The Tao Te Ching,[taÌu tÉ¤Ì tÉiÌÅ](listen)), Simplified: éå¾·ç», Pinyin: Dao De Jing,[a] is a Chinese classic text traditionally credited to the 6th-century BC sage Laozi. The text's authorship, date of composition and date of compilation are debated.[5] The oldest excavated portion dates back to the late 4th century BC,[6] but modern scholarship dates other parts of the text as having been writtenâor at least compiledâlater than the earliest portions of the Zhuangzi.[7]
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'Do you want to improve the world? I don't think it can be done. The world is sacred. It can't be improved. If you tamper with it, you'll ruin it. If you treat it like an object, you'll lose it.' Stephen Mitchell's translation of Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching (The Book of the Way) has sold over half a million copies worldwide. In this stunningly beautiful edition of the fundament..more
Published August 28th 1989 by Vintage
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JohnAn online search will pull up a pdf with 8 translations, the Bureau of Public Secrets archive links to many, and there is an Hungarian site (inâ¦moreAn online search will pull up a pdf with 8 translations, the Bureau of Public Secrets archive links to many, and there is an Hungarian site (in English too) which has data on nearly a hundred. So far I found Ursula Le Guin's anarcho-eco-feminist 'creative interpretation' congenial, if free. Jonathan Star achieves a balance of the literary and scholarly; his 'definitive ed.' has transliterations of each ideogram with multiple meanings so you can 'assemble your own'! Gia-Fu Feng + Jane English convey the TTC in a popular version many like; I found as have others Stephen Mitchell's influenced by his Zen bent. Like ULG, SM as with many 'translators' does not know classical (or modern) Chinese; they both worked from Paul Carus' 1898 transliteration. Red Pine's and David Hinton's renderings show a blend of scholarship and accessibility from two who truly know Chinese. Finally, the classical Chinese is different than the modern version, which makes me wonder if one needs to be a native speaker of modern Chinese to claim translation credibility, as some born-bilingual interpreters insist. P.S. Thomas Merton adapted Chuang Tzu's tales, unfortunately not the TTC. (less)
FlanI like this translation very much. I searched for years until I bought this translation. I like it more than Stephen Mitchell's, I am not familiarâ¦moreI like this translation very much. I searched for years until I bought this translation. I like it more than Stephen Mitchell's, I am not familiar with Le Guin's translation. The photograph that accompanies each hexagram is also well done.(less)
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Jun 06, 2007trivialchemy rated it it was ok · review of another edition
The book that can be reviewed is not the constant book.
The review which reviews can be neither full of review nor lacking. But as the river changes course over seasons must the reviewer neither review nor not review, but follow the constant review.
Jun 28, 2007Gerry rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
I'm an unbeliever and have been since the first time I played hooky from Sunday services and the Eye in the Sky didnât say boo. So it may seem strange that Iâm reviewing the Tao Te Ching, the widely known and influential Taoist text, written by Lao-Tzu and poetically translated in this edition by Stephen Mitchell. For me, the Tao Te Ching is more folk wisdom than religious treatise and is more useful than a million sermons. Apr 27, 2012
Where the Tao Te Ching parts company with religious attempts at morality..more Tao Te King Comentado PdfAhmad Sharabiani rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Shelves: 06th-century-bc, china, culture, buddhism, asia, religion, theosophy
Tao Te Ching, Lao Tzu Sep 02, 2014Dolors rated it really liked it
The Tao Te Ching, also known by its pinyin romanization Dao De Jing, is a Chinese classic text traditionally credited to the 6th-century BC sage Laozi. The text's authorship, date of composition and date of compilation are debated. The oldest excavated portion dates back to the late 4th century BC, but modern scholarship dates other parts of the text as having been writtenâor at least compiledâlater than the earliest portions of the Zhuangzi. The Tao Te Ching, along with th..more
Recommends it for: Those wanting to hear the other version
Shelves: read-in-2014
âThe Tao is always namelessâ (Chapter 71) Aug 17, 2007Burt rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Trying to narrow down the philosophy of the Tao Te Ching with limiting words is to violate its primordial essence. How can one describe the Universe, the natural order of things, the incessant flowing from being to non-being, the circular unity of a reality traditionally mismatched in dualistic terms? The Tao Te Ching doesnât provide answers because there neednât be questions, just the harmony of moulding to the landscape rather than trying to impose a p..more
Recommends it for: Philosophers, Followers of Eastern Thought
This is, by far, my favorite translation of the Tao Te Ching. I own a few others and they're all well and good, but this one is the one I continually read from and refer to when people ask me about the Tao.
