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Book Cover for: Tao Te Ching: Lao-tzu, Lao -Tzu

Tao Te Ching: Lao-tzu

Lao -Tzu

The Tao Te Ching by Lao-tzu is one of the most translated books of world literature. It is here presented in a translation that deliberately avoids any philosophical commentary and renders the text in English in its most simple and straightforward composure. Lao-tzu's writing style shines by its utter simplicity, in its will to be 'ordinary language' and to say what he thinks in the most economical and straightforward manner. Therefore all what is purely ornamental in the diction of the book must be ruthlessly cut away so that as it were the skeleton of the thoughts shines through; while many other translations contain way too much obfuscating complexity in syntax and vocabulary. Even if one follows the newer idea the Tao Te Ching was written by a group of Taoist sages, and not by Lao-tzu, it was not the way of the Taoists to render eloquent speeches and to write academic works. Contrary to hellenistic philosophy, Taoism was in no way dialectic-speculative in its overall expression. Also those ancient sages would have firmly refused to call the book 'holy, ' although the spirit that shines through it is an elevated, noble and religious spirit. Despite the probability that the book has been written by a number of authors, it is today considered as a homogenous philosophical treatise. For this view speaks the thematic consistency, which spans all domains of daily life, and which looks at all human expression with compassion and understanding.

Book Details

  • Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
  • Publish Date: Dec 11st, 2017
  • Pages: 128
  • Language: English
  • Edition: undefined - undefined
  • Dimensions: 9.00in - 6.00in - 0.33in - 0.54lb
  • EAN: 9781981561605
  • Categories: Asian - Chinese

About the Author

While having a doctoral degree in law, my interest is focused upon education and the propagation of a systemic, holistic and ecological worldview. Back in the 1980s, I have drafted an educational project called 'Creative-C Learning' (creative-c.com) which innovates kindergarten education and provides an integrative concept for children to become systemliterate and ecologically smart. From 2010 to 2018 I have published 160 books with Createspace/Amazon, some of which being based on more than twenty years of research. My nonfiction books are on the topics of law, social policy, psychoanalysis, psychology, psychiatry, sexology, anthropology, enthnopharmacology, education, art, music and biography. In addition I have published more than 100 book and media reviews and maintain an extensive media review site (blissviews.wordpress.com). My fiction books are poems, novels, film scripts, short stories, aphorisms, and essays, as well as various autobiographical writings. One of my greater achievements is a completely new wording for the old Chinese Wisdom Book, The Tao Te Ching, by Lao-tzu, both in its English and its German version. My task was here to free the text of all the linguistic burden and academic convolutions brought to the translations by various scholars, and to render it as light-weight and to the point as possible, in accordance with the pragmatic and down-to-earth spirit of the author. (pfwtaoteching.wordpress.com) I also maintain 50+ websites, most of which are on Wordpress.com and educational in nature, and two extensive blogs (ipublica.wordpress.com, medium.com@pierrefwalter). I am writing in German, English, French, and Spanish. Having lived in South-East Asia since the mid-1990s, my goal for 2018 is to repatriate to South Europe in order to setup the Creative-C Learning Community in a rural setting, together with bio-farming and a sustainable lifestyle.