Scholars say that the original Tao Te Ching is a poem. Like a poem, this version of the Tao Te Ching is not meant to be read in one breath from front to back, but is to be at intervals internalized and contemplated. Jane English's haunting black-and-white photos that undulate in and out on every page act as glycerin elixirs, helping the words slide into our souls for patient digestion. The photographs--of a glistening spider web, cloud-enveloped mountain tops, reflections on water, leaves in the sunlight--are as serenely lyrical as the ancient text, itself.


Alan Watts
"No one has done better in conveying Lao Tsu's simple and laconic style of writing, so as to produce an English version almost as suggestive of the many meanings intended."


Book Description
The most accessible and authoritative modern English translation of the ancient Chinese classic. Offers the essence of each word and makes Lao Tsu's teaching immediate and alive.


Language Notes
Text: English, Chinese (translation)


From the Publisher
"No one has done better in conveying Lao Tsu's simple and laconic style of writing, so as to produce an English version almost as suggestive of the many meanings intended."--Alan Watts


From the Inside Flap
Available for the first time in a handy, easy-to-use size, here is the most accessible and authoritative modern English translation of the ancient Chinese classic. This new Vintage edition includes an introduction and notes by the well-known writer and scholar of philosophy and comparative religion, Jacob Needleman.

ANNOTATION

The most accessible and authoritative English translation of the ancient Chinese classic. Offers the essence of each word and makes Lao Tzu's teaching alive.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

The Tao Te Ching is a great treasure house of wisdom. Written by Lao Tzu as early as the sixth century B.C. and composed of only 5,000 characters, it has become one of the classic works of spiritual enlightenment. The Tao offers a much-needed alternative to our fragmented, modern ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving. To live life in accordance with "Tao" is to be in harmony with others, with the environment, and with oneself.

In this evocative and poetic new translation, Ralph Alan Dale has captured the beauty and essence of a unique masterpiece. He translates "Tao" as "the Great Integrity," signifying the return to holism, creativity, and honesty. Following his translation of the complete text, Dale provides insightful commentary on each verse, reprinting the verse on the same page with the commentary. The book is also a magnificent work of art: the elegant Chinese calligraphy and stunning photographs, printed in black and silver, enhance the poetry and stimulate the reader's imagination.

It has been 2,500 years since the Tao Te Ching was written. Yet living generations and those soon to come may be particularly attuned to Lao Tzu's words and their message. In Dale's translation, the Tao Te Ching resonates to our twenty-first century hopes, dreams, and challenges-as though Lao Tzu had written this remarkable book just for us.

Ralph Alan Dale has been practicing, teaching, researching, and writing on acupuncture for thirty years, and has published numerous books on Chinese medicine. He lives in Florida and North Carolina with his wife, Hendrina Ophey.

John Cleare is an internationally renowned photographer, specializing in landscapes and mountains.

SYNOPSIS

The Tao Te Ching is an ancient Chinese collection of spiritual teachings, folk wisdom, cosmology, anti-Confucian doctrine, and mystical insights written between the seventh and second centuries BCE and attributed to Lao Tzu. This volume includes both a comprehensive verbatim translation of the text as well as Star's (affiliation not cited) own literary translation. The verbatim translation is intended to give the reader access to a complete range of possible interpretations.