“Deng Ming-Dao’s book lives up to its title. The Complete Dàodéjīng contains an authoritative account of the background, history, language, style, concepts, and translation challenges of one of the world’s best-loved spiritual texts. For years I have read the Dàodéjīng, but always in English. Aware of scholarly works based on the original Chinese, I have never been able to sustain my interest in digging deeper. The Complete Dàodéjīng has changed that for me. It is informative without being academic and answers questions I was not even aware were relevant to understanding the messages in the original text. I believe many readers will share my experience.”
—Francis Pring-Mill, author of In Harmony with the Tao
“Whenever I hear that a new translation of the Dàodéjīng is being published, I can’t help but wonder, Do we really need another one? Deng Ming Dao’s The Complete Dàodéjīng answers the question admirably. His translation and commentary are the result of a lifelong devotion to the subject and offer a deep dive into the language of the text and the historical context in which it was written. Deng reads the overall message of the Dàodéjīng in much the same way I do: as an antidote for individuals and societies that have lost their alignment with the Dào, the natural course of things. As he writes in the introduction, ‘In Lǎozǐ’s view, troubles arise because the powerful, rich, exploitative, and corrupt choose not to blend with the Dào but instead go against it.’ The period in which the Dàodéjīng was written was a tumultuous one, much like our own, and so its teachings feel timely and relevant to our present day. In addition to the excellent translation and commentary, several appendixes explore how the Dàodéjīng’s purported author, Lǎozǐ, has been viewed through the lens of Dàoism and Chinese culture more broadly, and an extensive glossary provides new and old readers alike with an excellent resource for further study. A truly monumental work and an excellent addition to anyone’s bookshelf.”
—Gregory Ripley, author of An Introduction to Daoism and The Hundred Remedies of the Tao
“Drawing on his rich lived experiences as an Asian scholar, artist, and martial arts adept, Deng Ming-Dao has crafted a new translation of one of the East’s great philosophical treasures: Lǎozǐ’s Dàodéjīng. Complementing his insightful translation of its eighty-one verses, this volume includes an invaluable introduction to key concepts, line-by-line translations that illuminate the deeper meanings embedded in the Lǎozǐ’s original characters/pictograms, and commentaries following each verse. Together, the synergy between these elements provides invaluable tools to explore the text’s inherent wisdom without diminishing the mystery that allows each of us to interpret it personally.
A herculean achievement, this volume offers both an excellent introduction to the Dàodéjīng and as a profound study guide for those already well versed in Dàoist thought. Showcasing Lǎozǐ’s nonproselytizing wisdom on humans’ innate goodness and the benefits of altruism, simplicity, and our belonging within the natural world that sustains us—this book could not have come at a better time.”
—Peter Wayne, PhD, associate professor of medicine, Harvard Medical School (HMS), director of the Osher Center for Integrative Health, author of The Harvard Medical School Guide to Tai Chi
