Warring States Project | Introduction

To begin with, here is some background on the Project's doings, both before and after the day in 1993 when it became associated with the University.

The large event of the Nineties was the appearance of The Original Analects (Columbia 1998). Its reception was mixed, but largely positive, and the book is now regarded by many as the definitive work on the Analects and Confucius. We are pleased to note that it has been translated into Chinese, to carry the message of our commentary to the homeland of Confucius. The Project has also explored other traditions, to see what the similarities and contrasts could reveal about the classical Chinese situation. That wider perspective has sharpened our sense of what the classical Chinese tradition does, and what it does not do. Classical China may also provide a useful comparative perspective for those cognate fields.