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Customer Reviews (1)

Creativity, Taoism and Heidegger
I used to see Professor Chang doing Tai Chi Chuan very late at night on his front lawn in Manoa Valley (Honolulu), as he lived a few doors from the Friends (Quakers) meeting house. I took a number of his seminars, and still marvel at his thesis that the key to understanding Heidegger is to view his writings as fundamentally Taoist in nature. He was deeply erudite and a rather august personality in class. A fellow student in Professor Chang's graduate seminar on Taoism had the chutzpah to turn in a one-page paper; Professor Chang gathered himself up and stated in his heavily accented English that "even Lao Tzu managed to write 5,000 characters." I received a B, as I recall, perhaps because I went for a psychological rather than an ontological interpretation of Taoism. He always encouraged his students to study the Chinese language as an avenue of understanding Taoism's key concepts, and he would write outold-style characters (not the simplified ones) on the chalkboard with rapid strokes, while I dutifully tried to copy the characters.

This book is not an easy read, but there is much to ponder here on the Taoists' understanding of creativity and silence, emptiness, or the Void. It deepens any understanding of the Tao Te Ching and Chuang Tzu's Inner Chapters. ... Read more

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Fowler
The author, Jeaneane D. Fowler is "the dean of religion and spirituality for the Continuum of Humanist Education, the online school of the Institute for Humanist Studies" with a doctorate in Semitic languages. She is also an "Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Wales College, Newport, in South Wales, U.K. She was formerly head of the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies at the University." She's written many books on various religions and philosophies, but she apparently doesn't rely on and/or can't read any primary Chinese sources in this book. Instead, she relies on secondary sources, not all of them very good. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Rare Treasure
First written and translated posthumously from the French in the 1950's with a style and clarity saved for popular non-fiction, the late Doctor Maspero describes the various levels of Taoism,Chinese history and culture in amazing detail. Revised in the 1980's. ... Read more

Amazon.com
Taoism and the Arts of China, the catalog for a blockbuster show in Chicago, represents an explosion of recent research into Taoism, China's most important indigenous religion and one of the world's oldest mystical traditions. Western scholars and Chinese intellectuals have tended to regard Taoism as folk religion, colored by magic and superstition, yet it is based on a sophisticated philosophy dating back 2,500 years to the teachings of Laozi. Taoism has no supreme being, though gods and goddesses were invented to put a recognizable face on the infinite Void of the Tao ("the Way"). Matter and energy are regarded as interchangeable (as in modern physics).

To represent the art inspired by Taoism over the millennia, the Art Institute of Chicago brought together 151 ritual implements, paintings, sculptures, and documents from 50 national museums, temples, and private collections worldwide. These objects are divided into three sections in the catalog and used to illustrate Taoism's philosophical origins; its organization and ceremonies; and its development into popular religion. Lively captions explain the significance of each item; for example, a 2,000-year-old stone panel showing the supposedly historical meeting of Confucius and Laozi, after which an awed Confucius described Laozi as a dragon (a symbol of the Tao). Essays by five leading scholars place religious Taoism in the context of Chinese art and history--a complex task, lucidly handled. This is a landmark study. With popular Taoism rebounding in modern China, Taoism and the Arts of China presents truly pioneering scholarship, expanding our appreciation of a once unfashionable area of research. --John Stevenson Book Description
Taoism and the Arts of China brings together a remarkable collection of art from one of China's most ancient and influential traditions. Produced to accompany the first major exhibition ever organized on the Taoist philosophy and religion, this opulent book includes more than 150 works of art from as early as the late Zhou dynasty (fifth-third century b.c.) to the Qing dynasty (1644-1911). Many of these works are paintings that show the breathtaking range of style and subject that makes the Taoist heritage so rich. Sculpture, calligraphy, rare books, textiles, and ritual objects are also represented.
Like the exhibition, the book is organized thematically. It begins with the sage Laozi (to whom the Daode Jing is attributed), and moves on to explore the birth of religious Taoism and the interaction between Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism. A wealth of subjects are covered: the gods of the Taoist pantheon, ritual, the boundaries and intersections between Taoism and popular religion, Taoist Immortals and Realized Beings, the role of alchemy, sacred landscape and its significance, and Taoist temples and their architecture.
Taoism and the Arts of China includes an engaging series of introductory essays by scholars with a deep understanding of their subjects. Among the topics discussed are a historical introduction to Taoism, archaeological evidence for early Taoist art, and a general introduction to the functions of art in religious Taoism. Lavishly illustrated with over 150 color images, this volume affords a sweeping view of an artistic terrain that until now has received too little exposure in the West. Its publication constitutes a major advance in Western understanding of this important tradition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A scholarly and informative historical artwork survey
Enhanced with 190 color illustrations and 50 b/w photographs, Asian art expert Stephen Little's Taoism And The Arts Of China is an impressive, erudite compendium of art from one of China's most ancient and influential philosophical and religious traditions. This scholarly and informative historical artwork survey begins with the Zhou dynasty (fifth to third century B.C.E.) down to the Qing dynasty (1644-1911). With insightful essays by Kristofer Shipper, Wu Hung, Patricia Ebrey, and Nancy Steinhardt, Taoism And The Arts Of China is a core addition to any personal, academic, or community library art history, Asian Studies, or Taoism reference collection. This superbly presented art history is also available in hardcover (0-520-22784-0).

