Confucius: A Throneless King - Hardcover

Confucius is one of the most important figures in Chinese history,whose philosophies have shaped world culture. Often overlookedoutside his native country, Confucius himself was a fascinatingfigure. A contemporary of Buddha, Confucius was outspokenand uncompromising man who revolutionized Chinese societynearly 2,500 years ago, when the country was merely a looseweb of feudal provinces. No small feat for the illegitimate son ofa retired soldier and a teenage concubine, who once received aprophecy from the local fortune-teller that she would give birth toa “throneless king.”

Perhaps because of these humble beginnings, Confucius had apassionate belief in respect for others and this belief underpinnedhis life and teachings. He advised the emperors and kings of hisday, gaining their respect and undying enmity along the way. hewas equally proud of both achievements, saying that if the evilpeople of the world liked him, he was doing something wrong.Confucius established many ideas that are taken for granted today, from respecting one‘s parents to the Golden Rule, to virtuebeing its own reward. his theories became the foundation of oneof the world‘s first civil services and established social structuresthroughout Asia that still exist today.

She is a freelance Asian-art historian, curator and educator. Formerly Curator of East Asian Art at the Pacific Asia Museum in Pasadena, California, she is the author of Reading Buddhist Art: An Illustrated Guide to Buddhist Signs???? Symbols (Thames and Hudson, 2004) and The Arts of Asia: Materials, Techniques, Styles (Thames and Hudson, 205). She lives in Pasadena, California with her family.