A Book about the Way and the Power of the Way - Tao Te Ching

I've read several translations of Tao Te Ching. This is my least favorite. Ursula LeGuin is one of my favorite authors. I love her stories, so I thought she would bring the same flair to this ancient text. Not in my opinion. I hardly recognize some of my favorite stanzas. I've basically stopped reading it.

Ursula Le Guin's first edition of this book published in 1997 is much better and true-er to the great and magical classic
Tao Te Ching, attributed to Lao Tzu. This "blue" version has poorly printed text and the most offensive noisy flute CD's disrupting Le Guin's spoken words. I could not even listen to the complete first poem on the CD, and repacked it all immediately for return to the store (which is fortunately an easy no fuss process), and found an "as new" previously owned version of the 1997 book, which is divine... Now I am happily taoing...

Definitely not for the casual reader and Le Guin's "helpful" notes at the bottom are really not that helpful.

I also find some of Lao Tzu's suggestions, especially for wise leadership, to be unrealistic, at least for modern society.

*Review re-posted from goodreads.com

I bought this book believing it was a translation by a famed science fiction author. The description on the store says so, the book cover repeats the word "translation" twice.

On page 107, near the end of the book, Le Guin admits it is not: "This is a rendition, not a translation. -- I do not know any Chinese. --" (emphasis mine)

She engaged to make the classic work more poetic and less male. It is a legitimate question how much of the resulting work is Lao Tse (the original author) and what percent is Le Guin. Adapting or reworking another's work to fit one's own preconceptions seems dangerous move, especially when one continues to claim the original author wrote the book. I am not scholar enough to be able to judge how well she succeeded (or, to rephrase, how much she damaged the classic. I shudder to think of someone "rendering" "Huckleberry Finn.")

A comparison of the first line may be instructive:

Lao Tse (in a real translation): The Tao which can be named is not the eternal Tao.

Le Guin: The way you can go isn't the real way.

I bought the book on the premise a well-loved author surprisingly was conversant in Chinese and had done a new translation of this ancient wisdom. I felt deceived when I discovered this was not so. To the extent the late author permitted her effort to be marketed misleadingly, my respect for her is reduced.

(Note: I have encountered this translation several years ago. For some reasons I started reading it again recently, and couldn't get it out of my mind. The comments below only intended as a recommendation for Ursula Le Guin's translation and nothing else. The original review was posted on Google Books, April 24, 2009; I revised a little as I repost it here.)

Tao Te Ching is perhaps the greatest philosophy text produced by the Chinese culture, past or present. It elevates the human thinking on consciousness and its ideal to such height, that few other philosophical or religious texts can match its brilliance.

I have wanted to share this cultural treasure with my English speaking friends for a long time, but was frustrated by the clumsiness or illegibility of the many translations I have found. There are so many versions of the translation out there but very few good ones. This frustration has finally been ameliorated by Ursula Le Guin's new translation.

I want to make it clear that I am Chinese and can read the ancient text in its original language. I'm also familiar with the Guodian version discovered in 1993 and the Mawangdui version discovered in 1973. In other words, I know the core material pretty well and can judge the merit of the many translations by comparing them to the source.

Being a poet and an excellent writer, Ursula Le Guin brings forth the lyrical feelings of the original text. Her translation is perhaps the most beautiful written and the most poetic translation among all available versions. In addition to that virtue, Le Guin's translation is faithful to the SPIRIT of the original text. Rather than obscuring the meaning by translating a word or a phrase into its most commonly agreed upon scholarly interpretation, Ursula Le Guin is able to convey clarity, and suggest the many layers of meaning behind a segment.

Over the years, I have pondered and puzzled over the meaning of Tao Te Ching. Like all good philosophical text, the meaning of Tao Te Ching changes for me over the years as I grow older and have more understanding about our world and the human conditions. Ursula Le Guin has studied the text since her childhood (see her introduction), and is also able to add her own insight into the interpretation of the text, and makes it meaningful to contemporary readers. It is not meant as a scholarly work, but rather as a powerful advocate for Lao Tzu's central messages.

Her translation reads like a lifelong conversation with Lao Tzu. I am pleased to finally have an intelligent and compassionate guide to this ancient classic. I want to recommend this translation to readers of all levels, who want to have an enjoyable experience reading one of the greatest classics of all ages. I also recommend this book to all Chinese readers who are looking for a faithful and eloquent English translation to their families and friends, especially to their children (or adult children.)

This book is a wonderful way to introduce a classic to any English readers.

