The Dao of Zhuangzi: The Harmony of Nature [Paperback]

Tsai Chih Chung (Adapter), Brian Bruya (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 13, 1997

The fifth book in the tremendously successful "Zen Speaks" series of cartoon-illustrated adaptations of Chinese thought and philosophy by world-renowned author Tsai Chih Chung (100,000 copies in print), The Dao of Zhuangzi explores core portions of the Zhuangzi, one of the great Daoist texts. Together with the writings of Laozi, the Zhuangzi had an immense impact on Chinese culture that matched that of Confucianism. Over the centuries, this classical Daoism has influenced millions of readers and students of philosophy and literature throughout the world.



Tsai Chih Chung first tackled portions of the Zhuangzi in his first book published in the U.S., Zhuangzi Speaks, which sold 20,000 copies for Princeton--an astonishing number for a university press--and was the book that brought C.C. Tsai to the attention of American readers. In The Dao of Zhangzi, Tsai Chih Chung brings humorously to life new portions of the Dao--and extends the reach of his early efforts in profound and entertaining ways.



As with the previous works, the book will include an introduction by a scholar that will help to place Daoism and the Zhuangzi in historical and cultural context.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English, Chinese
Original Language: Chinese

From the Publisher

The fifth book in the tremendously successful "Zen Speaks" series of cartoon-illustrated adaptations of Chinese thought and philosophy by world-renowned author Tsai Chih Chung (100,000 copies in print), The Dao of Zhuangzi explores core portions of the Zhuangzi, one of the great Daoist texts. Together with the writings of Laozi, the Zhuangzi had an immense impact on Chinese culture that matched that of Confucianism. Over the centuries, this classical Daoism has influenced millions of readers and students of philosophy and literature throughout the world.

Tsai Chih Chung first tackled portions of the Zhuangzi in his first book published in the U.S., Zhuangzi Speaks, which sold 20,000 copies for Princeton--an astonishing number for a university press--and was the book that brought C.C. Tsai to the attention of American readers. In The Dao of Zhangzi, Tsai Chih Chung brings humorously to life new portions of the Dao--and extends the reach of his early efforts in profound and entertaining ways.

As with the previous works, the book will include an introduction by a scholar that will help to place Daoism and the Zhuangzi in historical and cultural context.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Anchor; 1st Anchor Books ed edition (October 13, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385487428
• ISBN-13: 978-0385487429
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 7.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #529,945 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Start Here, November 17, 2001

By 

evenfall007 "evenfall007" (Rancho Cordova, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Dao of Zhuangzi: The Harmony of Nature (Paperback)

Just getting started on your desire to understand eastern philosophies? Have you stood at the bookstore for hours pouring over where to start and what to buy?

Any of this authors books are a wonderful place to start. The reason? Because these books are all about the title subject in a nutshell, easy to read as a comic book, the story lines and illustrations are wonderful, and after you read this as well as all the other books by Tsai, you will have a great, well rounded start on your path and will know what you want to study more deeply!

To add, when others ask you about your interest in eastern philosophy, you can get them started here as well, because these books are fun, consise, and you know they will enjoy them over and over again!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun intro to a Taoist Masterpiece, October 14, 2003

By 

Giant Panda (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Dao of Zhuangzi: The Harmony of Nature (Paperback)

I have became interested in this book after reading "The Tao Speaks" by the same author. Previously, I have read the Tao Te Ching years ago, and found it a mostly unintelligible and illogical document. For years I have given up on trying to understand anything because it made little sense. That is, until I met this wonderful cartoon series by Zhizhong Cai. Here I found even some of the most complicated and esoteric principles of Taoism explained using brilliant flowing art and very simple examples from ordinary experience. The Zhuangzi is the perhaps lesser known of the two masterpieces of Taoist literature. I actually like it more than the Tao Te Ching. [Zhuangzi is the one who dreamed about a butterfly, and woke up wondering whether he's really Zhuangzi who dreamed of a butterfly, or whether he's really a butterfly who's now dreaming he's Zhuangzi]. I find the cartoon panels very illuminating and hilariously funny at the same time. It makes the principles of Zhuangzi much more lucid and vivid, and easier to remember and understand.

This book is a little bigger than the Dao speaks, containing almost 125 pages each having roughly 6 panels per page. The art is very beautiful and interesting. Further, the edition I have (which is square in shape) has a side panel in every page containing the text of the Zhuangzi in Chinese (reading top to bottom the traditional way). I found that very interesting and adds an artistic touch to the volume. It is also useful to me since I am currently learning Chinese. Note that (1) there are two books about Zhuangzi: this one and another called "The Zhuangzi Speaks", and that (2) there is an older edition of this series which omits this panel (so the book has a more rectangular aspect ratio). What I don't like is that they changes the titles of the books between the two series (used to be "The Sayings of Zhuangzi" Books 1 and 2). So once I bought Book 2 thinking it corresponds to the book I don't have ("The Zhuangzi Speaks"), and ended up with the same book I possess. So be careful. In any case it wasn't such a big mistake, as the price was right and I ended up giving the second book as a gift.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun intro to a Taoist Masterpiece, October 19, 2008

By 

Giant Panda (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Dao of Zhuangzi: The Harmony of Nature (Paperback)

I have became interested in this book after reading âaeThe Tao Speaksâ by the same author. Previously, I have read the Tao Te Ching years ago, and found it a mostly unintelligible and illogical document. For years I have given up on trying to understand anything because it made little sense. That is, until I met this wonderful cartoon series by Zhizhong Cai. Here I found even some of the most complicated and esoteric principles of Taoism explained using brilliant flowing art and very simple examples from ordinary experience. The Zhuangzi is the perhaps lesser known of the two masterpieces of Taoist literature. I actually like it more than the Tao Te Ching. [Zhuangzi is the one who dreamed about a butterfly, and woke up wondering whether heâ(tm)s really Zhuangzi who dreamed of a butterfly, or whether heâ(tm)s really a butterfly whoâ(tm)s now dreaming heâ(tm)s Zhuangzi]. I find the cartoon panels very illuminating and hilariously funny at the same time. It makes the principles of Zhuangzi much more lucid and vivid, and easier to remember and understand.

This book is a little bigger than the Dao speaks, containing almost 125 pages each having roughly 6 panels per page. The art is very beautiful and interesting. Further, the edition I have (which is square in shape) has a side panel in every page containing the text of the Zhuangzi in Chinese (reading top to bottom the traditional way). I found that very interesting and adds an artistic touch to the volume. It is also useful to me since I am currently learning Chinese. Note that (1) there are two books about Zhuangzi: this one and another called âaeThe Zhuangzi Speaksâ, and that (2) there is an older edition of this series which omits this panel (so the book has a more rectangular aspect ratio). What I donâ(tm)t like is that they changes the titles of the books between the two series (used to be âaeThe Sayings of Zhuangziâ Books 1 and 2). So once I bought Book 2 thinking it corresponds to the book I donâ(tm)t have (âaeThe Zhuangzi Speaksâ), and ended up with the same book I possess. So be careful. In any case it wasnâ(tm)t such a big mistake, as the price was right and I ended up giving the second book as a gift.