Why Do We Need Another English Version of the Analects? – A Philosophical Reflection


Early this year State University of New York Press published a new English translation and annotation of the Analects of Confucius. From the appearance of the first English translation of the Analects near the end of the 17th century to today, there have been several dozens of English versions of the Confucian classic already, why did the author of this new version set aside the projects he had long wanted to complete and spent five years to “repeat” the work that has been done many times by others already? Translation and introduction of classics is foundational to cultural exchange and dialogue of civilizations, and it is also a way through which cultural traditions develop. In this lecture, the author of this new translation and annotation of the Analects answers the above question from the following four points: 1, the pros and cons of the previous English translations; 2, the major objectives of the new translation; 3, the author’s Gongfu reading of the Analects; and 4, the significance of this reading to the development of contemporary philosophy.