论语 論語
lúnyǔㄌㄨㄣˊ ㄩˇ
the analects, literally “discussions”
Sayings of Confucius recorded by his disciples; the foundation text of Chinese ethics for 2,500 years. 己所不欲，勿施于人 — do not impose on others what you don't want.
孔子
kǒngzǐㄎㄨㄥˇ ㄗ˙
confucius, literally “master Kong”
551-479 BC teacher who taught that virtue, ritual and education could save a fractured world. He claimed to be a transmitter, not a creator; he transmitted the whole civilization.
孟子
mèngzǐㄇㄥˋ ㄗ˙
mencius, literally “master Meng”
Confucius's greatest disciple, who argued human nature is fundamentally good — we all start with sprouts of compassion that education grows. 民为贵: the people matter most.
荀子
xúnzǐㄒㄩㄣˊ ㄗ˙
xunzi, literally “master Xun”
The realist Confucius: human nature is bad, not good, and ritual exists to correct it. His students included the Legalists who would run the Qin.
大学 大學
dàxuéㄉㄚˋ ㄒㄩㄝˊ
the great learning, literally “great learning”
A chapter of the Book of Rites elevated to one of the Four Books: the ladder from inner cultivation to governing the world — 修身 齐家 治国 平天下.
中庸
zhōngyōngㄓㄨㄥ ㄩㄥ
doctrine of the mean, literally “central common”
The other Rites chapter that became a Four Book: balance, sincerity and harmony as the highest practice, not blandness but the perfect fit.
四书五经 四書五經
sìshū wǔjīngㄙˋ ㄕㄨ ㄨˇ ㄐㄧㄥ
the four books and five classics, literally “four books five classics”
The Confucian canon: 大学 中庸 论语 孟子 + 诗经 尚书 礼记 易经 春秋. The exam curriculum for six centuries of scholar-officials.
道德经 道德經
dàodéjīngㄉㄠˋ ㄉㄜˊ ㄐㄧㄥ
dao de jing, literally “classic of the way”
Laozi's 5,000-character poem about the Way that can't be named: softness beats hardness, action through non-action. The founding text of Daoism.
老子
lǎozǐㄌㄠˇ ㄗ˙
laozi, literally “old master”
The legendary archivist who left China through the western pass and left the 道德经 at the gatekeeper's request. Possibly mythical, definitely foundational.
庄子 莊子
zhuāngzǐㄓㄨㄤ ㄗ˙
zhuangzi, literally “master Zhuang”
The most playful philosophy ever written: the butterfly dream, the use of the useless, the butcher who never sharpens. Freedom through seeing everything as transformation.
列子
lièzǐㄌㄧㄝˋ ㄗ˙
liezi, literally “master Lie”
Daoist text of parables: the man who moved mountains (愚公移山), the fable of the lost axe. Light-footed wisdom alongside Zhuangzi.
墨子
mòzǐㄇㄛˋ ㄗ˙
mozi, literally “master Mo”
The anti-Confucius of the Warring States: universal love, against waste and war, for merit over birth. His followers were organized engineers who defended besieged cities.
韩非子 韓非子
hánfēizǐㄏㄢˊ ㄈㄟ ㄗ˙
han feizi, literally “master Han Fei”
Legalism's clearest voice: rule by law, technique and power, not virtue. Qin Shi Huang used his book to unify China, then had him killed.
孙子兵法 孫子兵法
sūnzǐ bīngfǎㄙㄨㄣ ㄗ˙ ㄅㄧㄥ ㄈㄚˇ
the art of war, literally “Sun's art of war”
Sun Tzu's 13 chapters on winning without fighting: know yourself and the enemy, attack plans not armies, all war is deception. Read by generals and CEOs for 2,500 years.