КЊИГА МЕНЦИЈЕВА У ИНТЕРПРЕТАЦИЈИ ЏЕЈМСА ЛЕГА.

The author describes and analyzes the reception of theology and ethics of the Book of Mencius (Mengzi), a classical Chinese text from the Confucian canon, in sinological and missionary thought of the esteemed Oxford scholar James Legge (1815–1897). Since Legge translated and commented on the “holy books” of ancient China when European interest in East Asia was predominantly missionary, the same spirit pervades his reading of Mencius. Nevertheless, Legge’s thought was also pervaded by the spirit of openness, appreciation, and an unhidden sympathy for the Chinese culture, which made him controversial in the 19th century, but which also makes him interesting today due to his role as a forerunner in the fields of interreligious dialogue and inculturation. The paper contains the analysis of the two most significant aspects of Legge’s reading of Mencius, i.e., the analysis of the theories of Chinese monotheism and the Christian nature of Mencius’ ethics, with a critical assessment of the arguments proposed by both Legge and his adversaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]