to friends of like mind. A translation of ancient Taoist texts on ...
583420
A Fabulous book. One of those that I read, re-read and as I read it the second time I folded down the corners of pages that particularly resonate with me and have re-read those many times. This is one of those books that I have given as a gift, many times, to friends of like mind. A translation of ancient Taoist texts on the left page and a modern interpretation by the author on the right. I hold this book in high esteem.
2852772
A very interesting version of the Tao Te Ching by one of my favorite authors.
1752807
Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching (The Book of the Way)  has long been referenced by those who seek to understand the Eastern philosophy of the harmony of the universe.  In simple, eloquent verse this collection of poems (though there are those who would object to the 'poem' label) the secrets to shedding the self with its attendant judgment, desire, and critique provide the guide for finding oneness with the cosmos.

Steven Mitchell is the translator of these ancient texts and his sensitivity to the poetic flow of the concepts and instructions enhance this version of the TAO TE CHING.  And as if that weren't sufficient reason to make this your access to these ageless meditations, this book is an 'illustrated version', tastefully combined with old Chinese drawings and paintings that allow the eye to roam while digesting the moments of beauty of the words.

This book becomes a constant companion for those who look to make sense of the world and its chaos.  If ever there were the perfect gift for the friends in your life, this elegant little book is surely one of the best.  Grady Harp, March 05.
1756739
This is a great reading of a wonderfull story in which seven Taoist apprentices search and obtain immortality through dedicated intensive training full of hardships. In the process they encounter all kind of obstacles which they have to overcome in their quest for the Dao. The story starts with how their teacher, Wang Ch'ung Yang is visited by two of the eight famous immortals Zhongli Chuan and Lu Dongbin (in the book spelled as Chung-li Ch'uan and Lu Tung-Pin), and is taught internal alchemy by them. Through hard training Wang Ch'ung Yang attains immortality and is then instructed to go look for seven students to teach them. Whith the text very rich in usefull pointers for ones own study of the Way, the characters in this novel are easily identified with and truly serve as an example and inspiration for all sincere seekers of the Dao, .
3083605
Perhaps it's not very Taoist to say that this translation of Lao Tse's classic is "better" than any other. So let's just say that, of the many there are, this is a treasure. In part, it's because of Bynner's poetic interpretation, though his words are earthy, direct, and packed with meaning. There's also tremendous heart in these lines, which must reflect the translator's own rich experience of Life.
Whenever I think of phrases from the Tao Te Ching, they're always in Bynner's words. But as he himself notes,

"Whether a man dispassionately
Sees to the core of life
Or passionately
Sees the surface,
The core and the surface
Are essentially the same,
Words making them seem different
Only to express appearance.
If name be needed, wonder names them both:
From wonder into wonder,
Existence opens."

