The Dao De Jing: Laozi's Book of Life: A New Translation from the Ancient Chinese

One of the most significant and popular books in the history of human thought, a cornerstone of Eastern philosophy, and China’s earliest philosophical classic, The Dao De Jing has served for millennia as a brilliant guide to living healthily and happily, to treating the Earth with respect, and to understanding our place in the cosmos.

The Dao is as vitally important to today’s world as it was during the Bronze Age, presenting us with clear and unexpectedly sane answers to some of the most pressing questions and challenges of our time. This beloved spiritual classic teaches us to become one with nature, with all people, and with the world; with the ultimate intention of illuminating the path to peace and promoting the conditions for harmony—within the self and in the greater world around us.

Renowned translator J. H. Huang has spent over two decades researching the Dao, resulting in the most accurate translation to date based on the oldest known transcripts of the text. Huang’s translation is the first to incorporate four major archaeological findings, which have been preserved for millennia in ancient tombs, most of which were only discovered in the late twentieth century: the Guodian Chu slips, the Mawangdui silk texts, the Fu Yi version, and the Peking University bamboo slips. Huang argues that these key source materials “contextualize The Dao De Jing much in the same way the Dead Sea Scrolls illuminate the New Testament.” The result is a groundbreaking translation that offers readers the first opportunity in over two millennia to thoroughly comprehend all of the ancient wisdom and Chinese philosophy contained in these eighty-one chapters. 

Huang’s meticulous translation finally unlocks the profound teachings of the Dao:

• A New Translation from Ancient Sources: Go beyond previous translations with the first English edition based on the Guodian Chu slips and Mawangdui silk texts—discoveries that, like the Dead Sea Scrolls, have redefined our understanding of a foundational text.
• The Heart of Taoism: Explore the core principles of the Dao, including the path to harmony, the power of non-effort (wuwei), and the art of living in accord with the natural world.
• Timeless Wisdom for Modern Life: Discover sane and practical answers to the challenges of our time, from finding inner peace to treating the Earth with respect.
• Authoritative Commentary: Benefit from the two decades of research by J. H. Huang, the acclaimed translator of The Art of War, who provides context to reveal the true depth of Laozi’s teachings.