The Lun Yu
By Imperial Command of C'hing Emperor K'an Hsi

A Six-volume Collection first published by Confucius Publishing Co. Ltd.
in 1985 that impressed the World.

'The Wisdom of Confucius' marks a milestone in compilation and production involving painstaking efforts spanning six years. Each 16-1/2" x 11-1/2" volume in this series of 6 volumes represents only the very best craftsmanship that Hong Kong is capable of producing. Three of the volumes are in English, Spanish and Portuguese and consist of 368 pages each. The other three volumes are in Chinese...two in Classical Chinese totalling 1,260 pages and one in Modern Chinese consisting of 392 pages. The sayings of Confucius have been specially printed on acid free cotton pulp paper and the edges trimmed in gold. Silk has been chosen as the covering with the title and cover picture embossed and stamped in gold. The volumes are contained individually in silk covered sturdy folders.

Volumes One and Two reproduce the pages of The Lun Yü from an edition of The Four Books published by Imperial Command in A.D. 1677, the sixteenth year of the reign of Emperor K'an Hsi of the Ch'ing Dynasty, and represent the publisher's efforts to preserve the works of that dynasty. Two hundred and seventeen captioned plates of precious photographs, paintings, etchings and stone rubbings are included in Volume One.

Volume Three, the Modern Chinese version, is in the vernacular Chinese of our times. The four hundred and ninety-nine verses of The Lun Yü are composed of Confucius' comments and conversations. The twenty chapters in which they are arranged were completed by the various disciples and followers of Confucius after the lifetime of the philosopher, to honour and record his philosophy.

Volumes Four, Five and Six are translated into English, Spanish and Portuguese respectively. Inserted into each of these volumes is a booklet containing captions to explain, in the appropriate languages, the illusstration plates in Volume One. Towards the back of each of these volumes is an Index and the Appendices which include:
'Confucius, a biography' - tells us in detail about the life and times of Confucius in the Chou Dynasty, including facts about the artistic, cultural and political milestones of that age.
'Terminology' - explains clearly and at great length the terms often used by Confucius and helps to clarify the interpretation of the verses.
'Time Chart' - list in chronological order significant history. It dates back to 4,000 B.C.
'Name' - lists the names of disciples and others, places and dynasties connected to Confucius and his sayings.

Global attention was received immediately upon publication. Recipients of the book included prestigious universities and institutions worldwide.