THE FOUR BOOKS

The "Four Books" (Sishu) are the canonical texts of Confucianism selected by Zhu Xi in the 12th century to serve as the foundation of Chinese education and the civil service examinations.

CONFUCIAN ANALECTS, THE GREAT LEARNING, THE DOCTRINE OF THE MEAN, AND THE WORKS OF MENCIUS

These four titles represent the core curriculum of traditional Chinese philosophy: the sayings of Confucius (Analects), a guide to self-cultivation (Great Learning), a treatise on harmony (Doctrine of the Mean), and the teachings of the philosopher Mencius.

JAMES LEGGE, D.D., LL.D.

James Legge (1815–1897) was a Scottish missionary and the first Professor of Chinese at Oxford University, famous for his monumental translation of the Chinese Classics.

THE COMMERCIAL PRESS, LTD.

Founded in Shanghai in 1897, The Commercial Press was China's first modern publishing house and played a crucial role in the country's intellectual life.