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Author:   Rina Marie Camus
Publisher:   Lexington Books
Imprint:   Lexington Books
Dimensions:   Width: 16.20cm , Height: 1.70cm , Length: 22.80cm
Weight:   0.386kg
ISBN:  

9781498597203

ISBN 10:   1498597203
Pages:   132
Publication Date:   15 October 2020
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Manufactured on demand  
We will order this item for you from a manufactured on demand supplier.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments Abbreviation & Illustrations Introduction Literary Metaphor, A Package Deal Chapter 1: Bow-wielding Aristocrats of Zhou The Bow in Warfare and Sports The Bow in Zhou Ritual Tradition Bow Narratives & Poetry Chapter 2: Ritual Archers in the Analects Confucius and the Bow The Competition of Gentlemen (An 3.7) Hitting the Target is not the Main Thing (An 3.16) Straight as an Arrow (An 15.16) Chapter 3: Sharp Shooters in Mencius Mencius and Archery in Early Warring States The Gentleman as Sharp Shooter (M 2A.7 & 5B.1) Teaching the Way as Archery Training (M 6A.20 & 7A.41) Moral Failure as Faulty Aiming (M 6A.9) Chapter 4: Fine Bows and Distant Targets in Xunzi Xunzi and Archery in Late Warring States Transforming Nature: Fashioning Bows from Twisted Wood Paragons of Learning: Undividedness and Not Missing a Shot Visions of Government: The State Needs Scholars as Much as Archers Concluding Remarks Bibliography About the Author

Reviews

"Archery Metaphor and Ritual in Early Confucian Texts is the first comprehensive study of archery as a literary metaphor in classical Confucian texts. It offers an introduction and overview of archery in early Chinese culture, exploring its role in military, athletic, ritual, political, and social settings, and argues, convincingly, that it was developed and deployed by early Confucian philosophers as a central and guiding metaphor in their ethical and political theories. At various points, the author illustrates the value the archery metaphor has for broader comparative studies, both within and beyond China, and its potential as a resource for contemporary philosophy. While archery is now a minor art, Rina Camus shows that in early China it pervaded all aspects of life. Noting that China's earliest dictionary defines the word ""bow"" as an implement that ""uses what is near to reach the distant,"" Camus begins with the practical uses of the bow and arrow in hunting and warfare, but then moves on to show how archery served philosophers and political theorists as a foundational metaphor. More than that, just as a reflex bow relied on reversal, her book also serves to use the distant to reach what is near. While Confucius's statement that ""The gentleman has nothing to do with competition. If need be, perhaps there would be archery. Saluting at the beginning and offering a toast at the end, such is his competition"" may seem antiquated to modern concerns, how could anyone miss the contemporary relevance of Xunzi's admonition ""If the ruler wishes to obtain expert archers able to shoot a small, distant target, then he must offer noble ranks and generous rewards to recruit them. He must not favor his own relatives, nor disregard strangers."" Archery Metaphor and Ritual in Early Confucian Texts very much hits the target."

Archery Metaphor and Ritual in Early Confucian Texts is the first comprehensive study of archery as a literary metaphor in classical Confucian texts. It offers an introduction and overview of archery in early Chinese culture, exploring its role in military, athletic, ritual, political, and social settings, and argues, convincingly, that it was developed and deployed by early Confucian philosophers as a central and guiding metaphor in their ethical and political theories. At various points, the author illustrates the value the archery metaphor has for broader comparative studies, both within and beyond China, and its potential as a resource for contemporary philosophy.--Philip J. Ivanhoe, Georgetown University While archery is now a minor art, Rina Camus shows that in early China it pervaded all aspects of life. Noting that China's earliest dictionary defines the word bow as an implement that uses what is near to reach the distant, Camus begins with the practical uses of the bow and arrow in hunting and warfare, but then moves on to show how archery served philosophers and political theorists as a foundational metaphor. More than that, just as a reflex bow relied on reversal, her book also serves to use the distant to reach what is near. While Confucius's statement that The gentleman has nothing to do with competition. If need be, perhaps there would be archery. Saluting at the beginning and offering a toast at the end, such is his competition may seem antiquated to modern concerns, how could anyone miss the contemporary relevance of Xunzi's admonition If the ruler wishes to obtain expert archers able to shoot a small, distant target, then he must offer noble ranks and generous rewards to recruit them. He must not favor his own relatives, nor disregard strangers. Archery Metaphor and Ritual in Early Confucian Texts very much hits the target.--Edward Shaughnessy, University of Chicago

Author Information

Rina Marie Camus is lecturer of ethics and philosophy at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

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