Fascination with the Tao-te-ching is never-ending. But until now, the curious have had very few avenues for exploring the many facets of Lao-tzu's work other than the myriad translations and their brief introductions. In Lao-tzu and the Tao-te-ching, scholars Livia Kohn and Michael LaFargue invite some of the top minds in ancient Chinese philosophy and language to apply their technical expertise to the Tao-te-ching. The result is a playground of ideas and information. In addition to penning an essay on the evolution of Lao-tzu into a full-blown Taoist god, Kohn also translates an essay from French and another from Japanese--and they are two of the best in the book. While religion specialist Julia Hardy rehashes influential Western interpretations of the Tao-te-ching, Isabelle Robinet, a French historian who studies China, introduces us to a few of the 700 or so Chinese commentaries. Japanese religious historian Yoshiko Kamitsuka does as well with a fascinating study of Taoist sculpture--its gods, its inscriptions, and its development. Here is the latest on who Lao-tzu was and when the Tao-te-ching was written, and what a difference it will make to your own reading of this perennial favorite. --Brian Bruya

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Lao-tzu and the Tao-te-ching presents a coherent collection of materials on the ancient Chinese classic and its author, describing traditional and modern Western Interpretations. Written and edited by recognized international specialists in the field, this book brings Lao-tzu and the Tao-te-ching together to present current scholarship on their history and interpretation.

FROM THE CRITICS

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