3 h 19 minAudiobook6 minSummaryRead it, hear it, the 15-minute summary, and print and large print at costPaperback · 6 × 9 in · printing soonHardcover · 6 × 9 in · printing soonAbout this book
What if a steadier society begins not with force, but with learning how to be good?
In a China divided by war, Confucius seeks order through character rather than force. The Analects gathers sayings and brief conversations in which he teaches pupils who hope to serve in government, questions the conduct of rulers, and returns to the work of learning to live well with others.
These sayings and brief conversations offer encounters rather than a single, unfolding argument. Confucius answers plain questions, admits mistakes, jokes, and sometimes loses patience. Learning, goodness, ritual, family loyalty, and honest government emerge through small scenes that invite you to pause and think.
What you’ll discover
- The joy of learning Begin with the pleasure of learning, then consider the daily work of putting knowledge into practice.
- Goodness at the root Explore ren, the humaneness Confucius places at the heart of living well among other people.
- Character beyond noble birth Meet the exemplary person, whose standing rests on character rather than the family they come from.
- Respect takes visible shape See how ritual and everyday manners give form to respect, from family life to greeting guests.
- Leadership through moral example Consider why Confucius asks rulers to seek order through their own conduct rather than force.
Who will love it
Readers who enjoy wise sayings, questions about character and leadership, and the roots of Chinese thought will find a warm companion here. It suits anyone curious how one teacher shaped a whole civilization.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- Learning is a lifelong joy and duty
- Real virtue shows in deeds, not words
- The family is where goodness takes root
- Ritual gives feeling a worthy shape
- A ruler leads best by example and trust
- The superior man looks inward and keeps balance
- One thread: treat others as yourself
Formats and delivery
- eBook
- On your phone, tablet or computer, once the book texts are online.
- Large-print eBook
- The same book in bigger, clearer type, once the book texts are online.
- Audiobook
- Read by Lucas Linden, complete. It opens once the recording is online.
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas in about 6 minutes, to read today.
- Paperback
- 6 × 9 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Hardcover
- 6 × 9 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Large print paperback
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Large print hardcover
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
Every printed copy is made when you order it and shipped worldwide; shipping is shown at checkout. The eBook and the audiobook open when the book texts go online.
How it works
- Start free. Nothing to pay today; the eBook of this book is yours to keep.
- Read, listen and print. 200,000+ classics as eBook, large-print eBook, audiobook and 15-minute summary, and any book printed at cost as a paperback, hardcover or large print, 5 accounts for the price of one.
- We remind you first. Free for 3 months, and we email you 7 days before your first payment. Then USD 0.14 a day in your first year on the yearly plan and USD 0.27 a day after, or USD 0.66 a day on the monthly plan. Cancel online in two clicks.
Bought on its own? Every eBook, audiobook and printed book you buy without the plan carries our 30-day money-back guarantee.
The Analects of Confucius (from the Chinese Classics)
by Confucius
A teacher wanders from court to court, offering rulers one idea: govern yourself first and the people follow.
Easy read2–5 hours to readEnglish
Excellent
- Read or listen
- Print and large print at cost
- 5 accounts for the price of one
Free for 3 months · starts right away, on any device
Read free3 months free · cancel anytimeFree for 3 months, then USD 0.14 a dayCancel anytimeHow it works
In short
What does it take to be a good person, and a good ruler? Confucius answers in short sayings and brief talks, gathered by his students into twenty books.
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
Learning is a lifelong joy and duty
The book begins with learning and keeps coming back to it. Confucius treats study as a pleasure that grows when you act on what you know. He sets it beside friendship and an untroubled mind as the marks of a full life.
The scenes show how he means it. His favorite student, Hui, lives in a narrow lane on plain rice and water and never loses his cheer. Confucius describes himself as a man so eager to learn that he forgets his meals and does not notice old age coming. He says plainly that he was not born knowing. He simply loves the old ways and searches for wisdom in them.
Free for 3 months · Cancel anytime
You looked at
Which edition is right for me
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas of the whole book in about 6 minutes. A good first look, or a refresher.
Details
- Language
- English
- Reading time
- 2 h 10 min
- Level
- Easy read
Cite this edition
Confucius. The Analects of Confucius (from the Chinese Classics). Library of Alexandria, 2026, libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-analects-of-confucius-from-the-chinese-classics.
Confucius. (2026). The Analects of Confucius (from the Chinese Classics). Library of Alexandria. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-analects-of-confucius-from-the-chinese-classics
Confucius. The Analects of Confucius (from the Chinese Classics). Library of Alexandria, 2026. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-analects-of-confucius-from-the-chinese-classics.
@book{confucius2026analects,
author = {Confucius},
title = {The Analects of Confucius (from the Chinese Classics)},
publisher = {Library of Alexandria},
year = {2026},
url = {https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-analects-of-confucius-from-the-chinese-classics}
}
Free gifts
USD 580 in free gifts when you start
Every book in every format and in 25 languages, 5 accounts for the price of one. Nothing to pay today.
- 200,000+ classic eBooksIn 25 languages, side by side
USD 170FREE - Every audiobookIn 25 languages, any device
USD 120FREE - 15-minute summariesRead or listen, in 25 languages
USD 60FREE - Print at cost, no markupPaperback, hardcover, large print
USD 60FREE - 5 accounts for the price of oneA shelf for everyone at home
USD 170FREE - A part in rebuilding the libraryNew languages and books for all
FREE
Questions about The Analects of Confucius (from the Chinese Classics)
Can I read it free?
Yes. The first key idea of the 15-minute summary is free with no sign-up. Start free and the whole book is yours for 3 months, with the eBook to keep, plus 200,000+ more classics and any book printed at cost as a paperback, hardcover or large print. Nothing to pay today: we email you 7 days before your first payment, and you can cancel online in two clicks.
Can I buy the printed book?
Soon. The paperback, hardcover and large print editions are being prepared. Choose Paperback or Hardcover above, leave your email, and we tell you the day you can order it, printed at cost.
How many accounts do I get?
Five, for the price of one: you and 4 more people, each with their own login, shelf and their own place in every book.
Can I cancel anytime?
Yes. Cancel online in two clicks at any time and nothing more is charged. Nothing is charged in your first 3 months, and we email you 7 days before your first payment.
What is the Analects of Confucius about?
It collects short sayings and conversations of Confucius and his disciples. The main themes are learning, virtue, duty to family, courteous ritual, and good government based on a ruler's example.
Who wrote the Analects?
Confucius did not write it himself. His disciples and later followers recorded and arranged his sayings and talks in twenty books, which is why many passages begin with the words the Master said.
What does the superior man mean in the Analects?
The superior man, sometimes called the gentleman, is the person of noble character that Confucius holds up as a model. He values righteousness over gain, examines himself, and acts with dignity and sincerity.
The author
Confucius
550 BC–478 BC · Ancient Chinese philosopher
5th-century BCE Chinese philosopher and politician.
More like this
Our mission
The library burned once. We are building it back.
Every great book, in every language and every format, for every family. Every plan helps pay for new languages, new audiobooks and books for readers who have never had them. Join the movement.
Read our story- Every language25 languages today, side by side, and more every year
- No wastePrinted on demand: no warehouses, no unsold stock, no pulped copies
- For everyonePaperback, hardcover and large print at the cost of printing
Popular in philosophy & ideas
See all
