Customer Reviews

Tao Te Ching: An Illustrated Journey

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I browsed and scanned countless translations of this book. I already had Mitchell's in mind because I had read his Bhagavad Gita and his Rilke and found it to be amazing. But all other translations seemed to fall short. This is by far the best translation of the Tao Te Ching out there. It is eloquent and beautiful, and simply and subtle. The poetry of the words is matched well with the unbelievable beauty of the accompanying art. Buy this book. Now. This is the most valuable thing one can read. If they taught this in high schools the world would be a better place.

Stephen Mitchell, editor of Dropping Ashes on the Buddha by Zen master Seung Sahn, delivers us a magnificently illustrated and lyrically fluid rendition of Lao Tzu's famous work. You know, this book has been translated so many times, that it's nearly impossible for us non scholars to prove or confirm which one is true or absolute. The approach I have taken with The Tao Te Ching has always been a task of comparing one translation to another, seeing both what they share in common together and where there is a disparity. I am partial to The Richard Wilhelm Edition, while second on my list is this one. Mitchell has taken the liberty of alternating back and forth "he" with the word "she" throughout this work in order to convey the original meaning of Master. For, in the Chinese language, no such distinction is made. Mitchell points out that since each one of us is essentially the "Master", there is no need to cling to some kind of male prototype. It's his translation, and he is free to do what he will with it. The shattering of dualism found throughout The Tao Te Ching, to myself, makes it clear this switch is wholly in the spirit of Tao.

Mitchell attributes his Zen training as being the primary reason he feels he relates to those ancient Chinese Taoist masters. After all, Zen is merely the literal result of Indian Vipassana meditation and Chinese Taoism intermingling. Stephen also used existent translations already established in a wide range of languages: English, French, and German. Now I probably wouldn't recommend this as the first translation of The Tao Te Ching for a "beginner" to read, but I'm by no means against the idea, either. It's not like it's injurious, and the prose is quite correct. I find this work in the same spirit as mostly all of the other versions I have read to date, with only slight variations. Needless to say, I really enjoyed this book immensely. I think you'll walk away with something, too.

The hardcover version is too small for the beautiful artwork it displays and the translator is no scholar.

I am a long-time reader of Stephen Mitchell's books and have this title on his tape set. This book is a beautiful companion to his wonderful vocal rendition.

The Tao is a manual for life. Not a religion mind you, but a philosophy. As you read the Tao you will realize that you already knew the truths spoken of but overlooked them because they were so obvious. A must read for our age. By the way, it's not lite reading. Read only a few passages at a time and then reflect on them. This is one of the few books you can read over and over and still get something ne out of it. Also, I've read many versions of the Tao Te Ching. Many were not translated in to real world terms. Others were....well.... Dumbed down! Of all of these translation this version is by far the best. Real world language while allowing you to draw your own conclusions.
Enjoy!

This is a great interpretation of the Tao; beautifully written, and relevant to today's language. However, many of the metaphors used bare some explanation. Different editions of this text by the same author (pocket version, hard back and soft back) all have a commentary included in the back that I found quite helpful. This one does not for some reason.

I was a bit bothered by Stephen Mitchell's version at first, but after spending more time with it begin to have second thoughts. It's true that he hasn't given us a literal reading of Lao Tzu's text. He's dropped bits here and there, and seems to have sneaked in a few bits of his own. But hey! Surely a guy who has survived fourteen years of Zen torture, erh... training, has earned some rights?

In effect what Mitchell has done is to give us a stripped-down and modernized re-working of the Tao Te Ching. This strategy has led to some very real benefits. Most of the obscurer parts, parts that even have Chinese scholars scratching their heads, seem to have pretty well gone. Also gone is the wordiness that finds its way into so many other translations. What remains is the essence, and it stands out clearly.

Frankly I don't think you'll miss much of Lao Tzu's message of simplicity, patience, compassion. No important notion seems to have been lost. And Mitchell's language has a wonderful simplicity and directness. Here's an example chosen at random from Chapter 9, with my slash marks to indicate line breaks:

"Chase after money and security / and your heart will never unclench. / Care about people's approval / and you will be their prisoner."

These are important truths. Two of the many in this text that we do well to keep in mind. And "unclench" -- the grasping heart as a tight clenched fist -- is a very nice touch. Of course, it isn't exactly what Lao Tzu said. But somehow I don't think Old Master Lao would mind. In fact, he'd probably feel honored by the paintings too.

I was a bit bothered by Stephen Mitchell's version at first, but after spending more time with it begin to have second thoughts. It's true that he hasn't given us a literal reading of Lao Tzu's text. He's dropped bits here and there, and seems to have sneaked in a few bits of his own. But hey! Surely a guy who has survived fourteen years of Zen torture, erh... training, has some rights?

In effect what Mitchell has done is to give us a stripped-down and interpreted and simplified version of the Tao Te Ching. This strategy has led to some very real benefits. Most of the obscure parts, parts that even have Chinese scholars scratching their heads, seem to have pretty well gone. What has been left is the essence, and it stands out clearly.

Frankly I don't think you'll miss much of Lao Tzu's message. No important notion seems to have been lost. And Mitchell's language has a wonderful simplicity and directness. Here's an example chosen at random from Chapter 9, with my slash marks to indicate line breaks:

"Chase after money and security / and your heart will never unclench. / Care about people's approval / and you will be their prisoner."

These are important truths. Two of the many in this text that we do well to keep in mind. And "unclench" - the heart as a tight clenched fist - is a very nice touch. Of course, it isn't exactly what Lao Tzu said. But somehow I don't think Old Master Lao would mind. In fact, he'd probably be honored by the paintings too.

This is the most accessible translation I've ever read,showing the warmth, humor, and wisdom of Tao Te -- perhaps because Stephen Mitchell is a poet in addition to a translator! The accompanying artwork reflects these attributes -- altogether a beautiful and inspiring work.

Caution: This review is on the text only as I have not seen the pictures.

I read this book every day. Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching ,(along and in harmony with all the worlds great religious and philosophical texts and teachings) is one of the most truthful,practical and important manuals on existance ever written. I have read 7 tranlations and Mitchell's is the most accesible and beautiful I have ever found. While maintaining its intrinsic poetic grace, Stephen Mitchell allows the wisdom of one of human civilizations greates teachers to permeate your being in a gentle non ridgid way. The book is totally aproachable and its lessons about life and the true nature of reality are a miracle.

Mitchells translation , in a wonderfully simple and sage like style, illuminates the challenging aspects of the human condition while simutaneously explaining how to remain blissfully centered, in the moment and at peace. The martial artist's eye of the huricane. Lao Tzu's insights on the true workings of the universe have never been conveyed in a clearer or more digestible way than in Stephen Mitchells translation. Its power to display the omnipresent current that affects (and is) all life and existance is a marvel of writing. I read it in traffic, I read it in line at the bank, I read it for pleasure, I read it to acknowledge reality, I read it before and after practicing Tai-Chi.

Put into practice the wisdom conveyed by Mitchell will transform your life. You will go through life burning all your fuel while simutaneously relaxing as you become lovingly enveloped in existance. A natural outgrowth of practicing the wisdom in this book is to become more humble, loving, peaceful, self compassionate, forgiving,strong, flexible, virile and supple.

Along with certain books from the Bible I would want this book if ever imprisoned. Along the same lines if I ever won the lottery and found myself surrounded by nude supermodels I would want this book. This book has made me realize that life, regardless of circumstances may not always be pleasurable but the moments of displeasure are as valid, important and life-affirming as the moments of ecstasy. By allowing your consciousness to transcend your senses desire can't touch you. Without desire your heart opens up.