A Selected Collection of Mencius (Chinese-English)

Chinese Sages Series: A Selected Collection of Mencius
Language: English, modern Chinese, and classical Chinese
Published by Sinolingua, 2006
Format: Paperback, 245 pages, 145 mm x 210 mm
ISBN: 7802002192, 9787802002197

The Mencius (孟子, Mengzi) is a collections of conversations of the scholar Mencius with kings of his time. A Selected Collection of Mencius contains chosen parts of Mencius in classical Chinese, modern Chinese and English translation. Annotations and illustrations are included. 
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.

FOREWORD
Mencius (c.372-289 BC) was a native of the minor State of Zou (now Zouxian County, Shandong Province). His personal name was Ke and courtesy name Ziyu. He was the outstanding Confucian sage of the Warring States period (457-221 BC). He received instruction first from his mother and later from a pupil of Zisi, a grandson of Confucius. He traveled and taught in the states of Liang and Qi, being employed as a “guest minister” by King Huan of the latter state. But, disappointed that his political and philosophical ideas were not put into practice by his master, he retired to teach his disciples and write books.

Mencius developed the idea of benevolence, a key theme of Confucius’ doctrines, and extended it to encompass benevolent government. Such a political system, he maintained, would be the foundation for the unification of the world. Like Confucius, he championed justice for the people above the might and right of rulers, and deplored the practice-all too common at the time-of states annexing each other by force. His theory that man is naturally good occupies a significant position in the history of Chinese thought. He stressed that goodness was the result of the “cultivation of the heart”.

During the Song (960-1279) and Yuan (1271-1368) dynasties Mencius’ teachings were absorbed as the mainstay of ruling class ideology. In 1330 he was awarded the exalted title of “Lesser Sage of the State of Zou”, and in 1530 accorded the title “Mencius, the Lesser Sage”.

The seven chapters of the Mencius comprise one of the classics of the Confucian school, and, together with The Great Learning, The Doctrine of the Mean and Analects of Confucius, one of the “Four Books”. There are various opinions as to the compilation of the Mencius. One theory has it that it was composed by Mencius himself with the assistance of his disciples, chief of whom were Wan Zhang and Gongsun Chou; another theory is that it is simply a collection of the sage’s sayings compiled after his death by his disciples and their pupils.

In the book are recorded the views of Mencius and his disciples on politics, education, philosophy and ethics, as well as accounts of some of their doings. It is an important document for the study of the Confucian School and its development, and essential reading for an understanding of Mencius and his doctrines.

To help young readers understand this great Chinese classic, a translation into the modern vernacular is appended, passage by passage, as is a version in English for the benefit for readers abroad.

中国圣人文化丛书：孟子 (精华版)
译编：蔡希勤  
出版：华语教学出版社，2006-01
装帧：平装，大32开，246页
ISBN：7802002192
条码：9787802002197 

中国圣人文化丛书精选春秋战国时期儒家作品《大学》《论语》《中庸》《孟子》中广为人知的语句，配以白话和英文翻译，对重点语句给予详细的注释，并配上多幅精美插图，使本套图书的观赏性和实用性融为一体，可以满足研究中国哲学的外国人及相关人士的需要。该套丛书代表了中华传统文化的精髓，本书是从书之一《孟子》。
《四书》精华版是中国圣人文化丛书中的一套，共四本。该丛书精选春秋战国时期儒家作品《大学》《论语》《中庸》《孟子》中广为人知的语句，配以白话和英文翻译，对重点语句给予详细的注释，并配上多幅精美插图，使本套图书的观赏性和实用性融为一体。

前 言
孟子（约公元前372——前289年）名轲，字子舆，邹（今山东省邹县）人，中国战国时期的大儒，孔子后一人，故有“亚圣”之称。他幼时曾得力于母亲的教诲，后受业于子思的门人。游学于齐、梁之间，一度任齐宣王客卿，因其主张不见用，退而与弟子公孙丑、万章等著书立说。为适应历史发展的需要，孟子发展了孔子核心思想仁为仁政，提出“民贵君轻” 说，体现了儒家的重要思想，反对统治者的武力兼并，主张“仁政”是统一天下的基础。孟子提倡性善说，在中国思想史上具有重要意义。孟子强调养心、存心等内心修养的功夫，成为中国思想史上心学的鼻祖。

宋元以后，孟子学说成为统治阶级的重要精神支柱之一，其本人的地位也日益显尊。元至顺元年（公元1330年），他被封为邹国亚圣公，明嘉靖九年（公元1530年）定为“亚圣孟子”。

所著《孟子》七篇，是中国儒家经典之一，与《大学》、《中庸》、《论语》并称《四书》。是书的成书，历史上其说不一，一说为孟子和其弟子万章、公孙卫等共同编撰而成；一说是其弟子及再传弟子对其言行的记录。书中记载了孟子及其若干弟子的政治、教育、哲学、伦理等各方面的思想观点和政治活动轨迹，是研究儒家学说及其发展的重要典著，也是了解孟子本人及其学派重要依据与资料。

为了帮助青年读者能够读懂这部儒家经典，我们先将此书意译为白话文，力求译文通俗易懂，内容连贯；然后再将它译成英文，使西方读者也能正确理解和运用。

目录
《孟子》和《论语》一样本无篇名，是后人选每篇第一章的
前几个重要的字而命名的。