In case some of you are interested in this but unaware of it, there is a free course on Chinese history that has just started over at EdX (www.edx.org). This is a MOOC version of a course taught at Harvard University.

It started yesterday and the content seems quite interesting. It's planned to run for a year, which was a surprise for me but hopefully is a sign they'll include a lot of substance.

I just started it too. The content is interesting so far, though I wish the quiz questions were a bit more challenging. The duration was a big surprise to me too; it's more than a year actually, as it runs until January 2015. But it seems to only require a couple of hours a week or so, which works well for me.

I started it yesterday as well, my knowledge of china history is quite limited so I believe it will be of great help.

Can anyone explain the meaning of 巳 in the translation from the course materials below? Also why 權 is translated as "ability to change according to the circumstances".

“One maintains a country with principles, with proper roles, and with the ability to change according to the circumstances. For the Zhong guo (the “Central country”) not to govern the Yi di (tribal peoples) is principle. For the Zhong guo to be the Zhong guo and for the Yi di to be Yi di is the proper role. We are in control of both. Therefore if they come to pillage then we go to war with them; if they come to submit then we receive them; to order them according to their reasons for coming is the ability to change according to the circumstances…The reason the Zhong guo is the Zhong guo is simply because it has these three thing. If we cast aside the tools by which we will necessarily be victorious and merely rely on deceit and force than we will have transformed ourselves into Yi di…However, although the Yi di are unprincipled, they always expect good faith and principle from the Zhong guo. The Zhong guo regards the Yi di as unprincipled and thus responds to them without employing good faith and principle. It does not understand that this is the reason it is the Zhong guo. Basically it cannot abandon something because the Yi di lack it.

為國以義,以名,以權。中國不治夷狄,義也。中國為中國,夷狄為夷。名也。二者為我用。故其來寇也。斯與之戰。其來服也。斯與之接。視其所以來而治之者。權也…中國之所以為中國。以其有是三者而巳。苟捨其所以必勝之具。而獨以詐力為用。是既巳化為夷狄矣。… 然則夷狄雖不義。常以信義望中國。中國以夷狄為不義。是以不用信義答之。不知此其所以為中國者。本不以夷狄之無而廢也。

巳 should actually be已 and that sentence should be 是既已化為夷狄矣.

Here 權 means expedient or 隨機而變 in Chinese. And “to change according to the circumstances” is actually one of the definitions of the character. Some words used in this way are 權變 and 權宜。 When used as a verb, 權 means 'weigh' or 'compare' as in 權衡, or “兩害相權，取其輕。” So, it is to weigh the circumstances and act accordingly.

視其所以來而治之者。權也 is the explanation for the character given by the author. I'd translate it as “權 means to take charge of them according to their reasons for coming.”

Thanks pts, really great explanation of 權, and 已 makes a lot more sense here and in the other place it's used. Taking 是 as this:

其有是三者而巳

It has these three and so is defined

And for 是既已化為夷狄矣.

This already changes them to Yidi. (既已 meaning already)

thank you, thank you, thank you Olaf!!!

this is brilliant!

As far as the quiz questions not being very challenging, I wouldn't be surprised if they become more difficult. That's how it goes with the courses at coursera that I've taken. And don't be surprised if writing assignments appear.