The Essential Tao: An Initiation into the Heart of Taoism through the Authentic Tao Te Ching and the Inner Teachings of Chuang Tzu

English (translation)Original Chinese

This is a useful introduction to Taoism which incorporates the two major books on Chinese philosophy, Chuang Tzu and Tao Te Ching . The section on Chuang Tzu's teachings and the notes on the historical background of Taoism are excellent. However, in the translation of the Tao Te Ching , Cleary incorporates many words like passionless , inexhaustible , trustworthiness , frugality , uncontrived , presuming , domineering , etc. Simpler terms, as in Witter Bynner's rendering ( The Way of Life According to Lao Tzu , Putnam, 1989) or Jane English's translation ( Tao Te Ching , Random, 1989), seem to more clearly communicate the essence of this intuitive philosophy. However, this translation is still better than most available versions. This, with the combination of the two texts in one volume, makes Cleary's edition a desirable book for large collections. Notes on individual lines of text are included.
- Del Cain, V.A. Medical Ctr. Lib., Bedford, Mass.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.