Product Description

The lucidity of the original text had eluded most previous translators, and they have obscured some of its central ideas. This text sets out to make "Tao te Ching" the central Taoist text for the 21st century. Lao-tzu's "Tao te Ching" is the classic manual of the art of living. In 81 brief chapters, the book looks at the basic predicaments posed by being alive and gives advice that imparts balance and perspective, a serene and generous spirit. The "Book of the Way" is about wisdom in action.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #31656 in Books
• Published on: 2000-09-14
• Original language: Mandarin Chinese
• Binding: Paperback
• 118 pages

Customer Reviews

This is not a translation, but a personal interpretation.
This is not a translation so much as a series of musings based on Paul Carus's literal version and the translations of others. Stephen Mitchell lacks the clarity and perceptiveness of Arthur Waley, the simple elegance of Jane English and Gia-Fu Feng, the scholasticism of D C Lau, and the current relevance of Robert Henricks. His main innovation is in attempting to resolve the 'male bias' he perceives in Lao Tzu by using such techniques as "The Master can keep giving because there is no end to her wealth" (ch 77). However Ursula Le Guin handles the gender issue far more successfully in keeping to the spirit of the original Chinese character by making the central figure neither male nor female (rather than alternating between the two). Although Stephen Mitchell draws heavily on his experience of various religions (he has written books on both Buddhism and the Old Testament), his commentaries fall far short of Lao Tzu's own sparkling humorous 'sharp but not cutting' observations on the eternal Way which can not be talked about.

The translation making most sence out of Tao Te Ching
After having read about sixteen diferent tranlations of this book, this is without a doubt the best translation. It has to have been made with alot of thought given to the time it was originaly writen as well as what it is actualy portraying. The gender roles have been shaken around so that not only men but also women are part of it and it is trouly anti-authorian.

An accessible book
I have read one other translation of this book (the name escapes me) and found this one to be very accessible in comparison. I am not interested in scholarly comparisons, but to me the feeling of what The Tao is about came across very strongly in this book, to the extent that I don't feel the urge to read a different translation.