The Tao Te Ching is the foundational text of Taoism. Traditionally considered the work of the 'Old Master', Lao Tzu, a senior contemporary of Confucius, this 2500 years old text is a poetic and supremely concise formulation of some of humanity's highest wisdom. Revered as a basic book of spiritual guidance throughout Chinese history, it has become a beloved inspirational work in the West. The present work is meant to help the Western reader to penetrate the depth and subtlety of Lao Tzu's wisdom without requiring a knowledge of the Chinese language. Readers are offered a choice between various interpretations and are guided in non-technical terms to explore how they originate. More importantly, they are also offered the possibility to hold all the various resonances of the text simultaneously, just as a Chinese reader would, and thus access the original wealth of meaning in a way no ordinary translation could convey.

The definitive guide to understanding Taoism—no matter your background or faith Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching is the second most translated book in the world, and the practice of religious Taoism is on the rise in China, where adherents currently number in the hundreds of millions. Yet there remains a remarkable lack of reliable information about Taoism for curious westerners. Taoism For Dummies provides comprehensive coverage of Taoism's origins in China's Chou Dynasty, its underlying quietist principles, its emergence as a major religion, various interpretation of its core texts, including both Eastern and Western interpretations, key Taoist concepts, and much more. It also provides a fascinating glimpse of Taoism in contemporary China. The ideal guide for readers interested in this influential religion, as well as those taking an introductory course on Taoism or Chinese Religion A valuable source of insight for those with an interest in modern Chinese culture and beliefs

"Ursula K. Le Guin, a student of the Tao Te Ching for more than fifty years, offers her own thoughtful rendering of the Taoist scripture. She has consulted the literal translations and worked with the scholar J. P. Seaton to develop a version that lets the ancient text speak in a fresh way to modern people, while remaining faithful to the original Chinese. This rendition reveals the Tao Te Ching's immediate relevance and power, its depth and refreshing humor, illustrating better than ever before why it has been so loved for more than 2,500 years. Included are Le Guin's own personal commentary and notes along with two audio CDs of the text read by the author, with original music composed and performed by Todd Barton."--Publisher's website.

A contemporary graphic novel adaptation of a spiritual classic. This graphic-novel version of the Tao Te Ching—the poetic classic that is the philosophical and religious basis of Taoism—brings the teachings into a modern light in a completely fresh and unique way. Each of the 81 poem-passages of the Tao Te Ching is reinterpreted by award-winning graphic novel writer Sean Michael Wilson and brought to life by the artful illustrations of Hong Kong artist Cary Kwok, who sets the text in various contemporary scenes to bring out the modern relevance.

A leading scholar feng shui master presents the great depth and diversity of Taoist philosophy, practices, and history in this accessible manual to the oft-misunderstood spiritual tradition. Millions of readers have come to the philosophy of Taoism thanks to the classics Tao Te Ching and the I Ching, or through the practices of t'ai chi and feng-shui, but the Tao is less known for its unique traditions of meditation, physical training, magical practice, and internal alchemy. Eva Wong, a leading Taoist practitioner and translator, provides a solid introduction to the Way. All of Taoism’s most important texts, figures, and events are covered, as well as its extraordinarily rich history and remarkable variety of practice. Sections include: • The History of Taoism traces the development of the tradition from the shamans of prehistoric China through the classical period (including the teachings of the famous sage Lao-tzu), the beginnings of Taoism as a religion, the rise of mystical and alchemical Taoism, and the synthesis of Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism. • Systems of Taoism explores magical sects, divination practices, devotional ceremonies, internal alchemy, and the way of right action. • Taoist Practices discusses meditation, techniques of cultivating the body, and rites of purification, ceremony, and talismanic magic. This roadmap to the spiritual landscape of Taoism not only introduces the important events in the history of Taoism, the sages who wrote the Taoist texts, and the various schools of Taoist thinking, but also gives readers a feel for what it means to practice Taoism today. A comprehensive bibliography for further study completes this valuable reference work.

Explores the teachings of Lao Tzu, the philosopher believed to be the inspiring force behind the seminal Taoist work, through a collection of eighty-one inspirational passages that speak to the balance of earth and heaven.

Tao Te Ching is the 2,500 years old source to Taoism, written by the legendary Taoist philosopher Lao Tzu. In 81 short chapters, he presented the world according to Tao, the Way, and how mankind should adapt to it. The book has become one of the foremost world classics of wisdom - maybe even more relevant today, than it was to Lao Tzu's contemporaries. This translation of the text focuses on the clarity and simplicity by which Lao Tzu expresses his fascinating cosmology and profound ethics. Each chapter is thoroughly explained, also regarding how this old wisdom can be understood and applied today. Stefan Stenudd is a Swedish writer of both fiction and non-fiction. As a historian of ideas, he studies the thought patterns in creation myths around the world. He is also a high-grade instructor of the peaceful martial art aikido, which he has practiced for almost 40 years.

'Of ways you may speak, but not the Perennial Way; By names you may name, but not the Perennial Name.' The best-loved of all the classical books of China and the most universally popular, the Daodejing or Classic of the Way and Life-Force is a work that defies definition. It encapsulates the main tenets of Daoism, and upholds a way of being as well as a philosophy and a religion. The dominant image is of the Way, the mysterious path through the whole cosmos modelled on the great Silver River or Milky Way that traverses the heavens. A life-giving stream, the Way gives rise to all things and holds them in her motherly embrace. It enables the individual, and society as a whole, to harmonize the disparate demands of daily life and achieve a more profound level of understanding. This new translation draws on the latest archaeological finds and brings out the word play and poetry of the original. Simple commentary accompanies the text, and the introduction provides further historical and interpretative context. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.