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The essays gathered here, in addition to those by editors Wm. Theodore de Bary and Irene Bloob, are written by leading scholars of Asian cultures--among them Donald Keene, Peter Awn, Barbara Stoler Miller, Ainslie Embree, Burton Watson, C.T. Hsia, Paul Anderer, and others. They introduce classics from the Islamic, Indian, Chinese, and Japanese traditions, providing entree to texts which have emerged as monuments of Asian thought and literature. Among the works discussed are the Qu'ran, the philosophy of history of Ibn Khaldun, the Upanishads, the epic Mahabarata, the philosopher Mencius, the Lotus Sutra, T'and Poetry, the Tale of Genji, and the poet Basho.
List of contents
Preface, by Wm. Theodore de Bary
1. Asia in the Core Curriculum, by Wm. Theodore de Bary
2. Asian Classics as "The Great Books of the East", by Wm. Theodore de Bary
3. Classics of the Islamic Tradition
The Qu'ran, by Peter Awn
Attar - The Conference of the Birds, by James Winston Morris
Al-Ghazali, by Peter Awn
Ibn Khaldun, by Muhsin Mahdi
4. Classics of the Indian Tradition
The Upanishads, by Joel Brereton
The Mahabharata, by Barbara Stoler Miller
Indian and Greek Epics, by Robert Antoine
Sakuntala, by Barbara Stoler Miller
Gandhi's Autobiography, by Ainslie T. Embree
5. Classics of the Chinese Tradition and Buddhism
Mencius, by Irene Bloom
Lao Tzu, by Franciscus Verellen
The Lotus Sutra, by Wing-tsit Chan
The Vimalakirti Sutra, by Robert A.F. Thurman
The Platform Sutra, by Philip Yampolsky
T'ang Poetry, by Burton Watson
A Dream of Red Mansions, by C.T. Hsia
6. Classics of the Japanese Tradition
The Tale of Genji, by Haruo Shirane
Kamo no Chomei's Ten Foot Square Hut, by Paul Anderer
The Tale of the Heike, by H. Paul Varley
Kenko: Essays in Idleness, by Donald Keene
The Poetry of Matsuo Basho, by Haruo Shirane
7. Symposium on the Oriental Humanities
Robert Goldman
David Johnson
Jonathan Cott
John Van Doren
Pauline Yu
Paul Anderer
About the author
Edited by Wm. Theodore de Bary and Irene Bloom
Summary
Designed for anyone interested in learning more about the aesthetics, history, philosophy and religion represented in the canonical literature of Asia, this work includes readings of the "Great Books" of the East.