Give it a try!
3342078
If the I Ching is mankinds oldest book, this philosophical exposition of yin and yang in psychological terms has to rank as one of its most important sequels. Lao Tzu is revered as one of the great sages of ancient China. This is an instructive manual for we of the west, in such a hurry, where the idea of placing oneself first and winning are so central. A more mature point of view to temper us.
801890
I think this book accomplishes what it sets out to achieve - an American Christian reading of a key text of Taoism. Having used the Tao Te Ching in morning meditation for more than a decade, the author sets out to show 'how easily it can be read as a very impressive Christian text' (p. vii).
The book contains a new rendition of the Tao Te Ching's 81 chapters, with each chapter followed by a brief meditation on Christian and biblical themes which relate to it. The interpretation is clearly a Christian one, and as such is helpful and illuminating. The meditations show the congruence between Christian and Taoist themes. The layout makes this book ideal as a way of using the Tao Te Ching for personal, or even public, Christian prayer, especially on a daily basis. Used as such, the Tao Te Ching would form a kind of cycle of meditation and reflection, not unlike a traditional use of the Psalms for daily worship.
My only qualm about this book is that the reader should be aware that this is quite far from being a translation of the Tao Te Ching. Rather, it is very much an interpretation from a Christian point of view. As such, the author minimises the potential conflicts between Christian and Taoist readings of the same text, perhaps unduly so. I think overall there is a greater engagement with Christianity than with Taoism, although this is not unreasonable, given the author's aims. The result falls just the right side of 'Taoism Lite'. For Christians who are interested in Taoism, this is a good starting point, but it should only be a starting point.
A similar book worth looking up is John Mabry's 'God as Nature Sees God'. This has a less useful format for prayer or meditation, but a more extensive commentary.
If you are interested in the ways westerners have interpreted Taoism, J.J. Clarke's 'The Tao of the West' is well worth reading.
2977392
As every reader of Lao Tzu's magnum opus  is well aware, there is perhaps  no other work produced by the human mind which has appeared in as many  translations, quasi-translations, pseudo-translations, non-translations and  mistranslations as Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching.  Why then, the reader will  wonder, do we need yet another?  Because, with the possible exception of  Prof. Mair's excellent rendering, there is none other comparable to this  one. Red Pine is no dabbler in these matters.  A quick reading of the  Introduction (which, with its photographs is itself worth the price of the  book) should convince the reader of that.  But the book offers even more  than a lucid translation of the ancient classic (and it IS a translation,  not a paraphrase of someone else's): there is a bonus on every page, a  judicious selection of commentaries from ancient writers, who have  interpreted the verses, and have found in them a source of inspiration  which readers have acknowledged over the past two millennia.  If you decide  to buy only one translation of Tao Te Ching, you won't be disappointed if  this is the one you choose. Justin Thacker,  Los Angeles, California
132075
Philosophers, scholars and other intellectuals have tried countless times to translate Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching. There are so many translations and commentaries. However all of these other translations provide a linear comprehension of the Tao Te Ching. Linear meaning the knowledge derived is thought to be of ideological value. Reason being that all these philosophers, scholars and other intellectuals are not Masters of the Tao and hence they conject based on their inadequate level of realization. Hence providing the linear, incorrect and "missing the point" translation.

Master Liao, being a Grandmaster of the Tao has given the dimensional and applicable translation of the Tao Te Ching. I'm a Taiji Gong practitioner and through my own meditative experiences I can understand and apply the Tao Te Ching as translated by Master Waysun Liao.

If I may paraphrase to help others understand the Tao and the Te is analogous to "part and parcel of the whole" - Te being part and Tao being the whole. This dimensional aspect, that interaction of the Te and the Tao is what Master Liao elaborates on in Nine Nights with the Taoist Master.

I highly recommend this book for anyone studying the Tao. I hope this book becomes widely known as a great translation for the Tao Te Ching because its standard is higher then intellectual.
3637732
The *I Ching* is the world's oldest divination text.  Based on the ancient  Chinese philosophy of Yin and Yang, it provides timeless wisdom about how  to negotiate the changing nature of events.  In seventeenth century China,  the Buddhist commentator Chih-hsu Ou-i (1599-1655) wrote a Buddhist version  of the *I Ching*; this book is a translation of Chih-hsu's version of the  *I Ching*.  This version resonates with several streams of thought in  China: on the whole, it is deeply ethical in its outlook; at times, it  sounds a bit Taoist, and in other places, there are echoes of Zen.  Overall, there is a tremendous amount of wisdom in this book, for Chih-shu  was well-versed in the esoteric traditions of China.  The entire text is a  compassionate attempt to guide souls, through the ups and downs of a  changing world, to the ultimate goal of enlightenment.  The book may be  consulted for divination as an ordinary translation of the *I Ching* would  be, or it can be read from cover to cover.
3143149
As always, Cleary has produced a very readable English form of these Chinese classics. These selections show the importance of women in Taoist practice - a notable contrast to their position in the Confucian hierarchy. Although these parts of Taoism treat men and women as equals, the text also emphasizes their differing roles and practices, a seeming contradiction that I would like to understand better.

Although I came to this book predisposed to like it, I came away less informed than I hoped. That does not seem to be a problem in Cleary's translation, but central to the esoteric subjects of the originals. Given the arcane practices themselves, plus some tradition of deliberately obscuring the inner teachings, I never developed a solid understanding of what the Immortals meant to convey.

