For me, the wisdom of Confucius is ... a spring of warm, living water,' writes Yu Dan in her best-selling Confucius from the Heart: Ancient Wisdom for Today's World. Having been translated, the book now brings the latest application of this ancient strand of enlightenment to English as well as Chinese readers.
Yu Dan, a veteran media scholar at Beijing Normal University, is a household name on the mainland. As assistant to the dean, faculty of arts and media, and head of the department of film and television media, Yu is better known among TV professionals as a behind-the-scenes media strategist and consultant for more than 40 regional TV stations and mass media groups, including China Central Television (CCTV) and Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation (China).
Her fame blossomed in 2006 when she first appeared on CCTV's prime-time show Lecture Room during the National Day holidays, interpreting Confucian thoughts and offering her insights into the Analects, expressing them in modern language and in terms of anecdotes from modern life.
Her book, based on the transcripts of the show and with a first print run of 600,000 copies, disappeared from mainland bookshop shelves in three weeks, going on to become a multimillion seller. The rights to publish it in English were acquired by Pan Macmillan for GBP100,000 (HK$1.3 million), almost double the sum paid for Jiang Rong's novel Wolf Totem.
In addition to her work on Confucius, Yu has lectured on and published a book about philosopher Zhuangzi, which has also proved extremely successful on the mainland. 'The reason why these simple truths have survived down the millennia is that they have helped generation after generation of Chinese to stay grounded, to understand the nation and the culture that formed them and not to lose their heads, even when confronted by immense social change and almost overwhelming choice,' says Yu. 'All I hope for every person is that they lead a happy life.'
While advances in science and technology and, usually, burgeoning economies seemingly give people better choices than before, we may also be faced with value conflicts and disorientation, Yu says. Increasing numbers of Chinese scholars are seeking wisdom in traditional Chinese culture, she adds, which complements Yu's contemporary interpretation of Confucius' simple truths.
'When I was in Europe and the United States many people told me the book had a close connection with their lives, which gave me a strong sense that we are now living in a 'global village' era. Take the economic tsunami or the earthquake in China: we see responses from all over the world, regardless of what or where something happens.