Dao De Jing As Explained By Lao Zi

Examines the traditional and modern Western interpretations of the Tao-te-ching, and its author, Lao-tzu.

Dao De Jing was composed in China between the late sixth and late fourth centuries BC.

The Dao De Jing is one of the richest, most suggestive, and most popular works of philosophy and literature. Composed in China between the sixth and fourth centuries B.C., its enigmatic verses have inspired artists, philosophers, poets, religious thinkers, and general readers past and present. This new translation captures the beauty and nuance of the original work. In addition, the extensive and accessible commentary by Moss Roberts sheds light on the work’s historical and philosophical contexts and shows how the Dao De Jing addresses topics of relevance to our own times, such as politics, statecraft, cosmology, aesthetics, and ethics.

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 Zi’s source of inspiration—nature. 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 Zi’s 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.

'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 cosmos modelled on the great Silver River or Milky Way that traverses the heavens. A life-giving stream, the Way gives rise to all things and holds them in her motherly embrace. It enables the individual, and society as a whole, to harmonize the disparate demands of daily life and achieve a more profound level of understanding. This new translation draws on the latest archaeological finds and brings out the word play and poetry of the original. Simple commentary accompanies the text, and the introduction provides further historical and interpretative context. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

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 translated chapters of the Daodejing.

A Daoist classic that has had a profound influence on Chinese thought, the Laozi or Daodejing, evolved into its present form sometime around the third century BCE and continues to enjoy great popularity throughout East Asia and beyond. Philip J Ivanhoe's lucid and philosophically-minded interpretation and commentary offer fresh insights into this classic work. In the substantial introduction and numerous notes, Ivanhoe draws attention to the issues at play in the text, often relating them to contemporary philosophical discussions and directing the reader to related passages within the Daodejing and to other works of the period. The Language Appendix, unique to this edition, offers eight translations of the opening passage by well-known and influential scholars and explains, line-by-line, how each might have reached his particular interpretation.