Like other reviewers, I have read some translations of the Tao Te
Ching (Daodejing) and looked at many others. Like Mrs. Le Guin points
out in her note at the end of the book, I also believe that the one by
Gia-Fu Feng and Jane English is the most satisfactory in a literary
sense. However, sometimes it lacks the simplicity and immediacy which
this rendition gives to Lao Tzu's "very easy to understand"
words. Also, Mrs. Le Guin stayed with me throughout the book, and what
she had to say amounted to a fantastic commentary to the wisdom of the
Tao. Take for example Chapter 11 in page 14. At the bottom is a note
that says: "One of the things I love about Lao Tzu is he is so
funny. He's explaining a profound and difficult truth here, ....[and]
goes about it with this deadpan simplicity, talking about pots."
This kind of comment conveys, in my opinion, exactly the essence of
Taoism as predicated by Lao Tzu. There's nothing complicated, nothing
intrincate about Taoist wisdom. And Mrs. LeGuin sticks to this
(taoist) simplicity throughout the book. Being a translator myself, I
dare say that some of Lao Tzu's translators became obsessed with
"extracting" deep meaning from the Tao Te Ching, trying to
retain the tone, now looking for complicated words to convey
"exact" meaning, now glossing over a passage, losing the
reader along the way. As Mrs. LeGuin points out in the introduction to
this book "Scholarly translations of the Tao Te Ching as a manual
for rulers use a vocabulary that emphasizes the uniqueness of the
Taoist "sage", his masculinity, his authority." The
result is dry, unsatisfactory, nihilistic, detached. This rendition
is, like Ursula Le Guin says of the original, "...the purest
water....the deepest spring". I daresay that if Lao Tzu could
read all the modern English versions of his work, he would enjoy
Ursula LeGuin's the most, laughing heartily at every page. There is no
way that someone who reads this version will not want to re-read it,
or fail to come out of the reading with a new perspective on life, one
that recognizes the simplicity, unity, and changeable nature of
everything. Thank you, Ursula Le Guin, for rendering Taoism for the
modern Western rader. This book is my bedside companion, I have given
it to everyone I love, and recommend it to anyone who has ever
wondered about Taoism, and to all other translators, not for its exact
use of English equivalents for Chinese words, but for the perfect way
in which the idea behind the words has been committed to
paper. "...I was lucky to discover [Lao Tzu] so young, so that I
could live with his book my whole life long" says Ursula LeGuin
in her introduction. I think I was very lucky to read her version,
which has helped me see the beauty, the magic, the simplicity, the
Tao.

There are many 'translations' of Lao Tsu's words. Which is the best? Perhaps it is not measured by the literal accuracy of the translation, or the poetic artestry of the word, but by it's ability to help the reader gain the perspective that Lao Tsu envisioned as the Tao. A translation that works for one, may not yield the same result for another.
Le Guin's rendition of Lao Tzu's 'Tao te Ching' was, for me, a good addition to my understanding. I have many copies. I almost always compare one with another when I sit down to think. Some 'translations' are better than others for different passages, or moods. With more than 15 years of experience in Asian cultures, primarily Japanese, and many years of contemplating Lao Tzu's writings, I recognize that some translations rely more heavily on a broader asian perspective than others. What seems natural or obvious to one steeped in asian culture may be contradictory or even 'silly' to a westerner This doesn't mean the message is wrong, but that the wording is not suited for that reader. One interpretation alone was insufficient to help me comprehend the simple nature of the Tao.
Once I began to see my world from within the understanding of the Tao, rather than see the Tao from the outside through others' words, I found a new enjoyment in seeing how others perceive the Tao. This is why I enjoyed Ursula K. Le Guin's approach immensely. Clearly, Ms. Le Guin feels the awe and wonder of the simple way, as I am beginning to enjoy it.
Hers is not as literal or as historically steeped as some, and not as contemporary as others (Stephen Mitchell). Not a hard-hitting philosophical analysis (Wing-Tsit Chan), nor an obscure or remote work [Asian feeling] (Gai-Fu Fen/Jane English). Her words invited me to enjoy the comprehension of the simplicity of it all.
Her approach was natural, simple, straightforward. In her fresh wording, I saw an elegence in the principles, a form of beauty. Her words reminded me of how I felt when I began to understand.
Thank you, Ms. Le Guin, for your contribution to my enjoyment of the Tao.

This is an excellent work, particularly for Westerners. It gives
a peek into the unpretentious ways of the early Chinese thinkers.
It begins with a discussion of the uncomplicated life of
Confucious. His version of Tao was that it was the way of the
ancients. He stressed filiel piety and practiced what he
preached. His lasting discovery was a testament to the moral
nature of man/people. He provides a simple explanation of
the famous yin/yang theories. Yin stands for darkness, cold, negativeness, weakness etc. Yang stands for light, heat,
strength and positiveness. The first rule of mysticism is to
disregard your own personality.
"The secret was for the insight
Of eyes unclouded by longing;
Those who are bound by desire
See only the outward container".
Put another way, they don't see or appreciate the inside of
the container. The work seeks to have man one with nature.
This concept is the most elusive. The work is a treasure-chest
of advice from famous Chinese philosophers. It is highly
recommended for students of China and Eastern thought.
The author is critical of too much power and the pursuit of
material things and their accoutrements.
"To take all you want
Is never as good
As to stop when you should.
Scheme and be sharp
And you'll not keep it long.
One never can guard
His home when it's full
Of jade and fine gold:
Wealth,power and pride
Bequeath their own doom.
When fame and success
Come to you, then retire.
This is the ordained Way."
Need I say more!

