Tao Te Ching

Lao Tzu is traditionally regarded as the author of the Tao Te Ching, and is said to be a contemporary of Confucius (551-479 BC).

Fundamental to Chinese philosophy and religion, the Tao Te Ching is a simple guidebook for virtue, encouraging peace, understanding and humility. Ranging from political advice to common wisdom, it has also served as an inspiration to artists across the ages and throughout the world. 
 
Throughout history, some books have changed the world. They have transformed the way we see ourselves - and each other. They have inspired debate, dissent, war and revolution. They have enlightened, outraged, provoked and comforted. They have enriched lives - and destroyed them. Now Penguin brings you the works of the great thinkers, pioneers, radicals and visionaries whose ideas shook civilization and helped make us who we are.

'Have little thought of self and as few desires as possible' 
 
Whether or not Lao Tzu was a historical figure is uncertain, but the wisdom gathered under his name in the fourth century BC is central to the understanding and practice of Taoism. One of the three great religions of China, Taoism is based upon a concept of the Tao, or Way, as the universal power through which all life flows. The Tao Te Ching offers a practical model by which both the individual and society can embody this belief, encouraging modesty and self-restraint as the true path to a harmonious and balanced existence. 
 
Translated with an Introduction by D. C. Lau

Lao Tzu is a Chinese philosopher and founder of the Taoist religion in China. His name means 'Old Master'. He worked as a librarian at the court of Chou. When the kingdom showed signs of decay, Lao Tzu left and was never heard of again. Tao Te Chingis said to be his the principles of his philosophy. 
D. C. Lau read Chinese at the University of Hong Kong and in 1946 he went to Glasgow where he read philosophy.

Traditionally attributed to Lao Tzu, an older contemporary of Confucius (551 - 479 BC), it is now thought that the work was compiled in about the fourth century BC. An anthology of wise sayings, it offers a model by which the individual can live rather than explaining the human place in the universe. The moral code it encourages is based on modesty and self-restraint, and the rewards reaped for such a life are harmony and flow of life.

Lao Tzu

John Minford

A lucid translation by one of the most famous translators of Chinese into English

Ancient wisdom for those facing twenty-first-century perplexities . . . Minford writes for ordinary people seeking guidance in everyday life . . . In simple but resonantly phrased language, he somehow does unfold the Tao's message

Elegant and poetic, John Minford's translation of the Tao Te Ching probably comes the closest of any to the essence of the mystical, ineffable Taoist classic

John Minford's translation . . . has the mark of the craftsman: its choice of words is not just judicious but also poetic, refreshing the at once limpid and ambiguous original and making it new. The result is a metaphysical feast for those willing to slow down and read this text as it was meant to be read: meditatively

John Lagerwey, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

The most translated book in the world after the Bible, the Tao Te Ching, or 'Book of the Way', is the essential text of Taoism, one of the three great religions of China. Through aphorisms and parable, it guides its readers toward the Tao, or the 'Way': living in harmony with the life force of the universe. Traditionally attributed to Lao Tzu, a Chinese philosopher who was a contemporary of Confucius, it offers a practical model for living based on modesty, self-restraint and balance and is an insightful guide for anyone seeking to open their minds, free their thoughts, and attain greater self-awareness. 
 
John Minford's celebrated translation emphasises the calm, meditative quality of the Tao Te Ching, as well as its use as a guide to everyday living. This edition is accompanied by illuminating commentary and interpretation, as well as beautifully illustrated Chinese characters.

Lao Tzu

Praise for Tao Te Ching

A lucid translation by one of the most famous translators of Chinese into English

Ancient wisdom for those facing twenty-first-century perplexities . . . Minford writes for ordinary people seeking guidance in everyday life . . . In simple but resonantly phrased language, he somehow does unfold th ...

A wonderful translation - clear and deep

A lucid translation by one of the most famous translators of Chinese into English

Ancient wisdom for those facing twenty-first-century perplexities . . . Minford writes for ordinary people seeking guidance in everyday life . . . In simple but resonantly phrased language, he somehow does unfold th ...

A wonderful translation - clear and deep

A lucid translation by one of the most famous translators of Chinese into English

Ancient wisdom for those facing twenty-first-century perplexities . . . Minford writes for ordinary people seeking guidance in everyday life . . . In simple but resonantly phrased language, he somehow does unfold th ...

A wonderful translation - clear and deep

Books by Lao Tzu

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