Wang Fu (ca. 85–162 CE) was a scholar who lived on the western frontier of the empire during the Eastern Han dynasty. Said to be the son of a low-ranking concubine, he never held an official government post. The Qianfulun is his only surviving work.Anne Behnke Kinney is professor of Chinese at the University of Virginia. She is translator of Exemplary Women of Early China: The Lienü zhuan of Liu Xiang (Columbia, 2014), among other books.John S. Major, formerly professor of history at Dartmouth College, is an independent scholar. He is cotranslator of The Huainanzi (Columbia, 2010), among other books.

• ChronologyTranslators’ IntroductionEssays of a ReclusePreface1. 讚學 In Praise of Study2. 務本 Concentrating on the Root3. 遏利 Suppressing Profit4. 論榮 Appraising Eminence5. 賢難 The Difficulties of the Worthy6. 明闇 The Enlightened and the Unenlightened7. 考績 Evaluating Merit8. 思賢 Thinking About the Worthy9. 本政 The Fundamentals of Government10. 潛歎 The Sighs of a Recluse11. 忠貴 Loyalty and Nobility12. 浮侈 On Excessive Luxury13. 慎微 Taking Care Over Minutiae14. 實貢 Substance and Recommendation15. 班祿 Ranked Emoluments16. 述赦 On Amnesties17. 三式 The Three Models18. 愛日 Using [the People’s] Time Sparingly19. 斷訟 Judging Legal Cases20. 衰制 Governing in an Age of Decline21. 勸將 Exhorting Generals22. 救邊 Securing the Frontier23. 邊議 Discussions of the Frontier24. 實邊 Populating the Frontier25. 卜列 Divination Set Forth26. 巫列 Spirit Mediums Set Forth27. 相列 Physiognomy Set Forth28. 夢列 Dreams Set Forth29. 釋難 Explicating Difficulties30. 交際 On Social Relations31. 明忠 Enlightenment and Loyalty32. 本訓 Teachings on the Root33. 德化 Transformation Through Virtue34. 五德志 Treatise on the Five Powers35. 志氏姓 A Record of Lineage and Clan Names36. 敘錄 PostfaceNotesBibliographyIndex

This is a gem: a complete translation of Wang Fu’s searing and comprehensive indictment of how Eastern Han society has betrayed its Confucian ideals. By physically separating passages written in parallel prose from those in a looser contemporary style, the translators masterfully display the sophisticated texture and logic of the work.

Wang Fu (ca. 85–162 CE) was a scholar who lived on the western frontier of the empire during the Eastern Han dynasty. Said to be the son of a low-ranking concubine, he never held an official government post. The Qianfulun is his only surviving work.Anne Behnke Kinney is professor of Chinese at the University of Virginia. She is translator of Exemplary Women of Early China: The Lienü zhuan of Liu Xiang (Columbia, 2014), among other books.John S. Major, formerly professor of history at Dartmouth College, is an independent scholar. He is cotranslator of The Huainanzi (Columbia, 2010), among other books.

• ChronologyTranslators’ IntroductionEssays of a ReclusePreface1. 讚學 In Praise of Study2. 務本 Concentrating on the Root3. 遏利 Suppressing Profit4. 論榮 Appraising Eminence5. 賢難 The Difficulties of the Worthy6. 明闇 The Enlightened and the Unenlightened7. 考績 Evaluating Merit8. 思賢 Thinking About the Worthy9. 本政 The Fundamentals of Government10. 潛歎 The Sighs of a Recluse11. 忠貴 Loyalty and Nobility12. 浮侈 On Excessive Luxury13. 慎微 Taking Care Over Minutiae14. 實貢 Substance and Recommendation15. 班祿 Ranked Emoluments16. 述赦 On Amnesties17. 三式 The Three Models18. 愛日 Using [the People’s] Time Sparingly19. 斷訟 Judging Legal Cases20. 衰制 Governing in an Age of Decline21. 勸將 Exhorting Generals22. 救邊 Securing the Frontier23. 邊議 Discussions of the Frontier24. 實邊 Populating the Frontier25. 卜列 Divination Set Forth26. 巫列 Spirit Mediums Set Forth27. 相列 Physiognomy Set Forth28. 夢列 Dreams Set Forth29. 釋難 Explicating Difficulties30. 交際 On Social Relations31. 明忠 Enlightenment and Loyalty32. 本訓 Teachings on the Root33. 德化 Transformation Through Virtue34. 五德志 Treatise on the Five Powers35. 志氏姓 A Record of Lineage and Clan Names36. 敘錄 PostfaceNotesBibliographyIndex

This is a gem: a complete translation of Wang Fu’s searing and comprehensive indictment of how Eastern Han society has betrayed its Confucian ideals. By physically separating passages written in parallel prose from those in a looser contemporary style, the translators masterfully display the sophisticated texture and logic of the work.

Wang Fu (ca. 85–162 CE) was a scholar who lived on the western frontier of the empire during the Eastern Han dynasty. Said to be the son of a low-ranking concubine, he never held an official government post. The Qianfulun is his only surviving work.Anne Behnke Kinney is professor of Chinese at the University of Virginia. She is translator of Exemplary Women of Early China: The Lienü zhuan of Liu Xiang (Columbia, 2014), among other books.John S. Major, formerly professor of history at Dartmouth College, is an independent scholar. He is cotranslator of The Huainanzi (Columbia, 2010), among other books.

• ChronologyTranslators’ IntroductionEssays of a ReclusePreface1. 讚學 In Praise of Study2. 務本 Concentrating on the Root3. 遏利 Suppressing Profit4. 論榮 Appraising Eminence5. 賢難 The Difficulties of the Worthy6. 明闇 The Enlightened and the Unenlightened7. 考績 Evaluating Merit8. 思賢 Thinking About the Worthy9. 本政 The Fundamentals of Government10. 潛歎 The Sighs of a Recluse11. 忠貴 Loyalty and Nobility12. 浮侈 On Excessive Luxury13. 慎微 Taking Care Over Minutiae14. 實貢 Substance and Recommendation15. 班祿 Ranked Emoluments16. 述赦 On Amnesties17. 三式 The Three Models18. 愛日 Using [the People’s] Time Sparingly19. 斷訟 Judging Legal Cases20. 衰制 Governing in an Age of Decline21. 勸將 Exhorting Generals22. 救邊 Securing the Frontier23. 邊議 Discussions of the Frontier24. 實邊 Populating the Frontier25. 卜列 Divination Set Forth26. 巫列 Spirit Mediums Set Forth27. 相列 Physiognomy Set Forth28. 夢列 Dreams Set Forth29. 釋難 Explicating Difficulties30. 交際 On Social Relations31. 明忠 Enlightenment and Loyalty32. 本訓 Teachings on the Root33. 德化 Transformation Through Virtue34. 五德志 Treatise on the Five Powers35. 志氏姓 A Record of Lineage and Clan Names36. 敘錄 PostfaceNotesBibliographyIndex

This is a gem: a complete translation of Wang Fu’s searing and comprehensive indictment of how Eastern Han society has betrayed its Confucian ideals. By physically separating passages written in parallel prose from those in a looser contemporary style, the translators masterfully display the sophisticated texture and logic of the work.