The Four Books of Confucianism (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. Bilingual Edition: English-ChineseBy Mencius, Anonymous
Length13h 46m
About this audiobook
The Four Books of Confucianism gathers the foundational texts through which East Asian moral, political, and educational thought was shaped for centuries: The Great Learning, The Doctrine of the Mean, The Analects, and Mencius. Combining aphorism, dialogue, ethical reflection, and philosophical argument, the collection explores self-cultivation, humane governance, ritual propriety, and the disciplined pursuit of moral equilibrium. Its standout passages on benevolence, learning, and the ruler's responsibilities remain central to the Confucian literary and intellectual canon. Attributed in part to Mencius and in part to anonymous compilers working within the Confucian tradition, these texts represent both inherited sayings and later interpretive elaborations. They emerged from the classical Chinese world of competing schools, social unrest, and debates over legitimate authority, yet they also became definitive through Neo-Confucian scholarship, especially in their role as the curriculum for civil service education. Together, their varied voices transform ethical teaching into a comprehensive vision of personal and social order. This volume is essential for readers seeking a concise yet profound entry into Confucian thought. It offers a rare opportunity to encounter multiple modes of wisdom literature in one collection, from memorable maxims to sustained moral reasoning. Students, scholars, and general readers alike will find in it an enduring dialogue on education, virtue, leadership, and the cultivation of a humane world.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- An Introduction draws the threads together, discussing why these diverse authors and texts belong in one collection.
- Historical Context explores the cultural and intellectual currents that shaped these works, offering insight into the shared (or contrasting) eras that influenced each writer.
- A combined Synopsis (Selection) briefly outlines the key plots or arguments of the included pieces, helping readers grasp the anthology's overall scope without giving away essential twists.
- A collective Analysis highlights common themes, stylistic variations, and significant crossovers in tone and technique, tying together writers from different backgrounds.
- Reflection questions encourage readers to compare the different voices and perspectives within the collection, fostering a richer understanding of the overarching conversation.
Audiobook details
Rating★★★★ 4.2 (307)
Includes Goodreads, Amazon
GenrePhilosophy, Literary Classics
Length13 hrs 46 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateSep 10, 2021
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1Introduction
23季氏第十六 - Book XVI. Ke She.
2Introduction
24陽貨第十七 - Book XVII. Yang Ho.
3Historical Context
25微子第十八 - Book XVIII. Wei Tsze.
4Synopsis (Selection)
26子張第十九 - Book XIX. Tsze-chang.
5The Great Learning
27堯曰第二十 - Book XX. Yao Yueh.
Show all chaptersShow less
6The Doctrine of the Mean
28Mencius
7Analects
29梁惠王上 - Liang Hui Wang I
8學而第一 - Book I. Hsio R.
30梁惠王下 - Liang Hui Wang II
9為政第二 - Book II.Wei Chang.
31公孫丑上 - Gong Sun Chou I
10八佾第三 - Book III. Pa Yih.
32公孫丑下 - Gong Sun Chou II
11里仁第四 - Book IV. Le Jin.
33滕文公上 - Teng Wen Gong I
12公冶長第五 - Book V. Kung-ye Ch'ang.
34滕文公下 - Teng Wen Gong II
13雍也第六 - Book VI. Yung Yey.
35離婁上 - Li Lou I
14述而第七 - Book VII. Shu R.
36離婁下 - Li Lou II
15泰伯第八 - Book VIII. T'ai-po.
37萬章上 - Wan Zhang I
16子罕第九 - Book IX. Tsze Han.
38萬章下 - Wan Zhang II
17鄉黨第十 Book X. Heang Tang.
39告子上 - Gaozi I
18先進第十一 - Book XI. Hsien Tsin.
40告子下 - Gaozi II
19顏淵第十二 - Book XII. Yen Yuan.
41盡心上 - Jin Xin I
20子路第十三 - Book XIII. Tsze-lu.
42盡心下 - Jin Xin II
21憲問第十四 - Book XIV. Hsien Wan.
43Analysis
22衛靈公第十五 - Book XV. Wei Ling Kung.