-- wiredweird
3947937
A training manual written in the form of a story, the book: 'SEVEN TAOIST MASTERS: A Folk Novel of China' (c. 1990) translated by Eva Wong, introduced the reader to a blend of myth and history to both entertain and teach, in the form of lectures, the Taoist philosophy of Wang Ch'ung-yang and Ch'iu Ch'ang-ch'un.  History had recorded that the disciple "Ch'iu Ch'ang-ch'un was befriended by Kublai Khan and was appointed court high priest during the reign of the first Yu'an Emporer" (p.xvii). And Wang Ch'ung-yang lived during the Sung (1127-1279) and Yu'an (1271-1368) dynasties.

Wang Ch'ang-yang (the rebirth of yang, or the rejuvenation of mind & body) was regarded as one of the greatest patriarchs of the school of True Reality (or the school of Complete Reality) and his students, the seven Taoist masters, were of the Northern School of Taoism, that branch of Taoism which advocates the 'singular path', where enlightenment and immortality are achieved through meditation and chi-kung exercises, it is the closest to Buddhism and Ch'an meditation of the Taoist sects.  Ch'iu Ch'ang-ch'un, one of the seven masters, founded the Lung-men (Dragon Gate)sect of Taoism.

SEVEN TAOIST MASTERS presentd a mix of myth and history in the most appealing way to the reader conforming to the Taoist pedagogy of story telling to instruct as more accessible in an intuitive reading than as analytic reading of a text.  The main character, Wang Ch'ung-yang, was approached by two immortals, Lu and Chung-li Ch'uan, dressed as beggars, who had to convert mortals into Taoist immortals before the flowering of the immortal peach so that the Empress of Heaven wouldn't have to eat it alone.  While Buddhism emphasizes reincarnation, Taoism strives for immortality, by means of internal alchemy, the actual transformation of body & soul through various Taoist efforts and personal sacrifices of the apprentice.

So in the SEVEN TAOIST MASTERS, the experiences of Wang Ch'ung-yang are used as a vehicle to describe the attitudes and situations for Taoist training and the obstacles usually encountered on the road to enlightenment.  The seven Taoist masters each represent seven different approaches to the Tao, and each master must negotiate an obstacle in their own way on the path to enlightenment.  In this particular theology of Taoism is the belief that destiny can be changed by the actions of people, reward and retribution will be given according to one's behaviour.

The book, SEVEN TAOIST MASTERS, contained a number of typographical and grammatical errors, such as "propserous" (p. 89), and "emerge" for merge throughout the work, and a number of ancient Chinese woodblock illustrations; yet overall, this is an excellent introduction to the Northern School of Taoism using a primer originally written for the training of Taoists priests.  Also, please read TAOIST MASTER CHUANG (c. 2000) by Michael R. Saso, to gain further insight into the life and training of a Taoist disciple.
3981288
I checked out this translation of and old way of Eastern Philosophy and have always loved this one better that others ... it was no longer at libary at one point and could not remember which translation it was however remember the cover and Amazon had it I was so grateful to have this it is one of my favorite books ... It is a book to ponder it's Wisdom
4389443
Hua-Ching Ni is a practicing Taoist and a doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine of long standing.  This title is a sampler of the many books he has written on the Taoist tradition in English.  The contents are  well-chosen and offer a delightful and inspiring selection of readings on  how this ancient wisdom applies to everyday life.  This is not a book of  flowery language or abstract metaphysics, but is, rather, a primer on how  to improve one's life.  It reads easily in nice, bite-size morsels.  I  enjoyed this book and highly recommend it!
1883085
Even though they are often at opposite ends of the philosophical spectrum, the Analects of Confucius and the Daodejing are two works which I love reading and re-reading time and time again.  They are both works with a level of profundity that reward the reader who savors them slowly, and revisits them from time to time, as one's reading will often reflect what the reader is experiencing at the time.  That is what makes them great: they are powerfully profound, but also incredibly personal works as well which invite intimacy with the reader.  The Daodejing in particular, with its wonderful dualistic harmony, beautiful imagery, and lovely concepts such as the quintessential paradox of wei wu wei (to act without acting--which is not the same as "not acting"!) is particularly divine.

