The Book of Lieh-Tzu [Paperback]

A. C. Graham (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 15, 1990 | ISBN-10: 0231072376 | ISBN-13: 978-0231072373

-- Burton Watson

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The "Lieh-tzu" ranks with the "Lao Tzu" and "Chuang Tzu" as one of the most eloquent and influential expositions of Taois philosophy. This definitive translation by Professor Graham does full justice to the subtlety of thought and literary effectiveness of the text." -- Burton Watson

Review

It is a gem of a work following on the Chuang Tzu, in a somewhat darker tone, yet punctuated with a most extraordinary humor. The modernity of this text... is astonishing....[A.C. Graham] is one of the most distinguished Sinologists working today.

(Irene Bloom, Columbia University )

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Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Columbia University Press (October 15, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0231072376
• ISBN-13: 978-0231072373
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #718,261 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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46 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Taoism and the reasonable use of reason., July 3, 2001

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tepi "tepi" - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Book of Lieh-Tzu (Paperback)

THE BOOK OF LIEH-TZU : A Classic of the Tao. Translated by A. C. Graham. 192 pp. New York : Columbia University Press, 1990. ISBN 0-231-07237-6 (pbk.)

A. C. Graham tells us, in his informative Introduction to the present book, that Taoism, which attained maturity in the 3rd century B.C., is "the greatest philosophical tradition of China after Confucianism." Modern scholars are inclined to think that its three key texts were composed in the following order : 1. the Chuang-tzu; 2. the Tao Te Ching (or the Lao-tzu); 3. the Lieh-tzu. The latter, which is the least well-known in the West, is "a collection of stories, sayings and brief essays grouped in eight chapters, each loosely organized around a single theme" (p.1) :

1. Heaven's Gifts (reconciliation with death); 2. The Yellow Emperor (the Taoist principle of action); 3. King Mu of Chou (the idea that life is a dream); 4. Confucius (the futility of the Confucian faith in knowledge); 5. The Questions of T'ang (the universe is infinite in space and time); 6. Endeavour and Destiny; 7. Yang Chu (a chapter on Hedonism "so unlike the rest ... that it must be the work of another hand"); 8. Explaining Conjunctions (the effect of chance conjunctions of events).

Just why the Lieh-tzu isn't so well known I don't know, since it can at times be every bit as sublime as the Lao-tzu, and every bit as joyous and funny as the Chuang-tzu, while the true spirit of Tao is present throughout (except perhaps in the spurious seventh chapter). Since it's also, in some ways, a more approachable text, it would make a good entry point for newcomers to philosophical Taoism.

Graham is one of the West's greatest sinologists and his translation reads very well indeed. I often get the feeling from Graham, however, that he is prevented from fully appreciating the sublimity and what to me is the self-evident truth of philosophical Taoism because he remains trapped in a Western mindset that blinds him to these.

On the one hand he is prepared to concede that "Taoism coincides with the scientific world-view at just those points where the latter most disturbs Westerners rooted in the Christian tradition - the littleness of man in a vast universe; the inhuman Tao which all things follow, without purpose and indifferent to human [desires]; the transience of life; the impossibility of knowing what comes after death; unending change in which the possibility of progress is not even conceived; the relativity of values; [etc.]" (p,13).

On the other hand Graham tells us that : "The Taoist ... cannot be a 'philosopher' in the Western sense, establishing his case by rational argument; he can only guide us in the direction of the Way by aphorisms, poetry, and parable. The talents he needs are those of an artist and not of a thinker" (p.11).

What Graham fails to note is that NO philosopher has ever "established his case by rational argument" because, as is proved every day, rational argument leads only to further rational argument and can never lead to truth. The Taoist would see Graham's "rational argument" as a futile and _excessive_ use of reason, in contrast to his more _reasonable_ use of reason, but to suggest, as Graham does, that because of this the Taoist is not a real "thinker" seems simply a piece of Western ethnocentrism, though Graham's blind spot prevents him from realizing this.

Graham's Introduction, apart from misleading the reader on this essential point, is a fine piece of writing, and his translation is up to his usual high standards. Those who are new to Taoism will probably find it far easier to read and considerably more illuminating than much of what passes for 'philosophy' in the modern world, while those who already know their Chuang-tzu and Lao-tzu will no doubt find it quite enjoyable too. As the third important classic of philosophical Taoism, it becomes a valuable text we would be unwise to overlook.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars unknown taoist classic, April 3, 2001

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Kris Kincaid (Athens, Ga, U.S.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Book of Lieh-Tzu (Paperback)

the "liehtzu" is the least known of the three most important texts of ancient taoist philosophy (the other two being the "tao te ching" and the "chuangtzu") and easily the most accessible. the "liehtzu" doesn't display much of the rambling riddles of the "chuangtzu" and lacks the beautiful, oblique poetry of the "tao te ching," instead choosing to illustrate taoist thought by means of parables and stories. easily the best and most readable guide to a rather slippery philosophy, expertly translated by the always reliable a.c. graham. it's lovely, inspirational, and i've worn my copy thin.

16 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars One of the three Taoist must-reads, December 12, 1999

By 

Medievalist (Delaware) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Book of Lieh-Tzu (Paperback)

Not as beautifully terse and refined as the Tao Te Ching, but not as ramblingly verbose and unfocused as Chuang Tzu. This translation does not purport to be definitive but the selection of vignettes included gives a nice feel for the Tao and relates it effectively to confucianism and pragmatism. The original is still very popular in China, of course, but as I only read English I can only compare this to other translations... I found it to be both enjoyable and thought-provoking.