44Reflection
More from Mencius, Anonymous
The Art of LivingThich Nhat Hanh5h 1m4.5 (14.2K)$24 · $0.00
Moral Letters to LuciliusLucius Annaeus Seneca24h 26m4.5 (71.7K)$1.99 · $0.00
IlluminationsWalter Benjamin10h 12m4.4 (16.2K)$20 · $0.00
That Bird Has My WingsJarvis Jay Masters9h 49m4.4 (13.7K)$29 · $0.00
Tâo Teh KingLaozi2h 34m4.4 (230.9K)$2 · $0.00
Buddhist Boot CampTimber Hawkeye2h 39m4.4 (8.4K)$18 · $0.00
Enchiridion & The Discourses of Epictetus (Annotated)Arrian Epictetus18h 9m4.4 (3.5K)$2 · $0.00
The Meditations of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius AntoninusEmperor of Rome Marcus Aurelius5h 41m4.4 (1.8M)$1 · $0.00
Crime and PunishmentFyodor Dostoevsky23h 11m4.4 (1.3M)$12 · $0.00
MeditationsMarcus Aurelius5h 52m4.4 (433.7K)$1 · $0.00
Everyday DharmaSuneel Gupta5h 2m4.5 (761)$20 · $0.00
The Joyful Wisdom ("La Gaya Scienza")Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche11h 37m4.4 (26.6K)$1 · $0.00
The Art of LivingEpictetus, Sharon Lebell3h 16m4.4 (50.1K)$18 · $0.00
Sadhana: the realisation of lifeRabindranath Tagore3h 49m4.4 (8.6K)$6 · $0.00
SapiensYuval Noah Harari15h 18m4.3 (1.4M)$33 · $0.00
You BelongSebene Selassie8h 35m4.4 (2.7K)$26 · $0.00
The Song Celestial; Or, Bhagavad-Gîtâ (from the Mahâbhârata)Anonymous2h 18m4.4 (3.2K)$2 · $0.00
Chuang Tzu: Mystic, Moralist, and Social ReformerZhuangzi14h 42m4.4 (1.2K)$1 · $0.00
High-RisersBen Austen13h 33m4.4 (2.8K)$33 · $0.00
The Great OmissionDallas Willard7h 45m4.4 (4K)$26 · $0.00
To Kill a MockingbirdHarper Lee12h 18m4.5 (7.4M)$29 · $0.00
These Precious DaysAnn Patchett11h 14m4.5 (45.2K)$29 · $0.00
The Great Gatsby: Original 1925 Edition (An F. Scott Fitzgerald Classic NovelFrancis Scott Fitzgerald4h 45m4.6 (9.3K)$18 · $0.00
The Complete Histories / History Plays of William Shakespeare (Annotated)William Shakespeare29h 42m4.6 (2.3K)$1.99 · $0.00
Braving the TruthRachel Held Evans11h 31m4.7 (359)$29 · $0.00
The Old Man and the Sea (Annotated)Ernest Hemingway4h 27m4.6 (1.4K)$2 · $0.00
Twelfth Night (The Unabridged Play) + The Classic Biography (Annotated)William Shakespeare, Sidney Lee16h 38m4.6 (1.4K)$2 · $0.00
Henry V (The Play, Historical Background and Analysis of the Character in the Play)William Shakespeare, William Hazlitt8h 40m4.6 (1.3K)$1 · $0.00
H. P. LOVECRAFT Ultimate Collection: Novellas, Short Stories, Poetry & Essays (Annotated)H. P. Lovecraft12h 28m4.6 (2.3K)$2 · $0.00
Time RegainedMarcel Proust15h 54m4.5 (10.6K)$2 · $0.00
TORAH - Bilingual Edition: English/Hebrew (Annotated)Max Margolis, JPS28h 26m4.6 (1K)$2 · $0.00
Betty Crocker picture cooky bookBetty Crocker, Inc. General Mills2h 13m4.5 (6.5K)$1 · $0.00
The Complete Tales of Beatrix PotterBeatrix Potter3h 36m4.5 (75K)$3 · $0.00
Crime and Punishment (The Unabridged Garnett Translation) (Annotated)Fyodor Dostoevsky24h 25m4.5 (15.4K)$1.99 · $0.00
The North American IndianEdward S. Curtis, Frederick Webb Hodge6h4.5 (1.2K)$2 · $0.00
The Picture of Dorian Gray: The Uncensored 13 Chapter Version + The Revised 20 Chapter Version (Annotated)Oscar Wilde16h 12m4.5 (2.8K)$1.99 · $0.00
Grimoire Of The Everyday WitchIsadora Lys / Virginia Santos5h 35m4.5 (3.9K)$9 · $0.00
Winnie-the-PoohAlan Alexander Milne2h 52m4.5 (401.1K)$3 · $0.00
Sitting PrettyRebekah Taussig7h 33m4.5 (18.9K)$26 · $0.00
The Poetic Edda & The Prose EddaSnorri Sturluson, Saemund Sigfusson9h 34m4.5 (4K)$1 · $0.00
You may also like
If the Oceans Were InkCarla Power12h 35m4.2 (2.9K)$20 · $0.00
India: A Million Mutinies NowV. S. Naipaul24h 46m4.0 (2.6K)$30
Little SoldiersLenora Chu11h 30m4.3 (3.1K)$29 · $0.00
The Analects of ConfuciusAnonymous4h 2m4.0 (35K)$1 · $0.00
The Education of Henry AdamsHenry Adams19h 28m4.0 (16.9K)$30
A Room of One's OwnVirginia Woolf5h 5m4.3 (326.8K)$20
The AnalectsConfucius3h 10m4.0 (31K)$1.20 · $0.00
Method in the MadnessParameswaran Iyer7h 6m4.2 (462)$24 · $0.00
The Nicomachean EthicsAristotle8h 45m4.3 (126.1K)$17
There Is Simply Too Much to Think AboutSaul Bellow20h 28m4.0 (272)$30
The BridegroomHa Jin6h 54m3.9 (2.7K)$17 · $0.00
The BertramsAnthony Trollope25h 28m3.7 (1.7K)$2 · $0.00
The Essence of Hegel's Philosophy (Annotated)Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel243h 2m$2 · $0.00
The Story of Life in Modern Poland: Without Dogma, Whirlpools & Children of the Soil (Annotated)Henryk Sienkiewicz58h 49m$1.99 · $0.00
The Negotiator in You: In LifeJoshua N. Weiss PhD36m4.0 (268)$3
Englisch lernen Audio - Die besten Stadttouren in LondonSpotlight Verlag59m$12
Bad JewsEmily Tamkin10h 9m3.9 (676)$29 · $0.00
The Essence of Hegel's PhilosophyGeorg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel240h 53m$2 · $0.00
KlimtJane Rogoyska, Patrick Bade1h 23m4.1 (67)$13.50 · $0.00
The History of PedagogyGabriel Compayré21h 53m$1 · $0.00