The Huainanzi

Front Cover
John S. Major, Sarah A. Queen, Andrew Seth Meyer, Harold D. Roth
Columbia University Press, Apr 14, 2010 - History - 1016 pages

Compiled by scholars at the court of Liu An, king of Huainan, in the second century B.C.E, The Huainanzi is a tightly organized, sophisticated articulation of Western Han philosophy and statecraft. Outlining "all that a modern monarch needs to know," the text emphasizes rigorous self-cultivation and mental discipline, brilliantly synthesizing for readers past and present the full spectrum of early Chinese thought.

The Huainanzi locates the key to successful rule in a balance of broad knowledge, diligent application, and the penetrating wisdom of a sage. It is a unique and creative synthesis of Daoist classics, such as the Laozi and the Zhuangzi; works associated with the Confucian tradition, such as the Changes, the Odes, and the Documents; and a wide range of other foundational philosophical and literary texts from the Mozi to the Hanfeizi.

The product of twelve years of scholarship, this remarkable translation preserves The Huainanzi's special rhetorical features, such as parallel prose and verse, and showcases a compositional technique that conveys the work's powerful philosophical appeal. This path-breaking volume will have a transformative impact on the field of early Chinese intellectual history and will be of great interest to scholars and students alike.

 

Contents

Introduction 1
1
1 Originating in the Way 41
41
2 Activating the Genuine 77
77
3 Celestial Patterns 109
109
4 Terrestrial Forms 149
149
5 Seasonal Rules 173
173
6 Surveying Obscurities 207
207
7 Quintessential Spirit 233
233
13 Boundless Discourses 483
483
14 Sayings Explained 527
527
15 An Overview of the Military 573
573
16 and 17 A Mountain of Persuasions and A Forest of Persuasions 617
617
18 Among Others 713
713
19 Cultivating Effort 757
757
20 The Exalted Lineage 789
789
21 An Overview of the Essentials 841
841

8 The Basic Warp 261
261
9 The Rulers Techniques 289
289
10 Profound Precepts 341
341
11 Integrating Customs 391
391
12 Responses of the Way 429
429
Appendix A Key Chinese Terms and Their Translations 869
869
Appendix B Categorical Terms 921
921
Appendix C A Concise Textual History of the Huainanzi and a Bibliography of Huainanzi Studies 935
935
Index 953
953
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About the author (2010)

John S. Major, formerly professor of history at Dartmouth College, is an independent scholar and writer. He is the author of Heaven and Earth in Early Han Thought: Chapters Three, Four, and Five of the Huainanzi and the author, coauthor, or editor of almost thirty other books, including Defining Chu: Image and Reality in Ancient China.

Sarah A. Queen, professor of history at Connecticut College, is the author of From Chronicle to Canon: The Hermeneutics of the Spring and Autumn, According to Tung Chung-shu. Her current work includes a translation and study of the Luxuriant Gems of the Spring and Autumn (with John S. Major) and an edited volume, Liu An's Vision of Empire: New Perspectives on the Huainanzi (with Michael Puett).

Andrew Seth Meyer, assistant professor of history at Brooklyn College, is the author of several articles, including "The Sunzi bingfa as History and Theory." His current projects are To Rule All Under Heaven, a history of the Warring States period (481-221 B.C.E.), and a translation of the Wenzi (with Harold D. Roth).

Harold D. Roth, professor of religious studies and East Asian studies at Brown University, is the author or editor of four books and more than forty scholarly articles. His books include The Textual History of the Huai-nan tzu and Original Tao: Inward Training and the Foundations of Taoist Mysticism.

Michael Puett, professor of Chinese history at Harvard University, is the author, most recently, of Ritual and Its Consequences: An Essay on the Limits of Sincerity.

Judson Murray, assistant professor of religion at Wright State University, is the author of "A Study of 'Yaolue,' 'A Summary of the Essentials': Understanding the Huainanzi Through the Point of View of the Author of the Postface."

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