The Way of Lao Tzu

No one can understand China or be an intelligent citizen of the world without some knowledge of the Lao Tzu, also called the Tao-te ching (The Classic of the Way and Its Virtue), for it has modified Chinese life and thought throughout history and has become an integral part of world literature. Therefore any new light on it, however little, should prove to be helpful.There have been many translations of this little classic, some of them excellent. Most translators have treated it as an isolated document. Many have taken it as religious literature. A few have related it to ancient Chinese philosophy. But none has viewed it in the light of the entire history of Chinese thought. Furthermore, no translator has consulted extensively the many commentaries regarding the text, much less the thought. Finally, no translator has written a complete commentary from the perspective of the total history of Chinese philosophy. Besides, a comprehensive and critical account of the recent debates on Lao Tzu the man and Lao Tzu the book is long overdue. The present work is a humble attempt to fill these gaps.This 1963 work is organized as follows:I. The Philosophy of Tao1. Historical Background and the Taoist Reaction2. The Meaning of Tao3. The Emphasis on Man and Virtue4. Weakness and Simplicity5. Unorthodox Techniques6. Lao Tzu and Confucius Compared7. Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu Compared8. Influences on Neo-Taoism, Buddhism, and Neo-Confucianism9. The Taoist Religion10. Taoism in Chinese LifeII. Lao Tzu, the Man1. Traditional Accounts2. Lao Tzu’s Birthplace and Names3. Lao Tzu’s Occupation4. Confucius’ visit to Lao Tzu5. Lao Lai Tzu and Lao P’eng6. The Grand Historian7. Summary and ConclusionIII. Lao Tzu, the Book1. Reactions Against Tradition2. Arguments About Contemporary References3. Arguments About Style4. Arguments About Terminology5. Arguments About Ideas7. Titles and Structure8. Commentaries9. TranslationsThe Lao Tzu (Tao-te ching) Read more