Lao-tzu, whose name means "Old Master," was a contemporary of
Confucius in the sixth century B.C.E. and the founder of the
philosophical tradition of Taoism.
John Minford (editor/translator) is the translator of the Viking
Penguin edition of the I Ching, for which he won the Australian
Academy of the Humanities Medal for Excellence in Translation, as
well as the acclaimed Viking Penguin edition of The Art of War. He
is an emeritus professor of Chinese at the Australian National
University.
“A lucid translation [by] one of the most famous translators of
Chinese into English.” —The New York Review of Books
“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.” —Booklist, starred
review
“A wonderful translation—clear and deep.” —Vikram Seth
“My first reaction as a Sinologist to a new translation of the Tao
Te Ching is always: ‘Another one?! Whatever for?’ But then I began
to read John Minford’s translation, and it immediately seduced me.
. . . It 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
“A wonder and a delight. The simplicity and purity of this
translation resonate directly with the original. It conveys the
innermost essence of Chinese culture, drawing the reader deep into
its enchantment and wisdom. Every word is charged with effortless
energy—a radiant union of form and spirit.” —Tang Yuen-ha, Chinese
opera artist
“Meditative reading, known as lectio divina, is a Benedictine
tradition going back a millennium and a half. John Minford, using
the term lectio Sinica, has creatively suggested such an approach
as an essential way to read the Tao Te Ching.” —Nicholas Koss,
Order of Saint Benedict
“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. Minford wisely avoids providing one
authoritative voice, instead introducing a rich tapestry of
historical resonances that induce a meditative experience, as if
harmonizing with an ensemble singing an ancient song.” —Yue Zhuang,
University of Exeter
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