The Magical Art of the Tao
The book Taoism and the Arts of China was compiled to accompany the first major exhibit of Taoist art, which I saw at the Art Institute of Chicago. These centuries-old works are astonishing. I couldn't get enough of the exhibit, and now I can't get enough of the book. Considerable scholarship went into both.

The curators begin with the sage Laozi and his cognition of an unmanifest source of creation, which is called the Tao, or "way." As the collection progresses, the viewer sees the universal principle of the Tao enter the weave of Chinese culture. The teaching becomes visibly more elaborate and eventually the Way becomes a religion, acquiring deities, priests, rituals, and magic elixirs. Like an alchemist in reverse, the cycle of time takes a transcendent reality and turns it into the denser element of doctrine, right before our very eyes.

Some say the artists that served Taoism mixed potent elixirs into the paints they used. Whether or not this is true, I couldn't stop looking at their work. I wish the printed page could capture the exquisite detail, color and charisma of the originals. Still, Taoism and the Arts of China achieves its purpose. I showed the book to friends at a dinner party. They huddled over it a while, then resolved to drive off that very night to reach Chicago by morning, the last day of the exhibit. It was the right idea. This art should not be missed. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Comprehensive study
Dr. Braswell has written an excellent book giving the major tenets of each religious expression and tradition as mentioned in the book's title. He unapologetically and undogmatically presents his Christian stance in light of the existence of the other world religions. The last chapter in the book showcases a perspective that is personal and yet Christ-honoring. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Read this book-- its a thriller!!!
This book told me about the two opposites of yin and yang, the tao te ching, the Toaist New Year, quotes from the Tao te ching, Weddings and funerals in the taoist religion, and the origin of taoism-- the legend of Huang Di, a chinese emperor who dared to live life with the secret to life, starting from his 19th year of rule, and ending with his final death at 99th year of rule. If you are intwerested in the religion Taoism i would read this book if Iwas you because it helped me with my religion paper. This really should help you no matter the age, dize or shape, this book is good for anyone who needs to research more!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com
Thomas Cleary presents original translations of the two ancient Chinese texts that describe the essential philosophy and practice of the Tao, or "universal way." The Tao Te Ching, Lao-tzu's classic anthology of sayings, poems, and proverbs, appears here in its entirety; Cleary's excellent, detailed notes to each of the 81 stanzas illuminate the more difficult verses and unfamiliar ideas.The first seven, or "inner" chapters of the Chuang-Tzu, those containing the essence of the Taoist master Chuang-tzu's teachings, are also presented, with accompanying notes explaining the philosophy and significance of the symbolic stories. Readers already acquainted with the two texts will find renewed enjoyment in the directness and simplicity of Cleary's translations, which are particularly pleasing to modern ears while losing none of the nuances of the originals. The well-known opening lines of the Tao Te Ching, for example, are given new life: "A way can be a guide, but not a fixed path; names can be given, but not permanent labels." And there is a clarity in the passages from the Chuang-Tzu not often found in other interpretations: "Who knows the unspoken explanation, the unexpressed Way? Among those who do know, this is called the celestial storehouse: we can pour into it without filling it, we can draw from it without exhausting it; and yet we don't know where it comes from." The subject matter of both texts ranges widely, from politics and economy to psychology and mysticism, addressing the needs and interests of a diverse readership. No less relevant today than when they were written more than 2,000 years ago, there is a "perennial currency" to these writings achieved by few of the world's great books. Cleary's readable introduction and notes provide an elegant frame that complements the quiet grandeur of these important texts. --Uma KukathasBook Description
A deluxe paperback edition: Thomas Cleary's brilliant translation of the sayings of Confucius presented in the order of the 64 classic I Ching hexagrams. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

