Lao Tzu: Te-Tao Ching - A New Translation Based on the Recently Discovered Ma-wang-tui Texts (Classics of Ancient China)

Great additional perspective on a work I already love. The evolutions of the text discussed here are very informative, and the commentary is readable and clear. Great edition for anyone with a deep interest and curiosity about the work.

I originally became aquainted with this book in the 90's, it is not a hard or laborious read, this has to be one of the greatest peices of literature in existence, not neccesarly this edition, but this book itself, this edition is good as well, was the first edition of this book I read, which is why I wanted this edition again. all study and worship of truth is the same.

This philosophical classic is one of the most important books ever compiled. Comparing more than 30 translations of it line by line, character by character, I almost invariably settle upon Henrick's translation as the authoritative one. Usually by a very wide margin. Respectful, insightful and disciplined, you will not find a translation that more fairly serves the great classic and its fragile message.

This book is excellent especially for scholarly purposes. Though the translation as well as the introduction and general notes are excellent, the general reader may end up skipping "Part II," which contains detailed commentary on the Ma-wang-tui (MWT) texts as well as the Chinese transcript, and which accounts for the bulk of the book. What is, perhaps, slightly disappointing (not the fault of the translator or the publisher, but still), is that the MWT adds rather little in terms of contents, though it helps clarify some tricky passages. The MWT provides us a valuable terminus ante quem for the (more or less) received version; in terms of novel insights on content and its interpretation, it is too close to the standard versions to be very meaningful for anyone other than an expert on this textual tradition

This is flat out the very best translation of Lao Tzu that I have ever read. The translations are more clear, more precice than anything else I've seen. Forget fancy pictures. The words speak volumes for themselves. If you only get 1 copy of Lao Tzu, make it the ROBERT HENRICKS translation. You will not be disappointed.

sold to me as a used book, but it arrived looking brand new. The book itself is the most phenomenal look into the past, present and future I have ever been gifted to gaze.

There is no translation of chapter 40. The book goes from chapter 39 on pg.8 to chapter 41 on pg.9 in the English translation. The Chinese chapter 40 is on pg. 105 with notes in English on pg.104.

An excellent edition of the most recent discovery of an older version of Tao Te Ching, ideal for all interested in Taoism and technical issues of translation.

I cant speak for accuracy, but this translation shed light on a few verses that were confusing me.

Henricks' translation is straightforward and scholarly. It is largely clear and literal with the onus on being faithful to the Ma-wang texts. He does not indulge in poetic conceits in English, which I am glad of. Also, unlike some other transations of Lao Tzu, one does not get the impression that the translator is in any way trying to push his own philosophical agenda. Henricks provides copious notes on passages where the interpretation is disputable. All in all, I think he does a very good job, and his commentry is invaluable when reading the translation in conjuction with the Chinese. Both of the Ma-wang texts are reproduced in this book, rendered into legible (if a little small) regular script. However, neither of these are complete; Henricks clearly consulted later, 'received' texts of the classic in order to fill in the many gaps, but you will not find these in the book. Given the large amount of white space lying fallow on all the pages with Chinese text, I think it's a pity that he did not include a standard version of the text for convenient comparison; particularly considering the numerous references in the notes to how the Ma-wang texts differ from it. Henricks also divides the (originally undifferentiated) Ma-wang texts in the eighty-one chapters corresponding with the later versions. Clearly, the notion that the reader will want to compare the two could not have been far from his mind. Reference to Chinese words in English sections of the book is done without tone markings/numbers or parenthesised characters, which irks me. All romanisation is in Wade-Giles, which might well irk people who prefer pinyin. Had he included characters then following up many of his references would have been made considerably easier. Aside from these minor matters concerning the contents of this book, I feel I must deduct a star or two on account of the physical quality of the paperback edition. Unfortunately it is rather poor. The pages are very thin and the binding is flimsy. It is one of those books that will start looking tatty very quickly if used a lot. I have a hardback copy of Sun Tzu's Art of Warfare from the same 'Classics of Ancient China' series, however, and it is solid, well-bound and of excellent quality. With this being the case, I would urge readers to pay a little more for the hardback version of this title.

If you want an analysis of the Dao, this one's for you. I couldn't get into it.