The translation is well done, it captures the nature of the text well, and it flows fairly evenly. It's not overly flowery or ornate, it gives you the basics of what you need to understand the various entries and assist in understanding what Tao is (i.e. the the Tao named Tao is not the great,..more
May 28, 2019Gerrie Williams rated it it was amazing
This is an amazing. I've read many books out there and this is the best one. Very enjoyable read! I highly recommend it. I bought this book at discounted price from here: https://www.amazon.com/Tao-Te-Ching-L..
Aug 18, 2018Florencia rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Shelves: philosophyland, chinese, religions-myths-and-other-stories
Concatenated thoughts. Review #1 â - #2 Mar 13, 2009Eddie Watkins rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
They come to be and he claims no possession of them, The Tao Te Ching is a classical text credited to Chinese philosopher and writer Lao Tzu (6th century) and on which Taoism is based. It consists of 81 short chapters written in poetic form which, using a pithy language brimming with evocative and, at times, repetitive contradicti..more
Shelves: spirituality, old-chinese-poetry, adventures-in-thought
There are many translations of the Taoteching, nearly every one of which is probably worth reading, but this is my favorite version. I canât attest to the accuracy of the translation, but having read so many different translations of the same text I feel like in some strange way I have a grasp of the original; as if a blank space (the Chinese original) has been given shape and definition by all the English versions surrounding it. But anyway.. while I like the spare sensitivity of the language..more
Jun 04, 2008Bruce rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
I'm always reading this little book containing the essence of wisdom. For years I've read it again and again, one chapter every morning.
Dec 13, 2017Florencia rated it liked it · review of another edition
Shelves: philosophyland, chinese, religions-myths-and-other-stories
Concatenated thoughts. Review #1 - #2 â
Things arise and she lets them come; The Tao Te Ching is a classical text credited to Chinese philosopher and writer Lao Tzu (6th century) and on which Taoism is based. It consists of 81 short chapters written in poetic form which, using a pithy language brimming with evocative and, at times, repetitive contradictions, provide guidance on how humanity may have a harm..more
Nov 15, 2011Heidi Parton rated it did not like it · review of another edition
This version irritates me a lot, largely because of Stephen Mitchell's arrogance in writing it (I'll go into that in a bit). This is not a translation (which Mitchell was at least gracious enough to make clear in the back of the book); it's a translation of various translations. The problem with this is that a translation of a translation turns out the same way that a copy of a copy does: while some of the original words and phrases are identifiable, there's a lot that's lost or skewed.
For examp..more
Feb 16, 20147jane rated it really liked it · review of another edition
(review after rereading:)
This book's contents and history have both a sense of vagueness, but not in a bad way, in my opinion. It's somewhat uncertain when it was written (circa 4th-3rd century BC), the author's life details are largely invented, and the existence of the author is not quite certain either (Lao Tzu is just his title, and also it's not known if the text is by one author, or a group of authors worked over some years). It was first translated in the late 1700s, and the oldes existin..more
Oct 27, 2018Sean Barrs the Bookdragon rated it it was ok · review of another edition
This was immensely interesting to read, though I found myself somewhat aggravated by the passivism that ran through the writing.
It's almost like a poetical treatise on humility, but what of ambition and a drive to make the world a better place? Should we all accept our station in life and never aim to improve? I think not. It accepts things as they are (however they are) and cannot conceive of a better future. Everything should stay the same, and exist within the natural order of things. But ho..more
Sep 04, 2014Farhan Khalid rated it really liked it
When people see things as beautiful, ugliness is created Sep 04, 2017Brian rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
When people see things as good, evil is created The master leads by emptying people's mind The Tao is like an empty vessel It can never be emptied and can never be filled Master doesnât take sides The spirit of emptiness is immortal The location makes the dwelling good Depth of understanding makes the mind good A kind heart makes the giving good Integrity makes the government good Accomplishment makes your labors good Proper timing makes a decision go..more
Shelves: changed-my-life, favorites, non-fiction, philosophy-philosophical
4.24.19
I read this translation by Sam Torode every day on my phone, with a hard copy of another translation I will review soon. The simplicity of Torode's translation makes it my favorite so far and lines up with the Taoist philosophy of simplicity. I may consider other works translated by Torode. He has some interesting works out there, such as 'The Song of Solomon.' Update: 3.14.18 Third translation I've read, my favorite of the three. I love this book of philosophy. It gives great common sense..more
Mar 10, 2011Jeremy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
This has got to be one of the most perennially beguiling, elliptical things ever written. And it seems all the more mysterious to me because so much of it is couched as this extremely practical, almost Machiavellian political advice. Having been schooled entirely in the western intellectual tradition, with its notions of hierarchy, dualism and progression (historical, socio/cultural or otherwise), this was a complete mind-fuck to me. It sort of reminds me of Heidegger, with those really crazy, c..more
Jan 13, 2017Onaiza Khan rated it it was amazing
This is just mindblowing.
