Reconstructing the Confucian Dao

Joseph A. Adler is Professor of Asian Studies and Religious Studies at Kenyon College. He is the author of Chinese Religious Traditions.

"This rich book is a fascinating and innovative contribution to Sinologists, to neo-Confucian researchers, to experts in Chinese philosophy in general, and to those who wish to understand the various senses of Chinese religion." — Monumenta Serica"…[a] fascinating and erudite book … Adler indeed combines an enthralling narrative with novel insights that redefine our understanding of the subject; a must-read for the student of Confucianism." — Religious Studies Review"Considering the original approach, the insights brought out, and the stimulating discussion it engages for the apprehension of religion in the field of Chinese studies, this very valuable contribution deserves to be read by a broader audience than Daoxue specialists." — Journal of Chinese Religions"…students of Song thought will greatly benefit from a volume that excels in both thorough analysis and careful translation and, in presenting key works of Zhou Dunyi, sheds a new light on Zhu Xi's 'reconstructing the Confucian dao.'" — Journal of Chinese Studies"It is a very ponderable book. I recommend it to those who like to read and think." — Ralph Peterson, San Francisco Book Review

• AcknowledgmentsPart I Introduction1. Zhu Xi, Zhou Dunyi, and the Confucian dao2. Zhou Dunyi’s Role in the daotong3. The Interpenetration of Activity and Stillness4. Taiji as "Supreme Polarity"ConclusionsPart II: Translations of Zhou Dunyi’s Major Works and Zhu Xi’s Commentaries, with Further Discussions by Zhu Xi and His Students Introduction5. The Supreme Polarity Diagram (Taijitu 太極圖)6. Discussion of the Supreme Polarity Diagram (Taijitu sho 太極圖說)7. Penetrating the Scripture of Change (Tongshu 通書)8. Zhu Xi’s Postfaces and NotesBibliographyIndex