Chinese Sages Series: A Selected Collection of the Doctrine of the Mean
Language: English, modern Chinese, and classical Chinese
Published by Sinolingua, 2006
Format: Paperback, 134 pages, 145 mm x 210 mm
ISBN: 7802002168, 9787802002166

The Doctrine of the Mean (中庸, Zhongyong) is one of the Four Books (四书) which were selected by Zhu Xi during the Song Dynasty as foundational introduction to Confucianism. A Selected Collection of the Doctrine of the Mean contains chosen parts of the classic in classical Chinese, modern Chinese and English translation - with b&w illustrations.

The Chinese Sage Series contains the Four Books, which refers to the 4 canonical books of Confucianism, which have been compiled by the Neo-Confucian Zhu Xi in Song Dynasty:
大学 / 大學 Daxue (The Great Learning)
论语 / 論語 Lunyu (The Analects)
中庸 Zhongyong (The Doctrine of the Mean)
孟子 Mengzi (The Mencius)

A Selected Collection of the Great Learning, the Analects, the Doctrine of the Mean and Mencius, as a set of Chinese Sages Series, are compiled to introduce the essence of traditional Chinese culture to the world. These four books began to show their splendors as early as over 2400 years ago between the Spring and Autumn and the Warring States periods. Now they are published in classical-modern Chinese and English versions as a help to people of interest to know the basic ideas of Confucianism.

Preface
Though the actual date at which the Doctrine of the Mean was compiled can not be ascertained, it has been one of the most important classics for Confucianism, especially Neo-Confucianism. It deserves careful reading if we are to understand and study Confucianism and to spread its essence. But for a long time, only a few foreign-language versions of The Doctrine of the Mean have been available. This has been a great handicap to scholars and readers who study Chinese philosophy and Chinese culture through foreign languages. It has also limited the spread of traditional Chinese culture. Scholars who speak foreign languages only, and Chinese scholars who study and work abroad complain that China pays too little attention to the translation of Chinese culture. If compared to Indian cultural legacy which is available in many foreign languages, especially English, there are only a few foreign-language versions of traditional Chinese classics. And these were written not by Chinese but by foreigners! The translation of Chinese classics can best be done if a modern Chinese version is available because it is much more difficult to translate directly from classical Chinese. Hence, Sinolingua plans to publish foreign-language versions of Chinese classics one by one and The Doctrine of the Mean is one of them. The “Four Books” in classic Chinese-modern Chinese-English version published by Sinolingua have drawn great attention and now, as one of the Sages Series, A Selected Collection of the Doctrine of the Mean is coming out. With more detailed explanations and fine illustrations, the book will be more practical and readable.

中国圣人文化丛书：中庸 (精华版)
译编：傅去龙、蔡希勤  
出版：华语教学出版社，2006-01
装帧：平装，大32开，134 页
ISBN：7802002168
条码：9787802002166 

《中庸》的成书年虽无确考，但自宋以来却是儒家学派，特别是新儒学即道学的最为重要的经典。要了解儒学、研究儒学、传播儒学的精华，就不能不认真阅读这部书。但是长期以来《中庸》的外文译本不多，这部给使用外国文字研究中国哲学、中国文化的学人和读者带来了不便，限制了中国传统文化的传播。许多使用外文的学者和在域外读读书、做学问的朋友，都埋怨国内太不注意中国文化成果的外文翻译工作，他们喜欢拿印度与中国比，他们说，印度民族的许多文化遗产多有外文译本，特别是英文译本，而中国经典遗产多有外文对本，特别是英文译本。而中国经典遗产的外文本则寥若晨星，偶遇几种，也多为外国人所译，这不能不使人感到愧对古人，有负后人，也对不起人。

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