Customer Reviews

Tao Te Ching (Signet Classics)

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I own better than 30 translations of the Tao and this one is strangely in my top 5. There are several verses that are inferior than other translations, but there are a few that are far superior than most... and that is it's strength.

Do keep in mind that the book has Christian references intermittently throughout. I would recommend that you focus on the raw Tao verses and not the explanations and filler material. The Tao is meant to help gain control of your own thoughts, not to adopt someone else's.

Recommended.

As a Chinese linguist, I have to admire the effort that goes into taking ancient poetic texts and rendering them into something usable in English. I felt many stanzas were thought-provoking and the short explanatory blurbs on each poem were often useful. The introduction is archaic in style and difficult to digest (I think I nearly dozed off).

The great misperception of the Tao Te Ching may be found in Daoist efforts to apply it as a central theological work, on par with the Koran or Bible in importance. Truthfully, it was probably a treatise written primarily for kings and other leaders rather than the common man. Therefore, it arguably takes some level of conceit to assimilate and apply it for oneself.

Pretty cover, too christian-slanted. The man starts out the book with a quote from the bible.

I love Tao Te Ching and have read several translations. This is by far the worst. Blakney's style is very difficult to read and does not do justice to the beautiful words and philosophy of this classic text.

One of the most appealing things about Tao Te Ching, for me anyway, is that it can be taken as a philosophy far removed from any religious views. Unfortunately, Blakney, a Christian minister, frequently brings "God" into the text as a translation for "The Way" which isn't only a misleading translation, it is also offensive!

Unless you are of the Christian faith and looking to try to forcefully (and perhaps desperately) adapt a Taoist philosophy into your religion, much like Blakney seems to be doing, I would avoid this translation.

No one shall deny the fact that tiny booklet is the best Tao Te Ching, that's ever written. The author has incorporated this book into text that people could easily understand, Each stanza is also carefully expained. The best!!!!!!!