This book is an indispensable introduction to Chinese political thinking throughout ancient times. Ideas of classical scholars are dealt with in a very inspiring way. The insights derived from these expositions serve as a precious key to understand both classical as well as modern China. The work of Romain Graziani (chapter five) is particularly notable in this regard. His analysis of the ambivalent relation between sovereign and bureaucracy is one of the core elements in Chinese political thought which has kept playing an undiminished role up to today
