Tao Te Ching

A New Translation

A New Translation

By Lao Tzu
Translated by William Scott Wilson

By Lao Tzu
Translated by John C.H. Wu

By Lao Tzu
Illustrated by Stephen Addiss
Introduction by Burton Watson
Translated by Stanley Lombardo and Stephen Addiss

By Lao Tzu
Translated by William Scott Wilson

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Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu

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Paperback $17.95

Jul 30, 2013 | 256 Pages

Paperback $17.95

Jul 12, 2005 | 184 Pages

Hardcover $22.95

Dec 11, 2007 | 144 Pages

Ebook $13.99

Jun 12, 2012 | 256 Pages

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      Jun 12, 2012 | 256 Pages

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    About Tao Te Ching

    The classic Taoist text freshly translated using the original Chinese script from Lao Tzu’s time, and beautifully illustrated with seventeenth-century artwork.

    Renowned translator William Scott Wilson has rendered Lao Tzu’s classic in the most authentic way possible, using both the ancient text and the even older Great Seal script used during Lao Tzu’s time. The result is a new and nuanced translation, accompanied by gorgeous Chinese ink paintings and fascinating ancillary material. Wilson includes an introduction that tells the story of Lao Tzu, the “old man” and the “keeper of the archives,” and wonderful notes to illuminate the text. He also includes two short essays–one explains the relationship between Taoism and Zen, and the other explores the roots that link the spiritual aspects of the Tao with the practice of Chinese and Japanese martial arts. Wilson’s version of this ancient classic is wonderfully fresh and readable.

    About Tao Te Ching

    Written more than two thousand years ago, the Tao Teh Ching , or "The Classic of the Way and Its Virtue," has probably had a greater influence on Asian thought than any other single book. It is also one of the true classics of the world of spiritual literature.

    Traditionally attributed to the near-legendary "Old Master," Lao Tzu, the Tao Teh Ching teaches that the qualities of the enlightened sage or ideal ruler are identical with those of the perfected individual. Today, Lao Tzu’s words are as useful in mastering the arts of leadership in business and politics as they are in developing a sense of balance and harmony in everyday life. To follow the Tao or Way of all things and realize their true nature is to embdy humility, spontaneity, and generosity.

    John C. H. Wu has done a remarkable job of rendering this subtle text into English while retaining the freshness and depth of the original. A jurist and scholar, Dr. Wu was a recognized authority on Taoism and the translator of several Taoist and Zen texts and of Chinese poetry.

    About Tao Te Ching

    In what may be the most faithful translation of the Tao Te Ching, the translators have captured the terse, enigmatic beauty of the original masterpiece without embellishing it with personal interpretation or bogging it down with explanatory notes. By stepping out of the way and letting the original text speak for itself, they deliver a powerfully direct experience of the Tao Te Ching that is a joy to come back to again and again.

    And for the first time in any translation of the Tao Te Ching, now you can interact with the text to experience for yourself the nuanced art of translating. In each of the eighty-one chapters, one significant line has been highlighted and alongside it are the original Chinese characters with their transliteration. You can then turn to the glossary and translate this line on your own, thereby deepening your understanding of the original text and of the myriad ways it can be translated into English.

    Complementing the text are twenty-three striking ink paintings brushed by Stephen Addiss and an introduction by the esteemed Asia scholar Burton Watson.

    About Tao Te Ching

    Renowned translator William Scott Wilson has rendered Lao Tzu’s classic in the most authentic way possible, using both the ancient text and the even older Great Seal script used during Lao Tzu’s time. The result is a new and nuanced translation, accompanied by Chinese ink paintings and ancillary material. Wilson includes an introduction that tells the story of Lao Tzu, the “old man” and the “keeper of the archives,” and notes to illuminate the text. He also includes two short essays—one explains the relationship between Taoism and Zen, and the other explores the roots that link the spiritual aspects of the Tao with the practice of Chinese and Japanese martial arts. Wilson’s version of this ancient classic is wonderfully fresh and readable.

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    Praise

    “Renders the classic anew and authentically, accompanied by Chinese ink paintings and ancillary material.”—Publishers Weekly

    Product Details

    Paperback
    Published by Shambhala
    Jul 30, 2013 | 256 Pages | 5-1/4 x 7-1/2 | ISBN 9781611800777

    Paperback
    Published by Shambhala
    Jul 12, 2005 | 184 Pages | 6 x 9 | ISBN 9781590302460

    Hardcover
    Published by Shambhala
    Dec 11, 2007 | 144 Pages | 5 x 7-3/4 | ISBN 9781590305461

    Ebook
    Published by Shambhala
    Jun 12, 2012 | 256 Pages | ISBN 9780834827905

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