a horse of a different color
Most Western (and Eastern) studies of the Daoist texts translated in this volume have been limited by reference to an extremely small range of expository commentary.In these translations, of an altogether different stripe from the familiar, Cleary makes use of commentarial traditions hitherto unknown to Westerners, as well as to Easterners unfamiliar with the Quanzhen school of Daoism.Western scholarship in this area has been limited by preconceptions based on solipsistic, nihilistic, or fatalistic views of so-called 'philosophical' Daoism, as well as by overly simplistic concepts of Chinese grammar and vocabulary. Therefore what is known of this tradition in the West has been restricted by its sources and suppositions, while the enormous range and variety of native Chinese interpretations has largely been untouched.It is not to be wondered, therefore, that Cleary's extraordinary new renditions of these works, informed by Quanzhen Daoist tradition, are found enlightening by those unafraid of enlarging their views, while irritating to those who require reassurance.

Probably very close to the authentic Tao Te Ching
Of the three translations/versions of the Tao Te Ching, and commentaries on it, that I have read to date, I recommend Cleary's. Some readers complain that Cleary's translation isn't as 'readable' as other translations of the Tao Te Ching. Stephen Mitchell's translation is more popularly admired, but this says more about readers than the integrity of the respective texts. Reason suggests that a close and accurate translation should indeed sound foreign and awkward to 21st century Western hearers. Cleary is highly regarded for his scholarship of ancient Chinese texts, and his translation also includes the Inner Teachings of Chuang Tzu, with commentary/notes on both texts.

The Tao Te Ching is a well-known battery of apparently counter-intuitive assertions, overwhelming contrary to materialist / consumerist / modernist assumptions, sometimes opaque and generally suggesting a need for scholarly commentary. Again, Cleary seems to be a trustworthy guide, dispassionate and well informed.

The Inner Teachings of Chuang Tzu are more fanciful and perhaps somewhat less interesting, but in part underscore one of the Tao's thematic threads, that of knowing and not-knowing:
"What is more, there is a great awakening, after which we know this is a grandiose dream. Yet fools think themselves to be awake. . . Even my saying you are dreaming is a dream too. This kind of talk is called extremely strange . . . Suppose I have a debate with you, and you beat me, I don't beat you--does that mean that you are actually right and I am actually wrong? If I beat you and you don't beat me, does that mean I am actually right and you are actually wrong? Are both right, or both wrong?"

I won't feign any personal expertise or intimate knowledge of Taoism, but merely observe what seems fairly obvious to me--this volume is a sound "initiation into the heart of Taoism through the authentic Tao Te Ching and the Inner Teachings of Chuang Tzu."

Mixed feelings about this one
Cleary is a very popular translator, and I assume it is because his scholarship is solid . I appreciate his choices of subjects for books and always want to learn from him, but I have a problem. I can't understand his translations well. This may be a purely personal mental quirk of mine, but when I read him I understand the words just fine but not the meanings. Or I understand basically, but still scratch my head, especially reading his Chuang-tzu. I will assume this is a fluke within my own head and not a problem of the author (though I have no such problem with any other author/translator).
What I like about this book is that it Cleary has chosen to deal with two essential Chinese Taoist classics together: the Tao Te Ching and Chuang-tzu. Further, he provides essential interpretations of Taoism in his commentaries.I read this cover to cover, but it was only because I am a disciplined reader; If I think the content is important (as with this book) I will concentrate and finish it even if it gets tedious or the translation leaves me bewildered in many places.

My intro to the Way...
This book holds fond memories for me.I carried it for a long time, perusing it occasionally, trying to get a hold of this thing called 'the Tao'.But, as with the Way of the Tao, one day I simply 'got it'.And this entire book made complete sense.My life would never be the same.There is before and after that moment.So for that I hold it in high regard.

As I've matured a bit and have become familiar with other translations, this one shows its limitations.It is a great introduction and Cleary obviously knows his stuff.But it is written with a Western (American?) audience in mind.

While all translations carry interpretation as well, this one leans more toward an interpretation, one tailored to a Western audience (though definitely not as tailored as others, e.g. Stephen Mitchell's).So while it does makes sense of the text it also rides that edge of losing something as well.

The inclusion of Chuang-Tzu also makes the book a great value.Chuang-Tzu brings great humor and insight to the Tao Te Ching.Cleary's translation is clear but is a bit scholarly (though I suppose it is difficult for anyone to bring out the playfulness of the text, thus Lao-Tzu's concept that 'if it can be explained it ain't the Tao').