Jan 31, 2015RK-ïsme rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
This version of the Dao De Jing, translated by Richard John Lynn, is highly recommended to those who are not looking for the touchy feely Laozi. Rather it is a translation for those interested in ancient Chinese thought. A wonderful translation.
The Dao De Jing was probably written, by author or authors unknown, in the fourth century B.C.E. and 'is primarily addressed to the ruler who would be a sage-king and is mainly concerned with achieving the good society through harmony with nature..'. Th..more
Feb 12, 2009James rated it liked it · review of another edition
The Tao Te Ching is a book that cannot be read directly. Unfortunately, I have little experience reading books indirectly, so I found this a difficult book to read, end even more difficult to discern what was being said by the author. Sep 21, 2016Krystal
A friend told me that he thought Heraclitus, the Greek pre-Socratic philosopher, was somewhat like Lao Tzu. Heraclitus said 'you can't step in the same river twice'. He believed that reality was a flux composed of a unity of opposites. I suppose it is possible to c..more Tao Te Ching Pdf Stephen Mitchellrated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Shelves: classics, think-deep, owned, non-fiction, hippie-stuff
A short read but worth taking the time with.
I really enjoyed mulling over the short passages, and taking the time to re-read them and really think about what the words meant. So many incredibly great lines, full of inspiration. It will confuse people looking for face-value prose but for the deep thinkers this will really challenge you to think about life in all its intricacies, and to question your own nature. Great read. Highly recommend for the more spiritually inclined, or those looking for pur..more
May 24, 2018Veronique rated it really liked it · review of another edition
âA man with outward courage dares to die; a man with inner courage dares to live.â Jan 19, 2015Mimi rated it liked it · review of another edition
Iâve had this book for years and only now found the inkling to have a look. It is very slim and can be read quickly, although as all poetry, it takes time to properly ingest.. Lao Tzu seems to like 'twisting' words from noun to verb and vice versa. In that fashion, I was reminded of one of my favourite poems from Emily Dickinson (Much Madness is divinest Sense - 620) and William Blake. These are however quite diff..more
Shelves: poetry, classics, 2015, nonfiction, philosophy
Interesting in that round-about way, the way ambiguous wordplay in poetry tend to be. Overall though it couldn't hold my attention for long. I had to stop and restart a page several times because my mind wandered. It had nothing to do with the content of the writing, but rather the soothing rhythmic 'beat' that made it easy for me to not focus. Half the time I didn't even realized I was doing it until I reached a photo page. Jun 29, 2015Vipassana rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
This book might be better as an audio. That soothing rhythmic beat woul..more
Shelves: far-east, non-fiction, owned-books, philosophy
It is by being alive to difficulty that one can avoid it.As much as I wished to write a review for Tao Te Ching, I'd abandoned the prospect of writing a review a couple of days ago. Too many changes over the past few days that I couldn't summon the will to write as I had intended to. To bring a little peace, I opened my journal to write and my eyes fell to the last line I'd written, the line I've quoted from Tao Te Ching, and it almost magically assuaged the tremors of my mind. Whether Lao Tzu..more
Shelves: non-fiction-for-humans
highlights:
3 - not collecting treasures prevents stealing. 13- accept disgrace willingly 23- he who does not trust will not be trusted 46- he who knows that enough is enough will always have enough 57- the more rules and regulations, the more thieves and robbers there will be lowlights: eh, pretty much the whole translation. i guess this version is popular because it has nice calligraphy of the original chinese and BW photos of nature accompanying the english translation. but despite not having read..more
Nov 09, 2011Darwin8u rated it really liked it · review of another edition
The Tao Te Ching definitely shines without dazzling. It fits in for me with Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, The Wisdom Books: Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes, and the Sermon on the Mount. Books of universal wisdom, truth, and peace that should be read again and again and again. Straightforward words often do sound paradoxical.
