Tao Te Ching
"Within ancient Chinese, a sole character possesses a broad, and sometimes contradictory, range of meanings. Moreover, the Tao Te Ching is rife with terms and expressions that have no exact counterpart in English. So while the Tao Te Ching ranks behind only the Bible as the most widely translated book in the world, it remains one of the least understood.". "Jonathan Star's Tao Te Ching: The Definitive Edition helps remedy this situation. The distinction of this new edition is that it supplies readers with the first comprehensive verbatim translation, which can be used to explore the multiple meanings contained in the Chinese characters. This unique tool gives readers direct access to the text and a way to understand the different interpretations put forth by modern-day translators. Perhaps most important, the verbatim translation gives each reader the ability to penetrate the inner meaning of the text and come up with his or her own personal interpretation."--BOOK JACKET.
Themes & atmosphere
What you might want to know about Tao Te Ching
The questions readers send us most often, answered without spoilers.
Attributed to the sixth-century BCE Chinese sage Lao Tzu, this short classic of 81 brief chapters lays out the philosophy of the Tao, the Way, with verses on water, governance, and the strength of yielding.
Yes. The Tao Te Ching is attributed to Laozi and dates to roughly the 6th to 4th century BC. It is in the public domain in all jurisdictions. Modern translations remain copyrighted.
Stephen Mitchell's 1988 translation is widely accessible for general readers. Ursula K. Le Guin's 1997 rendering is also recommended for its lyrical quality. Academic readers often prefer D.C. Lau or Roger Ames.
Tao Te Ching was written by 老子, published in 1842 by CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.
Tao Te Ching is 84 pages in standard print editions, though page counts vary slightly between hardcover, paperback, and large-print formats.
At an average reading pace of about 250 words per minute, Tao Te Ching takes most readers 1 to 2 hours to finish.
Tao Te Ching is a standalone novel by 老子, not part of a series.
Tao Te Ching is available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats from Amazon, Bookshop.org, ThriftBooks, and most major bookstores.