Product Description

A new, landmark translation ofone of the most popular works of world literture, this edition of the Tao Te Ching is based on the newly discovered Ma-wang-tui manuscripts. Illustrated ith ten woodcuts.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #168503 in Books
• Published on: 1990-09-01
• Released on: 1990-09-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 192 pages

Language Notes
Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Chinese

Customer Reviews

The Way to Do It
Dr. Mair does an excellent job again. Despite or because of his academic perspective, he treats the Tao Te Ching with great respect not only as a work of literature or of wisdom, but of the spirit.

Not only do his academic insights open up a great deal of the spirit of the text itself, they offer new understanding of other traditions/paths and spirituality in general.

The woodcuts, the fonts used and the size of the book add to its readability and preciousness. This is my fourth version of the Tao and, to date, my favorite.

(I also recommend Dr. Mair's "Chang-Tzu.")

The Most Poetic Translation of the Tao Te Ching Around
I have read several other versions and this one is by far the best in terms of its poetry. Also, interestingly, the two books, Tao and Te are in reverse order to most other translations, which this translator believes to be more authentic.

I enjoy this throughly.
Over the course of the last 15 years or so I've seen maybe six English translations of the Tao Te Ching, including those of Red Pine and Henricks. I'm not qualified to speak to the accuracy of Mair's effort, but I have found it to be far and away the most poetic and powerful that I've encountered. This truely sings in places, as Mair attempts (so he says) to impart not only the meaning of each verse, but its approximate effect as well.

However, Mair is not shy (nor is he intrusive) when it comes to pointing out awkward and impenetrable language or derivative notions wherever he believes he encounters them. I find this kind of frankness instructive and refreshing. It led me to a greater appreciation for the rich historical context of both the text and the ideas that it conveys.