Aug 29, 2007Evan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
The description of this book is wrong:
'Like Stephen Mitchell, acclaimed author and poet Ursula K. Le Guin has attempted a nonliteral, poetic rendition of the Tao Te Ching' It's nothing like Mitchell's pretty but totally opaque translation. LeGuin gives you readable ideas, arguments in poetry, a philosophy to ponder. Of all the translations I have encountered, this is the only one that gives you a point of entry into the rich treasury of ideas in the Tao Te Ching.
Apr 29, 2015João Fernandes rated it liked it · review of another edition
An ode to apathy as a means of utopia. If people are simple and cannot think and the rulers are good then the empire will work. Except this would be the death of humanity's constant evolution and revolution. I could literally see this being handed out in Orwell's Oceania, that's how far off I find this philosophy.
Jul 03, 2016Vimal Thiagarajan rated it really liked it
Profound, Reflection-provoking piece of ancient text, studded with natural imagery and lyricism. The message has lots of similarities with the Gita. Some parts were obscure and contradicting though, so planning to read a guidance text soon.
Dec 11, 2007Alex rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
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To a Westerner, the Tao Te Ching presents another perspective for understanding meaning and effectiveness. For example, the Tao Te Ching shows how movement towards progress creates movement against progress, 'Do not exalt the worthy, and the people will not compete.. Do not display objects of desire, and the people's minds will not be disturbed. Therefore the ordering of the sage empties their minds, fills their bellies.. and causes the wise ones not to dare to act. He does nothing, and there..more
Dec 07, 2017Jeanne rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Shelves: poetry, read-women, read-2018, religion-and-mindfulness, read-2017, read-2019, classics, read-around-the-world
I'm not a huge fan of poetry. I've added poetry to my reading diet as a way of stepping outside my comfortable frame and discovering other ways of seeing the world â something I do more comfortably when reading multicultural fiction.
Lao Tzu's poetry, as translated by Ursula LeGuin, is simple. I imagine a quickly sketched but incisive line of characters gracing Lao Tzu's parchment. These poems, despite their simplicity and brevity, are challenging and profit from rereads. Lao Tzu describes The Wa..more
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Lao Tzu (Chinese: èå; pinyin: LÇozÇ; Wade-Giles: Laosi; also Laozi, Lao Tse, Lao Tu, Lao-Tsu, Laotze, Laosi, Lao Zi, Laocius, Lao Ce, and other variations) was a mystic philosopher of ancient China, best known as the author of the Tao Te Ching (often simply referred to as Laozi). His association with the Tao Te Ching has led him to be traditionally considered the founder of Taoism (pronounced as '..more
More quizzes & trivia..
âSimplicity, patience, compassion.
These three are your greatest treasures. Simple in actions and thoughts, you return to the source of being. Patient with both friends and enemies, you accord with the way things are. Compassionate toward yourself, you reconcile all beings in the world.â
âKnowing others is intelligence; More quotesâ¦
knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power.â
Author: Gordon J. Van De Water DownloadEditor: Xlibris Corporation ISBN: 9781456814106 Size: 16,29 MB Format: PDF, ePub Read: 455 For twenty years, Gordon J. Van De Water has collected editions of the world classic the Tao Te Ching and pondered this ancient, yet still vibrant Chinese text of wisdom literature. Written in the sixth century before the Common Era and ascribed to Lao Tzu, a venerable sage, it offers a guide to life based on adherence to the Tao or Mother Nature, those forces and powers that govern and shape both the world and human nature. Its eighty-one verses repeatedly emphasize seeking harmony through simplicity, the rejection of the trappings of material wealth and the arrogance of power, and identification with the great underlying forces of the universe. Many of the verses also offer practical wisdom for those in leadership positions. So fascinating has been the compressed wisdom of the Tao Te Ching that it has been translated into many languages more often than any other book except the Bible. Van De Water has sought to strike to the heart of this highly compressed and often enigmatic text by creating a plain English version that highlights the continuing relevance of the Tao Te Ching for our complex and oft troubled times. His interpretation also includes an introduction, selected translations and interpretations in English by pioneering scholars, and an extensive bibliography of translations and interpretations in English. Dao De Jing