I especially enjoy this particular translation, which is clearly put together with loving attention and attachment to the work.  The calligraphy is beautiful (and for people who read Chinese characters it is nice to have the original text for comparison), the photographs are artistic, and the translation is superb.  It is too bad that Mitchell's version appears to be the most popular, as I feel this translation is much superior.  Often it is small word choices here or there, but Mitchell's version (it is not a translation per se, as he does not read Chinese) feels just a little bit off most of the time, at least compared to my understanding of this work through other translations and my readings on philosophical Daoism in general.

Of the translations I have encountered, this is by far my favorite.  Add to that the wonderful calligraphy (sure to be enjoyable even to people who can't read it) and photos and this is a real winner.  This is just my opinion, but if you're looking to read the Daodejing for the first time, this translation is a great place to start.
3676991
The title-page of my earlier Arkana (1985) edition of this book (which
does not include the later supplementary material by Darrell T. Liu)
reads: "TAO TE CHING - The Book of Meaning and Life - Lao Tzu -
Translation and Commentary by Richard Wilhelm - Translated into
English by H. G. Ostwald." Wilhelm's German translation was first
published in 1925 and appeared in Mr Ostwald's clear and vigorous
English in 1985.
Richard Wilhelm, of course, is better known for his
translation of the 'I Ching,' a translation that has had an enormous
influence.  His remains the key edition of this classic for English
readers, and was so well done it is unlikely ever to be superseded.

In the present work, Wilhelm has given us a remarkably fine edition
of the 'Tao Te Ching,' a text whose author he feels was greatly
influenced by the 'I Ching.' His edition breaks down into three main
parts.
 After a brief Preface we are given an interesting and
informative 20-page Introduction which covers The author, The text,
Historical context, and Content. Although relatively brief, Wilhelm
covers a lot of ground in this Introduction, and the general reader
might find the fourth part of it heavy going. It seems clearly
intended for the serious student who is prepared to come to grips with
some of the deeper philosophical implications of the text.

As for the text itself, I've
no idea what Wilhelm's original German is like, but Mr Ostwald is to
be congratulated on having given us a brisk and lively English
translation.  Much of it somehow seems more readable than other
versions, possibly because Wilhelm himself found a certain amount of
drama in the 'Tao Te Ching' that other translators have either
overlooked or tended to ignore, and one often gets more of the feel of
a real person speaking. Here is a
brief example from Chapter
30, with my slash marks added to indicate line breaks:

"Whosoever in true DAO helps a ruler of men / does not rape the world by
use of arms, / for actions return onto one's own head. / Where armies
have dwelt thistles
and thorns grow. / Behind battles follow years of hunger" (page 40).

The translation is followed by a 30-page
Commentary on 'The Teaching of Lao Zi [Tzu]' which covers the DAO
[TAO], The phenomenal world, On the attainment of DAO, Worldly wisdom,
State and society, and Daoism after Lao Zi.  The book is rounded out
with 28-pages of detailed chapter-by-chapter Notes, and a brief
Bibliography of Chinese and Western sources.
All in all, and
although the translation could be read with pleasure and profit by
anyone, Wilhelm's is a scholarly edition for the more studiously
inclined who are interested in such things as the historical and
philosophical context, and who may already have a certain amount of
background.
The general reader who is new to the 'Tao Te Ching,'
and who would prefer a more straightforward edition, might be better
served by the text-only editions of Gia-Fu Feng or John C. H. Wu.
These too read very well, and there's something to be said for the
immediate exposure to the text that such editions offer.  I don't
think Lao Tzu would have had any quibbles.
3455327
Red Pine is the best translator I've read. He does a great job with this work. There are also many commentaries by different people after each verse so you'll have many interpretations of the Tao. Get this along with "The Mountain Poems of Stonehouse", also here at Amazon, and you'll have a fine time enjoying both. (see my review of Stonehouse too). They make a fine set and would also make a very fine and appreciated gift.