There are some translation of certain lines that I prefer and find brilliant.For example, 'when everyone knows good as good, this is bad' adds a different twist to the traditional rendering of 'when everyone knows good as good, this is because bad is already there'.But there are other translations that yield the same gems.I literally have seven different translations.Yikes.For a Way that is supposed to be unspoken, there are certainly a lot of words about it.

All in all, though, this is a great starter.Make sure to add it to or add to it other translations to really seek the essence and, more importantly, to live it.

Finding the Way
Thomas Cleary, a recognised and respected scholar on Eastern religions and philosophies, is an acknowledged master also of translation from classic Chinese and Japanese tests. If one seeks out English translations of `The Taoist I Ching' or `The Art of War,' Cleary's version is probably the edition most likely to be found.

Thus, the work in this book, `The Essential Tao,' an initiation into the heart of Taoism through the authentic `Tao Te Ching' and the inner teachings of `Chuang Tzu,' carries a great pedigree. It fully lives up to expectations. These two works, which together describe the essentials of the philosophy and practice of Tao, impart great wisdom and insight, and Cleary's translation keeps much of the distinctiveness of the original Chinese.

The `Tao Te Ching' and `Chuang Tzu' cover a wide array of topics, from traditionally religious subjects such as mysticism, spirituality, morality, and cosmology, to more practical matters such as politics, economics, and even how to manage stress in a stress-filled world (which may account for the rise in popularity of Eastern philosophies as we hurry toward a 24-hour non-stop economy).

`Few of the world's great books have achieved the perennial currency of these writings. Countless readers have found endless fascination and enlightenment in the pregnant aphorisms and fantastic allegories of these ancient texts.'

Those who mastered the teachings of the Tao Te Ching, the teachings and wisdom of Lao-tzu, the Old Master, were sought after as advisors, spiritual leaders, mentors, and administrators. According to the ethos of Tao, the developments, insights and wisdom gained from following Tao must be shared, put to the service of all.

`The Way is unimpeded harmony;
its potential may never be fully exploited.
It is as deep as the source of all things:
it blunts the edges,
resolves the complications,
harmonises the light,
assimilates to the world.
Profoundly still, it seems to be there:

I don't know whose child it is,
before the creation of images.'

Some of the aphorisms read as proverbs:

`To speak rarely is natural.
That is why a gusty wind doesn't last the morning,
a downpour of rain doesn't last the day.'

and

`Be tactful and you remain whole;
bend and you remain straight.
The hollow is filled,
the old is renewed.'

These are hopes and promises of many religions, and the goal of many sciences and philosophies.

The second work, the `Chuang Tzu,' is a great work of Chinese literature, in addition to being a source of Taoist wisdom. Written by Chuang Chou, the first Taoist master and scholar of the teachings of Lao-tzu, this work has allegories and symbols that have been contemplated since it was first written. Chuang Chou lived at a rather more turbulent time than Lao-tzu, and because of his learning, was sought after as advisors to kings, but declined, preferring not to become, as he put it, a sacrificial animal.

Chuang Chou looked for freedom in many ways, psychological and social as well as political. He looked for freedom from tyranny of emotions, social convention, intellect, and even from death. `Chuang Tzu' consists of three sections, the inner, outer and miscellaneous chapters. This work of Cleary's contains the inner chapters, a basic core of his philosophy and symbolism.

`If all is one, can anything be said? Once it has been said that all is one, can nothing be said? Unity and speech make two; two plus one make three. What follows cannot be grasped even by skilled calculators, much less by ordinary people.Therefore when you go from nonbeing to being, you thereby come to a third point. How about when you go from being to being! It is simply for this reason that there is no getting anywhere.'

Chuang Chou recounts the tale of the maestros, who each knew his field (a harpist, a tuner, and a philosopher) -- they were successful, and known to posterity. Their devotion set them apart. However, they wanted to teach, but tried to explain what they could not fully understand, and thus slipped into sophistry. Thus, when their culture died, so did their memory. Can this, Chuang Chou asks, be counted as success?

However, `the aim of sages is for diffused brilliance: they do not employ it for affirmation, but entrust it to the constant. This is called using clarity.'

Cleary concludes with translation notes -- Chinese being quite distinct from English, and the concepts here being subtle, the possibility for confusion is magnified moreso than a translation from another European language into English. These translator notes are useful to see the complexity of thinking in the simplest thoughts.