Author: Laozi DownloadEditor: Hackett Publishing ISBN: 9780872202320 Size: 18,35 MB Format: PDF, ePub Read: 394 ![]()
Author: Lao Tzu DownloadEditor: Chinese Bound Classics ISBN: 9781782747246 Size: 13,70 MB Format: PDF, Docs Read: 310 Written around 300 BC, the Tao Te Ching gathered the fundamental beliefs of Taoism into one short, wise book that addresses how to live a peaceful life, rid oneself of desires, and free society of institutions that promote greed. This exquisite dual-language edition presents the original Chinese characters with a new translation on the facing page, as well as editorial notes and a new introduction that explores the authorship of the text. Mysteries Of Dao De Jing Tao Te Ching Revealed
Author: Dr. Guo Yong Jin DownloadEditor: Balboa Press ISBN: 1504314115 Size: 16,61 MB Format: PDF, ePub, Mobi Read: 408 Lao Zi (also Lao-Tzu or Lao-Tze) was an ancient Chinese philosopher and writer. His book, Dao De Jing (or Tao Te Ching), has been in circulation for more than 2,500 years. There are many versions and more than one thousand annotations, yet most readers still find it difficult to understand, let alone apply in daily life. Thus Dao De Jing is often misunderstood and regarded as containing mystical teachings disconnected from reality. In Mysteries of Dao De Jing (Tao Te Ching) Revealed, author Dr. Guo Yong Jin dismisses many myths about this great work, including its link to Taoism (a religion founded six hundred years after Lao Zi). Shedding the mystical and surreal, he brings clarity to the teachings by drawing on Lao Ziâs source of inspirationânature. In this way, Dr. Guo distinguishes his interpretation of Dao De Jing from those before him. The typical interpretation focuses on the semantics of Lao Ziâs written word; Dr. Guo, however, returns to the roots of Dao De Jing, using simple observations of nature to clarify the text. Dao De Jing lays bare the truths and realities of life and the universe. It explains the origins of life and the principles upon which the universe operates. Though much of Dao De Jing is mirrored in science and psychology, the ancient text offers an even deeper understanding. It is neither superstitious nor religious, nor is it a personal philosophy. Dao De Jing is simply wisdom in its essence.
Author: Lao Tzu Laozi DownloadEditor: Prohyptikon Pub ISBN: 9780981224497 Size: 17,75 MB Format: PDF, Docs Read: 428 A new and attentively restored dual-language edition of the 6th-century B.C.E. Chinese Philosophical and Spiritual classic, presented in the celebrated translation of James Legge with the original text at its side. Through 81 transcendent topics, Laozi dispenses his accumulated knowledge and original philosophy of peace and harmony, and the virtues of simplicity. He introduced the doctrine of meekness conquering brutality and repaying injury with kindness to a consistently unforgiving world. And, perhaps most importantly, he introduced the idea that behaviour is a choice, wisdom coming not from learning, but being. Foundational to Taoism, and highly influential in the West for over two centuries, the Dao De Jing's legendary wisdom and sagacious inversion of the apparent is a must read for every student of traditional Eastern philosophy, religion, spirituality, and history. Tao Te Ching Persona
Author: Stephen Mitchell DownloadEditor: Harper Collins ISBN: 0060812451 Size: 19,98 MB Format: PDF, ePub, Mobi Read: 294 Lao-tzu's Tao Te Ching, or Book of the Way, is the classic manual on the art of living, and one of the wonders of the world. In eighty-one brief chapters, the Tao Te Ching looks at the basic predicament of being alive and gives advice that imparts balance and perspective, a serene and generous spirit. This book is about wisdom in action. It teaches how to work for the good with the effortless skill that comes from being in accord with the Tao (the basic principle of the universe) and applies equally to good government and sexual love; to child rearing, business, and ecology. Stephen Mitchell's bestselling version has been widely acclaimed as a gift to contemporary culture.
