Daoism Explained: From the Dream of the Butterfly to the Fishnet Allegory (Ideas Explained) [Paperback]

Hans-Georg Moeller (Author)

Book Description

Series: Ideas Explained | Publication Date: August 9, 2004

Daoism Explained offers an interpretation of the tenets of Daoist philosophy on the basis of the imagery employed in various Daoist texts. The author explains the significance of such images as water and the female and allegories such as the "Dream of the Butterfly," and shows how they connect to each other and how ancient Chinese philosophers understood them. The book also sheds new light on many important allegories by showing how modern translations often conceal the wit and humor of the Chinese original. Written for those who are interested in Asian beliefs and religions as well as for specialists in the field of comparative and Chinese philosophy, Daoism Explained is a comprehensive and fascinating — yet easy-to-follow — introduction to Daoist thought.

Editorial Reviews

Review

...clear, nontechnical languange, and this book should be helpful to anyone interested in Daoism and in Chinese thought. -- CHOICE, April 2005

This book should be helpful to anyone interesed in Daoism and Chinese thought. Recommended. -- CHOICE, April 2005

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Open Court (August 9, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812695631
• ISBN-13: 978-0812695632
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #747,768 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best books on Daoism, January 19, 2005

By 

Nevin Hawkins (Redondo Beach, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Daoism Explained: From the Dream of the Butterfly to the Fishnet Allegory (Ideas Explained) (Paperback)

This is truly one of the finest books on Daoism. Professor Moeller's ability to illuminate many difficult daoist concepts in a clear and concise manner is very rare. Please take the time to read excerpts from the book. The excerpt: The Wheel - An image of Dao is a brilliant examination of Chapter 11 of the Tao Te Ching. Also, the chapters "The State", and "Presence and Nonpresence" (usually translated as being and non-being) are excellent. "Daoism Explained" is not a rehash of ideas taken from previous books on the subject. It is a unique and intelligent examination of Daoism.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Does just what the title says, September 13, 2006

By 

Dan Bergevin (danbergevin dot com) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Daoism Explained: From the Dream of the Butterfly to the Fishnet Allegory (Ideas Explained) (Paperback)

This is a great book for readers of Daoist works- mainly the Daodejing (Laozi), Liezi, and Zhuangzi. It covers the fundamentals of Daoism succinctly without glossing over important concepts. After reading this book anyone should be able to read the aforementioned works with a greater degree of comprehension. As the previous reviewer stated, this is indeed one of the best books on Daoism. However, it also contains one of the most backwards economic theories ever put on paper. Fortunately, the author limits his hopelessly surreal ideas of the latter topic to only the last few pages. In his attempt to explain society as a self-perpetuating force that runs itself without human action, he makes statements that are so blatantly silly that it almost seems as if he added them in just to see if readers were really paying attention. In his own words, "the functioning of the modern economy has to be explained largely in terms of the flow of money and stocks- and no longer as a causal result of human enterprise." So somehow if human enterprise were to suddenly cease, the flow of money and stocks will just keep going- right? This notion seems too ridiculous to entertain, but the author continues by stating that "mass communication has quite obviously detached itself from actual human performances and 'autonomized' itself as a self-generating 'hypertext.'" It's quite interesting to know that this author feels as if mass communication on planet Earth will continue unabated if all the humans got on spaceships and left. The whole idea that economies and politics and mass communication don't need people sounds like something that would happen if robots took over the planet Terminator-style. If that's what the author is referring to, then I suppose I am wrong. But if the author thinks the "Dao" will handle monetary exchanges just fine without us around, then he needs to put the bong down for a while. In all, this book is great and would have fully earned its five stars if it weren't for this little delusional twist at the end.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, September 20, 2006

By 

G. Stark (Australia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Daoism Explained: From the Dream of the Butterfly to the Fishnet Allegory (Ideas Explained) (Paperback)

It is a very accurate, readable book, and does great service in clarifying concepts previously and otherwise mis-interpreted.