"The Analects of Confucius" in a translation of the Western

Towards the West from the 17th century, the Chinese classics, making them no longer just the Chinese classic, and will gradually become a world classic. Westerners how the first reading, understanding, translation and dissemination of "The Analects", in the minds of Westerners as the most representative of Chinese culture, the text  "The Analects of Confucius" in the West, the first translation of a Latin text, found in one can be seen as the Encyclopedia of Chinese thought, the Chinese philosopher Confucius (Paris, 1687) (after the brief as "Confucius "). This book systematically introduces the Qin in Confucianism, Song Mingru home, Taoism and Chinese Buddhism. In addition to the translation of "The Analects", it also includes the "University" and "Mean" translation.



In fact, the accumulation of 1687 years, published by the President of the Jesuit missionaries a hundred years of effort. Since 1583, the missionaries used the "Four Books" to learn Chinese. In the learning process, they used the "Four Books" to prepare for language teaching materials. However, some parts of Western readers still do not understand, because Western readers to the lack of knowledge about Chinese history, the missionaries to provide a lot of language and historical material. Therefore, in Guangzhou, from 1666 to 1671, a group of missionaries in the translation of the "Four Books".



They took three years to continue the translation, and annotation translation of the Commentaries home. As a result, translation is no longer a language teaching materials, while more academic value. However, because of the heavy workload in the translation process, they decided to abandon the "Mencius", but only to complete the "University", "moderate", the translation of "The Analects". Since then, there are six Jesuits revised the translation.



1671, the translation was sent to Europe. But it was not until 1687, under the strong support of the Royal Librarian, this book ultimately available, entitled: "the Chinese philosopher Confucius, or knowledge - expressed in Latin by Yin duo Ze, uh, grid, Rouge is full and Bo should be reasonable efforts. "



The missionaries gradually realized that they face thinking constitutes a system, namely, "knowledge", translation of "golden mean" when they "knowledge" as the title. This implies that the Chinese system of thought capable of responding to the "Europe of knowledge" in order to establish a bridge between the two systems of thinking. The time of publication, the book cover to retain the word "knowledge", but not the writings of the title, but only subtitled it. Translator shall be Bo decided to focus from "knowledge" to the "Confucius," I make heading into the Chinese philosopher Confucius. Although the Chinese thought of Confucius on the high status, but in modern Chinese cultural thought "Confucianism" and only "Confucian". However, this does not prevent the name of Bo shall be hung in the entire book of Confucius, like Confucius, a person can represent the entire Chinese thought.



The translator Bo Ying management is likely to take into account, a philosopher than a philosophical theory more attractive. Perhaps he wants to prove the greatness of Confucius not only in his thoughts, more important in his life. In any case, Bo shall be prominent Confucius. This choice later has a great influence in Western thought, until today, the general Westerners do not know the name of "Confucian", but only know the "Confucius doctrine. Western Sinology favor of the classics of Confucius doctrine "from the outset, and almost ignored the other classic. Although the nineteenth century began to translate and study other classics, but, so far, "Confucius'" still prevail. Perhaps we can understand, the Chinese classics to the West when Westerners have room for choice, they chose the most classic of their own interest.