Author: Lee Dian Rainey DownloadEditor: John Wiley & Sons ISBN: 1118465679 Size: 18,36 MB Format: PDF, ePub Read: 304 Written by a leading authority on Chinese philosophy,Decoding Dao uniquely focuses on the core texts in Daoistphilosophy, providing readers with a user-friendly introductionthat unravels the complexities of these seminal volumes. Offers a detailed introduction to the core texts in Daoistphilosophy, the Dao De Jing and the Zhuangzi, two ofthe most widely read â and most challenging â texts inChinaâs long literary history Covers the three main ways the texts can be read: as religious,mystical, and philosophical works Explores their historical context, origins, authorship, and thereasons these seminal texts came into being, along with the keyterms and approaches they take Examines the core philosophical arguments made in the texts, aswell as the many ways in which they have been interpreted, both inChina itself and in the West Provides readers with an unrivalled insight into themultifaceted philosophy of Daoism â and the principlesunderlying much of Chinese culture â informed by the verylatest academic scholarship Chinese Cultural Studies Dao De Jing Tao Te Ching Selections
Author: DownloadEditor: ISBN: Size: 16,33 MB Format: PDF, ePub, Mobi Read: 220 Presents a collection of translations of the 'Dao De Jing,' provided online by Paul Halsall. Explains that 'Dao De Jing' is one of the core texts of the Chinese philosophy of Daoism.
Author: Lao Tzu DownloadEditor: Lao Tzu ISBN: 8892552848 Size: 18,25 MB Format: PDF, Docs Read: 582 The Tao Te Ching, Daodejing, Dao De Jing, or Daode jing, also simply referred to as the Laozi, is a Chinese classic text. According to tradition, it was written around 6th century BC by the sage Laozi, a record-keeper at the Zhou dynasty court, by whose name the text is known in China. The text's true authorship and date of composition or compilation are still debated, although the oldest excavated text dates back to the late 4th century BC. The Tao Te Ching, along with the Zhuangzi, is a fundamental text for both philosophical and religious Taoism, and strongly influenced other schools, such as Legalism, Confucianism, and Chinese Buddhism, which when first introduced into China was largely interpreted through the use of Daoist words and concepts. Many Chinese artists, including poets, painters, calligraphers, and even gardeners, have used the Daodejing as a source of inspiration. Its influence has also spread widely outside East Asia, and is among the most translated works in world literature. Tao Te Ching
Author: Laozi DownloadEditor: Shambhala Publications ISBN: 1590305469 Size: 17,24 MB Format: PDF, Kindle Read: 498 Simply and poetically translates the ancient Chinese text that presents a philosophy of life, leaving readers to interpret for themselves what the true meaning is.
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The Tao Te Ching, along with the Zhuangzi, is a fundamental text for both philosophical and religious Taoism. It also strongly influenced other schools of Chinese philosophy and religion, including Legalism, Confucianism, and Buddhism, which was largely interpreted through the use of Taoist words and concepts when it was originally introduced to China. Many artists, including poets, painters, calligraphers, and gardeners, have used the Tao Te Ching as a source of inspiration. Its influence has spread widely outside East Asia and it is among the most translated works in world literature.[6]
Title[edit]
The Chinese characters in the title (Chinese: éå¾·ç¶; pinyin: Dà odéjÄ«ng; WadeâGiles: Taoâ´ Tê² Ching¹) are:
The first character can be considered to modify the second or can be understood as standing alongside it in modifying the third. Thus, the Tao Te Ching can be translated as The Classic of the Way's Virtue(s),[citation needed]The Book of the Tao and Its Virtue,[8] or The Book of the Way and of Virtue.[9][10] It has also been translated as The Tao and its Characteristics,[3]The Canon of Reason and Virtue,[4]The Classic Book of Integrity and the Way,[11] and A Treatise on the Principle and Its Action.[12][13]
Ancient Chinese books were commonly referenced by the name of their real or supposed author, in this case the 'Old Master',[14]Laozi. As such, the Tao Te Ching is also sometimes referred to as the Laozi, especially in Chinese sources.[6]
The title 'Daodejing', with its status as a classic, was only first applied from the reign of Emperor Jing of Han (157-141 BCE) onward.[15] Other titles of the work include the honorific 'Sutra (or 'Perfect Scripture') of the Way and Its Power' (Daode Zhenjing) and the descriptive '5,000-Character Classic' (Wuqian Wen).
Text[edit]
The Tao Te Ching has a long and complex textual history. Known versions and commentaries date back two millennia, including ancient bamboo, silk, and paper manuscripts discovered in the twentieth century.
