Edward J. Machle is Professor Emeritus at the University of Colorado, Boulder.

"Philosophically it is more sophisticated than any other English-language work on Xunzi. The Tian Lun Pian is one of the most important of Xunzi's writings, and whereas other scholars give us a menu, Machle gives us the meal. The translation is accurate; the prose limpid; and the commentary is philosophically superior in every way to the others." — Henry Rosemont, Jr., St. Mary's College of Maryland

• Preface Acknowledgments Introduction 1. "Nature" and "Heaven" 2. Some Recent Work 3. Some Philosophical Issues 4. The Text of the Tian Lun 5. The Occasion and Argument of the Essay 6. On the Translation 7. Translation and Commentary 8. Some Interpretive Issues 9. The Two Hierarchies and the Sage 10. Conclusion 11. The Cosmic Dance Epilogue Notes Bibliography Index