Shi Jing
– The Book of Odes
The oldest collection of Chinese poetry, more than three hundred songs, odes and hymns. Tr. Legge (en) and Granet (fr, incomplete).
Lun Yu
– The Analects of Confucius
The Master discusses with his disciples and unveil his preoccupations with society. Tr. Legge (en), Lau (en) and Couvreur (fr).
Daxue
– The Great Learning
Confucean thought summarized for the Prince. Tr. Legge (en), Pauthier (fr), Bog (fr).
Zhongyong
– The Doctrine of the Mean
Confucius' grandson comments about the Way and human nature. Tr. Legge (en)
San Zi Jing
– The Three-Character Classic
A textbook helpfull to start learning Classic Chinese. Tr. Giles (en) and Deverge (fr).
Yi Jing
– I Ching, the Book of Changes
This famous system of 64 hexagrams plus their commentaries and transformations is at the root of Chinese thought. Tr. Wilhelm (en, fr).
Dao De Jing
– The Way and Its Power
The naturalist, individualist and politic doctrine of Lao-tse exhibited in 81 poetic and obscure texts. Tr. Waley (en), Lau (en), Julien (fr) and Wilhelm (de).
Tang Shi
– 300 Tang poems
An anthology of 320 poems. Discover Chinese poetry in its golden age and some of the greatest Chinese poets. Tr. by Bynner (en).
Sun Zi
– The Art of War
Chinese strategy explained : know yourself and the ennemy, use deception, spies, and "win with ease". Tr. Giles (en, annotated) and Amiot (fr).
36 Ji
– Thirty-Six Strategies
A recently uncovered notebook of 36 proverbs commented as military tactics that helps dealing with conflicts. Tr. Verstappen (en), Doc Mac Jr (fr).
Oh ! in the Qi and the Ju, / There are many fish in the warrens ; – / Sturgeons, large and snouted, / Zhan, [...] Cf. Shijing 281 | The Master said, "Am I indeed possessed of knowledge? I am not knowing. But if a mean person, who appears quite [...] Cf. Lunyu 217 | Hsieh / Deliverance / Thunder and rain set in: The image of DELIVERANCE. Thus the superior man pardons mistakes And [...] Cf. Yijing 40 |
That which was the beginning of all things under heaven / We may speak of as the “mother” of all things. / He who [...] Cf. Daodejing 52 | I petition no more at the north palace-gate. / ...To this tumble-down hut on Zhongnan Mountain / I was banished [...] Cf. Tangshi 127 | Sun Tzu said: There are five ways of attacking with fire. The first is to burn soldiers in their camp; [...] Cf. Sunzi 222 |
In these pages it's possible to read the Analects of Confucius (Lunyu), The Way and its Power (Daode Jing) attributed to Lao-tse and some other wisdom or poetry texts in Chinese with English and French translations. Any Chinese characters are linked to dictionaries. Your browser must display Chinese.
Why read Confucius, Lao-tse or the Book of Changes? Well, these Chinese classics have had a major influence on the oldest civilization still in existence on the face of this planet; that should be enough. If not, please consider that China, mostly as a distant mirror where hopes and fears are reflected, has exercised a profound impact on the thinking patterns of Western civilisations, and will. This article in the Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy explains things better.
Wengu – Chinese Classics – Chinese off/on – Français/English
The Book of Odes, The Analects, Great Learning, Doctrine of the Mean, Three-characters book, The Book of Changes, The Way and its Power, 300 Tang Poems, The Art of War, Thirty-Six Strategies
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