Internal structure[edit]
The Tao Te Ching is a short text of around 5,000 Chinese characters in 81 brief chapters or sections (ç« ). There is some evidence that the chapter divisions were later additionsâfor commentary, or as aids to rote memorizationâand that the original text was more fluidly organized. It has two parts, the Tao Ching (éç¶; chapters 1â37) and the Te Ching (å¾·ç¶; chapters 38â81), which may have been edited together into the received text, possibly reversed from an original Te Tao Ching. The written style is laconic, has few grammatical particles, and encourages varied, contradictory interpretations. The ideas are singular; the style poetic. The rhetorical style combines two major strategies: short, declarative statements and intentional contradictions. The first of these strategies creates memorable phrases, while the second forces the reader to reconcile supposed contradictions.[16]
The Chinese characters in the original versions were probably written in zhuà nshÅ« (ç¯æ¸seal script), while later versions were written in lìshÅ« (é¸æ¸clerical script) and kÇishÅ« (楷æ¸regular script) styles.
Historical authenticity of the author[edit]
The Tao Te Ching is ascribed to Laozi, whose historical existence has been a matter of scholastic debate. His name, which means 'Old Master', has only fueled controversy on this issue.[17]
The first reliable reference to Laozi is his 'biography' in Shiji (63, tr. Chan 1963:35â37), by Chinese historian Sima Qian (c. 145â86 BC), which combines three stories. First, Laozi was a contemporary of Confucius (551â479 BC). His surname was Li (æ 'plum'), and his personal name was Er (è³ 'ear') or Dan (è 'long ear'). He was an official in the imperial archives, and wrote a book in two parts before 'departing to the West' (an allusion to death). Second, Laozi was Lao Laizi (èä¾å 'Old Come Master'), also a contemporary of Confucius, who wrote a book in 15 parts. Third, Laozi was the grand historian and astrologer Lao Dan (èè 'Old Long-ears'), who lived during the reign (384â362 BC) of Duke Xian (ç»å
¬) of Qin.
Generations of scholars have debated the historicity of Laozi and the dating of the Tao Te Ching. Linguistic studies of the text's vocabulary and rhyme scheme point to a date of composition after the Shijing yet before the Zhuangzi. Legends claim variously that Laozi was 'born old'; that he lived for 996 years, with twelve previous incarnations starting around the time of the Three Sovereigns before the thirteenth as Laozi. Some Western scholars have expressed doubts over Laozi's historical existence, claiming that the Tao Te Ching is actually a collection of the work of various authors.
Many Taoists venerate Laozi as Daotsu, the founder of the school of Dao, the Daode Tianjun in the Three Pure Ones, and one of the eight elders transformed from Taiji in the Chinese creation myth.
Principal versions[edit]
Among the many transmitted editions of the Tao Te Ching text, the three primary ones are named after early commentaries. The 'Yan Zun Version', which is only extant for the Te Ching, derives from a commentary attributed to Han Dynasty scholar Yan Zun (å·å°, fl. 80 BC â 10 AD). The 'Heshang Gong Version' is named after the legendary Heshang Gong (æ²³ä¸å
¬ 'Riverside Sage') who supposedly lived during the reign (180â157 BC) of Emperor Wen of Han. This commentary has a preface written by Ge Xuan (èç, 164â244 AD), granduncle of Ge Hong, and scholarship dates this version to around the 3rd century AD. The 'Wang Bi Version' has more verifiable origins than either of the above. Wang Bi (çå¼¼, 226â249 AD) was a famous Three Kingdoms period philosopher and commentator on the Tao Te Ching and the I Ching.
Tao Te Ching scholarship has advanced from archeological discoveries of manuscripts, some of which are older than any of the received texts. Beginning in the 1920s and 1930s, Marc Aurel Stein and others found thousands of scrolls in the Mogao Caves near Dunhuang. They included more than 50 partial and complete 'Tao Te Ching' manuscripts. One written by the scribe So/Su Dan (ç´ çµ±) is dated 270 AD and corresponds closely with the Heshang Gong version. Another partial manuscript has the Xiang'er (æ³ç¾) commentary, which had previously been lost.[citation needed]
Mawangdui and Guodian texts[edit]
In 1973, archeologists discovered copies of early Chinese books, known as the Mawangdui Silk Texts, in a tomb dating from 168 BC.[6] They included two nearly complete copies of the text, referred to as Text A (ç²) and Text B (ä¹), both of which reverse the traditional ordering and put the Te Ching section before the Tao Ching, which is why the Henricks translation of them is named 'Te-Tao Ching'. Based on calligraphic styles and imperial naming taboo avoidances, scholars believe that Text A can be dated to about the first decade and Text B to about the third decade of the 2nd century BC.[18]
Steve irwin death video. In 1993, the oldest known version of the text, written on bamboo tablets, was found in a tomb near the town of Guodian (éåº) in Jingmen, Hubei, and dated prior to 300 BC.[6] The Guodian Chu Slips comprise about 800 slips of bamboo with a total of over 13,000 characters, about 2,000 of which correspond with the Tao Te Ching.