The most beautiful and powerful translation of the Tao I've ever read.

I think I've gifted this book at least a half dozen times. I'll be reading it the rest of my life.

Thank you, Ursula K. Le Guin.

You can read my full review on the paperback version.

As I said there, I am Chinese and I can actually read the original text, and I recommend this translation over all the others.

I have my Kindle since the first reader came out... how many years ago, and it's fine to read throw away novels, or to keep something for constant reference. This book falls into the second category. I love this translation, and would want to keep it near and dear to me.

Highly recommended!

Ursula K. Le Guin did a remarkable job in bringing us her translation of this magnificent book that will lift your heart, bring more understanding to your mind, free your ego from its grip on your life, and bring your soul peace from the ancient and extraordinary verses in this book.
This is one book that would bring harmony to anyone, when taken into the depths of consciousness. It will show you the way of being. It will help you live with what IS, and that alone will help free you from pain.
Highly recommended for its profound truth, and the extraordinary difference this truth can make in your life. Deserves 10 Stars.

This isn't a translation. It is a "rendition" (Ms. LeGuin's word) much like Thomas Merton's "appreciation" (his word) of Chuang Tzu. Choosing that description allows a looser fidelity to the original than readers would accept in a translation, and she takes full advantage of that long leash, to good and bad effect.
The language is stunning; no one else has presented this source with such clarity, with simple, concrete images and words so unfailingly right they seem to run with sap. This is the Tao Te Ching returned from the realm of philosphical discourse to poetry, where it started, and where it belongs.
The liberties she takes to achieve this are many. There are chapter headings, where none exist in the original text, she has simply deleted some portions of the text that "make no sense" to her, and her use of "Power" to translate (or to "render") Te (usually translated as "Virtue" or "Integrity") puts a harder edge on the concept than it warrants. And, her opening couplet, "The way you can go isn't the real way" is, to my thinking, fundamentally wrong.
Those taken liberties (most of which she points out herself) shouldn't prevent you from reading this book; Lao Tzu is here rendered exquisitely, and there are plenty of accurate, scholarly translations around to help you tweak your understanding into line with the original, if you wish.

Walk with Ursula on the path beside the stream. Listen as she recites the Tao, the melody of her voice blending with the chuckling sound of the water over polished stones. Here and there she offers a word or two of her own understanding, but, like the Tao herself, her own thoughts are sparse and beautiful.
When I pick up and open this book, I feel like I am sitting in a green forest, the poet beside me, and everything I see has a deep and precious meaning. I am at peace.
I have many translations of the Tao, but this is one of my very favorites. It doesn't preach or offer scholarly interpretations or commentaries, it is a friend, a comfortable friend, and I love it.

THIS VERSION COMES ALIVE TO THE READER.
IT IS MADE FOR THE 21ST CENTURY.
AFTER STUDYING GIA-FU-FENG, BRIAN WALKER, TAM C. GIBBS and THOMAS CLEARY, I FOUND THIS VERSION TO BE NOT ONLY REFRESHING BUT PROBABLY THE BEST ACCESS TO THE TAO EVER AVAILABLE.
THIS IS NOT A TRANSLATION LIKE THE OTHERS, BUT AN INTERPRETATION BY ONE OF THE GREAT IMAGINATORS OF OUR PERIOD.
URSULA K. LE GUIN HAS ECLIPSED HERSELF IN THIS BODY OF WORK.
I HOPE THAT AFTER ONE READS THIS, THEY INVESTIGATE HER PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED GENIUS (like THE LATHE OF HEAVEN)...
DAVID BECHTA

Even though the information seems a bit short. That is the Way. This little books sums it up most pleasantly. You get a chance to think on the pieces and the writer/translator does not insult your intelligence with mundane information. She allows the reader to make their own assessment. I do recommend this book as one for travel and pondering. A great way to empty your mind.

I had read Ursula's science fiction, and loved it.
I was walking through "a book store" and her

name caught my eye in the Eastern Thought

section. The rest is history. The Tao Te Ching

is a book that can help you survive in this

century, by remembering what to treasure the most.

Ursula's version is free of sexism, and other power-tripping sometimes added by Westerners.

She does an excellent job of helping us get to

the meaning of the Tao Te Ching, without destroying the beautiful poetry.

This book gives alot of information about the Tao Te Tching, however, it does not do anything more than further distance people from the true meaning. I bought this book a couple of years ago and it was then a little helpful. The more that you explore minds like, Osho, Bodhidharma, and Chang Tzu, the more distancing this book becomes. To those who are pursuing enlightenment, take heed, this is the way to knowledge, not the way to knowing. Do what I did and read some Osho, Sun Tzu, Chang Tzu, and more Lieh Tzu and come back to this book...you will see what I am talking about.

If she had a genuine interest in translating the Tao Te Ching one would think that Ursula LeGuin would have learned Chinese and studied the Tao Te Ching in depth. She has done neither, and the "translation" shows this, making some very horrible distortions of the original text that are indeed well written, but have nothing to do with Taoism.