncretism in Chinese culture-and explores the text's particular features, authorship, transmission, loss, and reconstruction over time. The Shizi set the stage for a long history of syncretic endeavor in China, and its study provides insight into the vital traditions of early Chinese philosophy. It is also a template for interpreting other well-known works, such as the Confucian Analects, the Daoist Laozi, the Mohist Mozi, and the Legalist Shang jun shu.

Translated by: Paul Fischer (Western Kentucky University)
Imprint: Columbia University Press
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 229mm, Width: 152mm, Spine: 23mm
Weight: 496g
ISBN: 9780231159067
ISBN 10: 0231159064
Pages: 256
Publication Date: 03 July 2012
Audience: College/higher education , Further / Higher Education
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Introduction Content Transmission Key Terms Annotated Translation 1. Exhortation to Learn (Quan xue) 2. Honoring Words [of Good Advice] (Gui yan) 3. Four Kinds of Proper Conduct (Si yi) 4. The Enlightenment Hall (Ming tang) 5. Allocation (Fen) 6. Emerging from Delusion (Fa meng) 7. Considerateness (Shu) 8. Governing the World (Zhi tianxia) 9. Good Intentions (Ren yi) 10. Broad-mindedness (Guang) 11. Generous Fellows (Chuo zi) 12. Dwelling in the Way (Chu dao) 13. Spiritous Enlightenment (Shen ming) 14. Stopping the Chu Army (Zhi Chu shi) 15. The Ruler's Governance (Jun zhi) Fragments (Yi wen) Notes Bibliography Index

Paul Fischer is an assistant professor of Chinese history at Western Kentucky University. He received his Ph.D. from the department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations at the University of Chicago.

Reviews for Shizi: China's First Syncretist

Paul Fischer's translation of Shizi shows us that the world of thought in ancient China is a vast space, like a starry sky, and the famous thinkers such as Kongzi, Mozi, and Laozi are only the brightest of so many stars. Fischer provides a way to find many forgotten thinkers that should be reexamined, as in fact they are treasure boxes of knowledge. -- Li Ling, Peking University