Treasuries of the Tao: The Tao-te Ching with its Original Chinese Commentaries

The TAO-TE CHING  with the original Commentaries revealing a relevance to TAOIST YOGA  and its PHILOSOPHIES

Translated Richard Bertschinger

THE TAO-TE CHING IS THE BIBLE OF TAOISM AND YET ALWAYS BEEN an obscure work, open to many interpretations; one of the 'mystery' texts of ancient China. Each subsequent translation has seemed to adopt an idea of what it might mean.

But for the first time the two main Chinese commentaries on this work are presented together, and alongside, the original text. Each is given a fresh and clear new translation. The chapter headings also originate from the period the book was written, some two-thousand years ago. These two commentaries represent the concurrent traditions of the work: the one yogic, a search for health and long life by the 'Old Man of the River', Heshang Gong; and the other philosophical, introducing important Taoist concepts of principle, being, non-being, substance and function. This last was penned by the young court scholar and philosopher Neo-Taoist Wangbi, who resided at the imperial court during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history (he lived 226-249 AD).

The work is in two volumes: The Way and The Power, a distinction made by the Han editors. Taoism believed that the answer to the problems of human life lay in following the Way of Nature (or Heaven’s Way), and according with the natural world, living with a respect for the environment and all human-kind, whilst discovering the power of our own self-nature within. It was also practical, giving instruction in meditation (or qigong), government and, even, how to cook a fish!

In China all future interpretations of Taoism gained an impetus from Heshang Gong and Wangbi, dividing into two strands - the popular, rich folk tradition, and the more scholarly. This translation promotes both. No previous work in English has done that.  Please read and enjoy!  and practice...