An introductory guide to the Dao de Jing, exploring key themes and passages in this key work of Daoist thought.

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

Written by a leading authority on Chinese philosophy, Decoding Dao uniquely focuses on the core texts in Daoist philosophy, providing readers with a user-friendly introduction that unravels the complexities of these seminal volumes. Offers a detailed introduction to the core texts in Daoist philosophy, the Dao De Jing and the Zhuangzi, two of the most widely read – and most challenging – texts in China’s long literary history Covers the three main ways the texts can be read: as religious, mystical, and philosophical works Explores their historical context, origins, authorship, and the reasons these seminal texts came into being, along with the key terms and approaches they take Examines the core philosophical arguments made in the texts, as well as the many ways in which they have been interpreted, both in China itself and in the West Provides readers with an unrivalled insight into the multifaceted philosophy of Daoism – and the principles underlying much of Chinese culture – informed by the very latest academic scholarship

Presenting the commentary of the third-century sage Wang Bi, this book provides a Chinese way of reading the Daodejing, one which will surprise Western readers.

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

For over 2,500 years, Lao Tzu's philosophy of Dao has helped hundreds of millions of people to attain equanimity and sustain serenity. In The Power of Dao, Lou Marinoff shows how Dao, or "the Way," can serve as a potent remedy to the stress, anxiety, and daily challenges of living in our wildly unpredictable and constantly changing world. The Power of Dao illuminates the central teachings of Lao Tzu, applying them to everyday matters facing us all in the areas of health and well-being, love and marriage, creativity and career, personal achievement and purpose. Every chapter is replete with illustrative case studies, revealing how emperors, artists, athletes, and ordinary citizens alike have accessed the power of Dao. Daoist wisdom can restore balance in precarious human relationships, promote calm when coping with illness and mortality, and empower us to be better citizens and wiser leaders. Harmonizing nature and nurture, Dao teaches us to attain our true potential, and avoid envy, greed, and anger. Beyond transforming individual lives, Dao holds out the promise of a new golden age of prosperity, peace, and cultural advancement. Americans among other Westerners have sustained growing mainstream fascination with Dao (and its sister philosophy, Buddhism) for several decades, embracing the Way not only for its inherent beauty and power, but also as a spiritual remedy for culturally-induced epidemics that are sweeping Western and Westernized cultures. Increasingly today, Westerners are turning to holistic practices that originated in China as outgrowths of Daoism: qigong, tai chi, meditation, feng shui, acupuncture, and herbal medicine, among others. The Power of Dao is a quintessential guide to personal happiness, social harmony, economic prosperity, and political balance. As enthusiastic endorsers and Amazon reviewers attest, The Power of Dao is a refreshing and timely book, written for a mainstream American audience by an ideal author and respected teacher. True to the book's subtitle-A Timeless Guide to Happiness and Harmony-it's an inexhaustible treasure of Daoist wisdom for every conceivable challenge and tribulation of daily life.

What Is Taoism? traces, in nontechnical language, the history of the development of this often baffling doctrine. Creel shows that there has not been one "Taoism," but at least three, in some respects incompatible and often antagonistic. In eight closely related papers, Creel explicates the widely used concepts he originally introduced of "contemplative Taoism," "purposive Taoism," and "Hsien Taoism." He also discusses Shen Pu-hai, a political philosopher of the fourth century B.C.; the curious interplay between Confucianism, Taoism, and "Legalism" in the second century B.C.; and the role of the horse in Chinese history.