The Tao Te Ching is a classic Chinese text written around the 6th century BC by Laozi, a Zhou-dynasty courtier. While its authorship is debated, the text remains a fundamental building block of Taoism and one of the most influential works of its time. Today it's one of the most-translated works in the world.The work itself is a series of 81 short poetic sections, each one written in a fluid, ambiguous style, leaving them open to wide interpretation. Subjects range from advice to th...

In this new translation, a world-renowned scholar brings out the metaphysical, moral, and poetic power of Laozi’s classical Chinese textDrawing on his extensive study of philosophy, religion, and literature across traditions, David Bentley Hart, with the help of Patrick Robert Hart, presents Laozi’s timeless work and its paradoxical wisdom with clarity and grace.Mesmerized by the Tao Te Ching’s condensed and elliptical nature, and moved by bo...

The Tao Te Ching is fundamental to the Taoist school of Chinese philosophy and strongly influenced other schools, such as Legalism and Neo-Confucianism. Written by Laozi -600BC, this ancient book is also central in Chinese religion, not only for Taoism but Chinese Buddhism, which when first introduced into China was largely interpreted through the use of Taoist words and concepts. Many Chinese artists, including poets, painters, calligraphers, and even gardeners have used the Tao Te Ching ...

A transformative new edition of Taoism’s central text that overturns its reputation for calming, gnomic wisdom, revealing instead a work of “philosophical dynamite.”Grounded in a lifetime of research and interpretive work and informed by careful study of recent archeological discoveries of alternate versions of the text, Brook Ziporyn, one of the preeminent explicators of Eastern religions in English, brings us a revelatory new translation—and a radical reinterpret...

'Of ways you may speak, but not the Perennial Way; By names you may name, but not the Perennial Name.' The best-loved of all the classical books of China and the most universally popular, the Daodejing or Classic of the Way and Life-Force is a work that defies definition. It encapsulates the main tenets of Daoism, and upholds a way of being as well as a philosophy and a religion. The dominant image is of the Way, the mysterious path through the whole cosm...

The Tao Te Ching, Daodejing, or Dao De Jing (道德經: 道 dào "way"; 德 dé "virtue"; 經 jīng "classic" or "book") also simply referred to as the Laozi, is a Chinese classic text. According to tradition, it was written around the 6th century BC by the sage Laozi (or Lao Tzu, "Old Master"), 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 b...

This new translation of the Chinese classic and foundation text of Daoism integrates the manuscript discoveries of the last 30 years, introducing a fundamentally different view of the nature of the Dao. Michael Puett, the Walter C. Klein Professor of Chinese History and Chair of the Committee on the Study of Religion at Harvard University, calls this translation "an excellent translation of one of the most important texts from the Chinese philosophical tradition," and goes on to state: "Bu...

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...

The 8-in-1 CHINESE CLASSICS brings together in one volume some of the greatest Chinese clazzical writings of all time. Here, in full, are:THE ART OF WAR (the full 13 chapters)THE ANALECTS OF CONFUCIUS (the full 20 chapters)THE SAYINGS OF MENCIUS (the full 28 chapters)THE SHI CHING (aka: Shi King or The Book of Songs - the full 4 Parts, 29 'Books')THE TRAVELS OF FA HIEN (40 chapters)THE SORROWS OF HAN (4 Acts)

The Tao Te Ching is one of the world's oldest and most treasured pieces of literature. Written around 2,500 years ago by the enigmatic Lao Tzu, its timeless wisdom and transformative message remain every bit as relevant today. The text, presented here in its entirety, Through his subtle and poetic words, Lao Tzu explores the workings of the cosmos and the essential nature of mankind, offering a way of living that brings us back into the harmonious flow of the natural.

This translation presents Daoism’s basic text in highly readable contemporary English. Incorporating the latest scholarship in the field (including the most recent discoveries of ancient manuscripts in the 1970s and '90s), the book explains Daodejing's often cryptic verses in a clear and concise way. The introduction interprets the Daodejing's poetic imagery in the context of ancient Chinese symbolism, and a brief philosophical analysis accompanies each of the 81 translat...

The Tao Te Ching is fundamental to the Taoist school of Chinese philosophy and strongly influenced other schools, such as Legalism and Neo-Confucianism. This ancient book is also central in Chinese religion, not only for Taoism but Chinese Buddhism, which when first introduced into China was largely interpreted through the use of Taoist words and concepts. Many Chinese artists, including poets, painters, calligraphers, and even gardeners have used the Tao Te Ching as a source of inspiratio...