Customer Reviews

The Cat and the Tao

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This book is less on cats and more on the philosophy about Tao and sayings of the ancient Chinese masters, just that the author uses cats as a medium and theme for delivering the adages of the ancient masters. However, I don’t question the point that cats somehow seem to fit into the way of Tao, so the book, coupled with the beautifully-done paintings and sayings, makes for a really thought-invoking read.

Indeed, the book is both elegant and refreshing with a strong tinge of Eastern influence, and the calligraphic painting of the cats in a variety of poses and actions are really exquisite and beautiful in their own ways. Each art is accompanied by short Taoist or Confucian maxims, and if one pauses to think about it, the cats paintings and sayings certainly tell us something about the aspects of life.

No doubt, the book is simple with more focus on art than words, but then, a picture is sometimes, worth a thousand words.

Kwong Kuen Shan's lovely illustrations of cats reveal to the reader a purity and inspiration through her wonderful collection of authentic , simple , Chinese brush stroke techniques . Each are accompanied by a Taoist or Confucian text. This is a delightful book that you will enjoy reading over and over again without any disappointments . It is a journey into the realm of tranquillity where you may share the joys of original , delicate , and passionately expressive form by this truly gifted artist.

If you like line drawings of cats, this book is for you. The artwork is from the other side of Pacific, done in watercolors. Some of the works look like cats; others are artistic representations, being cat-like. The text is of Chinese proverbs and philosophers.