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14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting stories, but no context, February 8, 2005
This review is from: Tales of the Taoist Immortals (Paperback)
In her introduction, Wong states her objections to other books that come across as dry, historical records. She wants the voices of the masters, not lists of dates and places. She has written her book accordingly. These are readable, non-academic stories of Taoist sages and masters. Dozens of different masters are presented, each in a short and readable anecdote. At the end of the story about some master, a few lines state the era and area in which [s]he lived, if known.
This book's goal is its weakness, however. It present each famous name in isolation, with no organization by place, time, or school of thought. It's almost impossible to get any sense of continuity, or sense of which sages lived at the same time. Some are simply identified as having lived in some dynasty - a span of a thousand years. It would have been nice if the information were just a little more specific.
Also, the relationships between different immortals and different Taoist traditions are rarely spelled out. Chuang Tzu, a major author, gets the same three or four pages as any other. The more practical sages are lumped in with the ones who founded the alchemical tradition, blurring distinctions that I find worthwhile.
It's an interesting and lively set of stories, but unsastisfying for any reader who wants more historical information.
//wiredweird
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14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Role models of spiritual attainment, November 17, 2004
This review is from: Tales of the Taoist Immortals (Paperback)
"The secrets of the Tao are transmitted only to the right person, even if you only meet him casually on the street."
I loved the stories in this little book. I found them to be both inspiring and comforting- this would make a great collection of bedtime tales for either children or adults.
There is just something consistently inspiring about the Immortals. They all share the same core characteristics: interest in the Tao at an early age, the shunning of fame and fortune, generosity, and the living of simple and unencumbered lives. Even when approached by the Emperor with high position and riches the typical Taoist immortal responds with "thanks, but no thanks." And if they do accept the task of advising a great lord for the good of the empire, they get out before the decline and the purges start. Oh yes, and they almost always have an excellent sense of humor.
The stories are divided into the Eight Immortals (the archetypical patterns of what it means to be an immortal); the Sages (the greatest of the scholars and patriarchs to achieve immortality- including Lao-Tzu, Chang-Tzu, Wen-Tzu, and the Yellow Emperor); Magicians; Diviners; and Alchemists.
If you think that you know something of Chinese culture through chop-socki films and Chinatown, you owe it to yourself to immerse yourself in this book. You'll find yourself much closer to the heart than to the fringes. And there is more than a little Taoist wisdom to be absorbed here.
"Whether you are a noble or a commoner, rich or poor, famous or unknown- at best you'll end up as a ghost. My destiny lies beyond this."
Lin Ling-su
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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Beautiful, Entertaining and Instructive, October 29, 2004
This review is from: Tales of the Taoist Immortals (Paperback)
The stories in this book are from Eva Wong's childhood - stories told about Chinese heroes and Taoist Immortals.
Stories are divided into five sections; The Eight Taoist Immortals, Sages, Magicians, Diviners and Alchemists.
In Taoist tradition, the stories of immortals are meant to teach as well as to entertain. Even the immortals themselves learned lessons in these tales.
Taoist immortals are as diverse as any group of people. Some were healers, some were teachers, some were social activists and politicians. Some cultivated the Tao by living in seclusion, others lived in society but shunned the values of the establishment.
Despite their diveristy, the immortals had several things in common: they were interested in the Tao at an early age, they shunned fame and fortune, and they lived simple and unencumbered lives.
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