The Tao Te Ching (Dao De Jing)

Book excerpt: For twenty years, Gordon J. Van De Water has collected editions of the world classic the Tao Te Ching and pondered this ancient, yet still vibrant Chinese text of wisdom literature. Written in the sixth century before the Common Era and ascribed to Lao Tzu, a venerable sage, it offers a guide to life based on adherence to the Tao or Mother Nature, those forces and powers that govern and shape both the world and human nature. Its eighty-one verses repeatedly emphasize seeking harmony through simplicity, the rejection of the trappings of material wealth and the arrogance of power, and identification with the great underlying forces of the universe. Many of the verses also offer practical wisdom for those in leadership positions. So fascinating has been the compressed wisdom of the Tao Te Ching that it has been translated into many languages more often than any other book except the Bible. Van De Water has sought to strike to the heart of this highly compressed and often enigmatic text by creating a plain English version that highlights the continuing relevance of the Tao Te Ching for our complex and oft troubled times. His interpretation also includes an introduction, selected translations and interpretations in English by pioneering scholars, and an extensive bibliography of translations and interpretations in English.