Classical Chinese (Supplement 4): Selections from Philosophical Texts

Classical Chinese: Selections from Philosophical Texts continues the rigorous standard set forth in the main, three-volume Classical Chinese: A Basic Reader. Organized into four sections, this supplementary volume sets forth the key concepts and writings of Confucius, Mencius, Laozi, and Zhuangzi-providing key insight into their beliefs and literary styles. The beauty of these original texts and the insightful annotations that accompany them will provide students of Chinese with a glimpse into the fountainhead of China’s intellectual tradition.


The main text and its four supplementary volumes together represent the most comprehensive and authoritative textbook on the language, literature, philosophy, history, and religion of premodern China. Rigorously and extensively field-tested and fine-tuned for years in classroom settings by three members of the Chinese Linguistics Project at Princeton University, it sets a new standard for the field. With Classical Chinese: A Basic Reader and its supplementary volumes, Naiying Yuan, Haitao Tang, and James Geiss provide the definitive new resource for students and instructors of classical Chinese language and culture, one whose impact will be lasting.