May this help you find your Tao, your Way. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (2)

Knowledge Growth
I often have found that religion, instead of talking about how much we have in common with each other, serves to divide us (or at least that is what I feel is preached to too many).That said, this book was very interesting in that it helped me understand some of the central texts revered by others.I only read about 60% - 75% of it though.I stopped reading when one of the chapters in the book made it glowingly clear to me where the hatred of those who are not "us" stems from in one religion.I hoped this book would help me see our unions, life already shows us too much of our differences.The book itself, outside of what I got out of it, is very educational.

new thoughts
Being not from a very religious background I purchased this book, I guess looking for something. Believing that no one religion is the "right" choice I chose this sampling if you will, of each. Reading this book slowley so as to connect with each phrase and idea, to understand the meaning of all the words of all the religious concepts and their origins. Is to see that they are so similar, almost identical in so, so many ways. I have a very demanding and at times very violent job, I have seen more senceless death and pain, than I will ever forget. Basically I am not, nor I have been considered a saint. This book changed the way I look at people and think about people, all people, in such a refreshing manner. Although violence is an every day part of my life, I have no enemy, I hold no grudge. After a "battle" I am humbled, and pray for the fallen, not because of what I'll do, but because they don't know. I have such peace of mind although dailey life is filled with drama. Read this book, read it slow, you will feel these words reach down and open your eyes. ... Read more

Book Description
Using a combination of newly mined Sung sources and modern ethnography, Robert Hymes addresses questions that have perplexed China scholars in recent years. Were Chinese gods celestial officials, governing the fate and fortunes of their worshippers as China's own bureaucracy governed their worldly lives? Or were they personal beings, patrons or parents or guardians, offering protection in exchange for reverence and sacrifice?
To answer these questions Hymes examines the professional exorcist sects and rising Immortals' cults of the Sung dynasty alongside ritual practices in contemporary Taiwan and Hong Kong, as well as miracle tales, liturgies, spirit law codes, devotional poetry, and sacred geographies of the eleventh through thirteenth centuries. Drawing upon historical and anthropological evidence, he argues that two contrasting and contending models informed how the Chinese saw and see their gods. These models were used separately or in creative combination to articulate widely varying religious standpoints and competing ideas of both secular and divine power. Whether gods were bureaucrats or personal protectors depended, and still depends, says Hymes, on who worships them, in what setting, and for what purposes. ... Read more

Book Description

The author doesn't profess to know God's Will for hisreaders, nor does he have an opinion on what it should be. What hisworkbook provides is a unique, simple and natural PROCESS that willenable you to determine God's Will for your life with unprecedented easeand reliability. Your satisfaction is unconditionally guaranteed orthe author and publisher will promptly refund your purchase price and allshipping/handling costs.

God's Will is realistically defined as "God's top priorities for yourlife." The process followed is Christian-based, always practical andtakes about 6-8 hours to complete. It has been widely used in Arizona since1987 and been consistently refined over the course of two decades.

Those refinements have produced a methodology that's trustworthy andextremely effective. Among other things, it:
(a)searches for God's Will in the 4 ways it's most likely to befound;
(b)uses more than 20 different resources and capabilitiesthat are inherent in human beings for determining God's Will (fordetails, click on the link belowto "see all Editorial Reviews" and readthe workbook's brief Introduction);
(c)includes a failsafe way of how to know for sure when God's Willhas indeed been identified.

The profits from this book are used to help disabled children, homelesspeople and others who are dealing with severe hardships. Readers willappreciate its clear-cut and concise writing style as well as itsbottom-line approach. The workbook includes everything needed to knowthe specifics of God's Will for your life and to successfully incorporatethose priorities into everyday activities. ... Read more

Product Description
This book makes explicit the mind-body connection by teaching the art of reading one\'s own body and mind in terms of the Taoist five elements (Water, Wood, Fire, Earth, and Metal), followed by specific ways to address imbalances--based on how the five elements are also expressed in the world around us. ... Read more

Book Description
1891. The Sacred Books of the East series, comprising fifty volumes, has translations of key sacred texts of Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Zoroastrianism, Jainism, and Islam. The series was edited by the famous linguist Max Muller, who also produced many of the translations and were the foundational documents for the new discipline known as the comparative science of religions. The Sacred Books of China; The Texts of Taoism Part I contains: The Tao Teh King and The Writings of Kwang-Tze Books I-XVII. See other titles by this author available from Kessinger Publishing. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

What's going on in our world - in a nutshell
Well-written, easy to read spiritual guide.Whatever you believe, this book will suggest an alternative reason for the world's unexplained mysteries, and provide a practical way to overcome life's obstacles.It contains an enormous amount of research, and puts the pieces together in a unique way. You might not agree with everything at first, but it sure presents these controversial subjects in a new light.Never read anything like it. ... Read more