Both the Mawangdui and Guodian versions are generally consistent with the received texts, excepting differences in chapter sequence and graphic variants. Several recent Tao Te Ching translations (e.g., Lau 1989, Henricks 1989, Mair 1990, Henricks 2000, Allan and Williams 2000, and Roberts 2004) utilize these two versions, sometimes with the verses reordered to synthesize the new finds.
Translations[edit]
The Tao Te Ching has been translated into Western languages over 250 times, mostly to English, German, and French.[19] According to Holmes Welch, 'It is a famous puzzle which everyone would like to feel he had solved.'[20] The first English translation of the Tao Te Ching was produced in 1868 by the Scottish Protestant missionary John Chalmers, entitled The Speculations on Metaphysics, Polity, and Morality of the 'Old Philosopher' Lau-tsze.[21] It was heavily indebted[22] to Julien's French translation[9] and dedicated to James Legge,[2] who later produced his own translation for Oxford's Sacred Books of the East.[3]
Other notable English translations of the Tao Te Ching are those produced by Chinese scholars and teachers: a 1948 translation by linguist Lin Yutang, a 1961 translation by author John Ching Hsiung Wu, a 1963 translation by sinologist Din Cheuk Lau, another 1963 translation by professor Wing-tsit Chan, and a 1972 translation by Taoist teacher Gia-Fu Feng together with his wife Jane English.
Many translations are written by people with a foundation in Chinese language and philosophy who are trying to render the original meaning of the text as faithfully as possible into English. Some of the more popular translations are written from a less scholarly perspective, giving an individual author's interpretation. Critics of these versions claim that their translators deviate from the text and are incompatible with the history of Chinese thought.[23] Russell Kirkland goes further to argue that these versions are based on Western Orientalist fantasies, and represent the colonial appropriation of Chinese culture.[24][25] In contrast, Huston Smith, scholar of world religions, said of the Stephen Mitchell version, 'This translation comes as close to being definitive for our time as any I can imagine. It embodies the virtues its translator credits to the Chinese original: a gemlike lucidity that is radiant with humor, grace, largeheartedness, and deep wisdom.' Other Taoism scholars, such as Michael LaFargue[26] and Jonathan Herman,[27] argue that while they don't pretend to scholarship, they meet a real spiritual need in the West. These Westernized versions aim to make the wisdom of the Tao Te Ching more accessible to modern English-speaking readers by, typically, employing more familiar cultural and temporal references.
Translational difficulties[edit]
The Tao Te Ching is written in Classical Chinese, which can be difficult to understand completely. Classical Chinese relies heavily on allusion to a corpus of standard literary works to convey semantic meaning, nuance, and subtext. This corpus was memorized by highly educated people in Laozi's time, and the allusions were reinforced through common use in writing, but few people today have this type of deep acquaintance with ancient Chinese literature. Thus, many levels of subtext are potentially lost on modern translators. Furthermore, many of the words that the Tao Te Ching uses are deliberately vague and ambiguous.
Since there are no punctuation marks in Classical Chinese, it can be difficult to conclusively determine where one sentence ends and the next begins. Moving a full-stop a few words forward or back or inserting a comma can profoundly alter the meaning of many passages, and such divisions and meanings must be determined by the translator. Some editors and translators argue that the received text is so corrupted (from originally being written on one-line bamboo strips linked with silk threads) that it is impossible to understand some chapters without moving sequences of characters from one place to another.
See also[edit]Notes[edit]
References[edit]Citations[edit]
Sources[edit]
External links[edit]
Other online English translations[edit]
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Posted on | June 13, 2010 | 2 Comments
Tao Teh King. Here is the classic Tao work âThe Tao Teh Kingâ by Lao-Tse in the James Legge translation. Tao Teh King is also known as Laozi and it is suggested that the book origins from the late 4th century BCE. The name, Tao Teh King, can be translated in a number of ways from the Chinese original text. It might mean âthe wayâ, âpersonal vurtueâ, âethicsâ or âpersonal powerâ. In popular western culture Tao Teh King has been widely used as a self analysis and decision making tool.
The classic Tao work âThe Tao Teh Kingâ by Lao-Tse in the James Legge translation.
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