Tao Te Ching
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- $1.99
Publisher Description
“Tao Te Ching” is a classical work of Chinese philosophy dating from the time of Confucius (551-479 BCE), authored by Lao-tzu, whose name means "The Old Master". It talks about the art of living with humor, grace, large-heartedness, and deep wisdom.
The work is a fundamental text for both philosophical and religious Taoism, and strongly influenced other schools, such as Legalism, Confucianism and Chinese Buddhism. From the outset, the book differentiates a path that can be expressed (lower-case tao) from the inscrutable, eternal Way (upper-case Tao).
Many Chinese artists, including poets, painters, calligraphers have used the “Tao Te Ching” as a source of inspiration. Its influence has also spread widely outside East Asia, and is amongst the most translated works in world literature.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
More than five dozen translations of the Tao te Ching exist in English, making it questionable whether there is a need for yet another. But Stephen Hodge's Tao te Ching: A New Translation and Commentary is revisionist enough to warrant a look. He spends a good part of the introduction situating Lao Tzu's work in the context of the Warring States period (475-221 B.C.E.), even to the point of neglecting to tell the reader much about the content of the text itself. He also discusses the perplexing question of authorship and outlines various translation difficulties. The remainder of the book is more accessible, and is organized thematically to help the reader understand the Tao te Ching's key ideas. Hodge writes well, and the book is beautifully designed with more than 100 photographs and illustrations.
