Book detail: Lao-tze's Tao-teh-king: Chinese-English is presented as a focused source page for quotations connected with this book, collection, transcript, or source record.
The Tao-teh-king, also spelled Dao De Jing, is a foundational work of Chinese philosophy composed in ancient China, likely during the Warring States period. This bilingual edition presents the original Chinese text alongside an English translation, allowing readers to study the source material and commentary in both languages. The text consists of approximately eighty-one short chapters exploring the nature of the Tao, the principle of naturalness, and the practice of effortless action. It emphasizes simplicity, spontaneity, and harmony with the natural world, teaching that true wisdom comes from aligning oneself with the fundamental principle of the universe rather than from imposed rules or artificial constructs. The work has been influential in Chinese culture for centuries and remains widely studied worldwide for its philosophical insights and literary quality.
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