Apologetics of state power in early china edited and translated by yuri pines. Shang yang was senior minister of the state of chin in the fourth century b. Legalism asserts that human behavior must be controlled through written law rather than through ritual, custom or ethics because people are innately. Duyvendak therefore covers only twentyfour paragraphs and is based on an edition published by yang wanli in 1793, which was reprinted by the chechiangshuchu in 1876 in the collection of twentytwo philosophers. The art of war the book of lord shang read book online.
He was coeditor of the renowned sinology journal toung pao with french scholar paul pelliot for several decades. The book of lord shang by yang shang, j j l duyvendak. The art of war the book of lord shang by sun tzu, shang. Chapter iii the book of lord shang and the school of law 66. Legalism asserts that human behavior must be controlled through written law, rather than ritual, custom or ethics, because people are innately selfish. The book of lord shang chineseenglish parallel text, chinese text project text of the book of lord shang translated by j. Duyvendak therefore covers only twentyfour paragraphs and is based on an edition published by yang wanli in 1793, which was reprinted by the chechiang. Confucian orthodoxy presents him as an extremely brutal and central figure in the pantheon of legalist thinkers whom in general, they portray in extremely negative terms. Duyvendak with a long introduction covering what is said in chinese history about lord shang, and discussion of the text both in content and existing text before the translation of this classic of legalist thought. Duyvendak 18891954 into english in 1928 shangzi by lord shang chinese. It contains a very good translation by yuan shibing of art of war by sun tzu, a commentary on art of war by general tao hanzhang and another lesser known political classic the book of lord shang by shang yang translated by j. The book of lord shang a classic of the chinese school. Legalism asserts that human behavior must be controlled through written law, rather than ritual, custom or ethics, because people are innately.
Duyvendak the book of lord shang 6 p r e f a c e p. Duyvendak therefore covers only twentyfour paragraphs and is based on an edition published by yang wanli in 1793, which was reprinted by the che chiang. Dating from the period of the warring states 403221bc, they anticipate machiavellis the prince by nearly. The book of lord shang, attributed to him and his followers, is credited as a founding text of the socalled legalist school of thought in early china. Translated from the chinese with introduction and notes by dr. Chapter 2, paragraph 5 of the book of lord shang, pg 109 of j. Here is a brief introduction to a video series on the book of lord shang translated by j.
An introduction to the book of lord shang series youtube. The book of lord shang is an ancient chinese text from the 3rd century bc, regarded as a. Shang jun shu full text database, fully browsable and searchable on line. The book of lord shang, 1928 purporting to be shang yangs policies for strengthening qin later circulated under his name. The art of war is the best known of a considerable body of chinese works on the subject. Paragraph 5 of the book of lord shang, pg 109 of j. It analyses the nature of war, and reveals how victory may be ensured.
Some information on shang yang appears in choyun hsu, ancient china in transition. University of chicago press, 1963, 14159 was a major achievement of its time, but by now it has become quite outdated. Publication date 1928 topics iiit collection digitallibraryindia. J j l duyvendak the book of lord shang 71 chapter iv the text of the book of. Also, quick correction shang yang was not a magistrate but a high ranking advisorofficial. The two political classics in this book are the product of a time of intense turmoil in chinese histo. The measures advocated in the book, and those attributed to shang yang, overlap to a considerable degree, both are. Pdf the art of war the book of lord shang download full. The book of lord shang was probably compiled sometime between 359 and 338. It first lays out the premises of political realism as they emerge from this comparison. The book of lord shang compared with machiavelli and hobbes. They are serious, urgent and practical responses to the desperate situations in which they were written. Digital library of india entry in wiener chinabibliographie. An interpretative historyfrom the beginnings to the fall of han 1969.
The book of lord shang a classic of the chinese school of law by. Along with the han feitzu, it is one of the two principal sources of legalism, a school of chinese political thought. J j l duyvendak the book of lord shang 71 chapter iv school harvard university. Lord shang died 338 bc shang yang gongsun yang is one of the most controversial and influential statesmen from the ancient period. These texts are anything but armchair strategy or ivorytower speculation. Selected document excerpt with questions from sources of chinese tradition, compiled by wm. The shangjunshu book of lord shang, also called shangzi master shang or shangjun lord shang, was written by gongsun yang or wei yang, the lord of shang 390338 bce, a title which also gave him the name shang yang, by which he is commonly known today. The selection below, from the book of lord shang shangjun shu indicates some of the thinking that lay at the basis of lord shangs policies. The art of war the book of lord shang tzu sun shang. Authors of this book are the officials of the shang dynasty 475 bc 221 bc including shang yang, lord shang, et al. The book of lord shang or shangtzu is said to consist of 29 paragraphs, of which the text for nos. Jan julius lodewijk duyvendak 28 june 1889 9 july 1954 was a dutch sinologist and professor of chinese at leiden university. He recommended that the strong men serve as the first line of defence, that the strong women defend the forts and build traps.
This essay argues that political realism is an effective heuristic for understanding the book of lord shang shangjun shu, which it compares to the political thought of machiavelli and hobbes. Duyvendak the book of lord shang 7 miura, in his chungkuolunlihsuehshih, also discusses shang yang. Cultural taxonomy and bureaucracy in ancient china. The book of lord shang is a political treatise for the instruction of rulers. The two political classics in this book are the product of a time of intense turmoil in chinese history. Viii this book gives a complete translation of the work known in chinese.
It was written over a period of about 100 years during the warring states period, lasting roughly 400 bc to 200 bc. The book of lord shang, shang jun shu is one of the most important and wellknown texts of legalist chinese philosophy. He was coeditor of the renowned sinology journal toung pao with french scho. The book of lord shang was probably compiled sometime between 359 and 338 bce. Though it is traditionally attributed to shang yang, and he does indeed appear to have written part of it, the last few chapters refer to people. The book of lord shang is an ancient chinese text from the 3rd century bc. J j l duyvendak the book of lord shang 71 chapter iv the.
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