Lives of Confucius

March 15, 2010
Confucius, the English name for Kongzi or Master Kong, is regarded today as one of history's greatest philosophers. Nylan (East Asian studies, Univ. of California, Berkeley; "The Five "Confucian" Classics") and Wilson (East Asian history, Hamilton Coll.) tackle the life of this unique figure, whose ideas and teachings have influenced not only Chinese culture but also Korean, Japanese, and Vietnamese cultures over the past 2000 years. This book is not a traditional biography; instead, it looks at Confucius from the perspective of different time periods, exploring how his image, reputation, ideas, and writings were used and altered to fit into the particular agenda of the era. Starting with the first biography of Confucius written 100 years after his death and ending with modern American and Chinese perspectives, Nylan and Wilson cover a huge time frame, producing a full, rich portrait of a complex individual. VERDICT A thought-provoking book for those who really wish to understand Confucius and his evolving place in Chinese culture and one best suited for serious readers and academic libraries with collections in Asian history, philosophy, or religionMelissa Aho, Bio-Medical Lib., Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis

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