Tao Te Ching Livres

Discover 4 seminal masterworks of Chinese thought—Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching, the Analects of Confucius, the Chuang Tzu, and the Mencius—presented in one volume for the first time in nearly 2 centuries. Award-winning translator David Hinton offers fresh insights on the most influential texts on Taoism, Zen Buddhism, Chinese philosophy, and more. Hinton’s award–winning experience translating a wide range of ancient Chinese poets makes these books sing in English as never before. But these new versions are not only inviting and immensely readable—they also apply much-needed consistency to key philosophical terms in these texts, lending structural links and philosophical rigor heretofore unavailable in English. Breathing new life into these classics, Hinton’s new translations will stand as the definitive texts for our era. Perhaps the most broadly influential spiritual text in human history, Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching is the source of Taoist philosophy, which eventually developed into Ch’an (Zen) Buddhism. Equally influential in the social sphere, Confucius’ Analects is the source of social wisdom in China. The Chuang Tzu is the wild and wacky prose complement to the Tao Te Ching. And with its philosophical storytelling, the Mencius adds depth and complexity to Confucius’ vision.

The Path of Virtue: The Illustrated Tao Te Ching presents the classic Chinese text, as translated by James Legge, alongside elegant drawings, paintings, and sculptures from the extensive collections of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Composed in the 6th century bc by Lao Tzu, a sage and recordkeeper in the Zhou court, the Tao Te Ching was originally the basis of Taoist philosophy, later adopted by Chinese Buddhists as a complement to their basic religious tenets. It is now referred to as a handbook for political and business strategy, as well as a practical guide for daily life. Legge's rendering, one of the most poetic translations in English, is accompanied by artwork with Taoist themes and bound in a three-piece case with gilding and a ribbon--truly a volume to be contemplated and admired.