The way and It's power, a Study of Tao Te Ching and It's Place in chinese Thought

by Arthur Waley

First published in 1934. Unlike previous translations, this translation of Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching is based not on the medieval commentaries but on a close study of the whole of early Chinese literature.

Genres: Philosophy, China, Religion, Taoism, Nonfiction, History, Eastern Philosophy

Hardcover

First published January 26, 2011

About the author

Arthur David Waley was an esteemed English orientalist and sinologist, renowned for his translations of Chinese and Japanese poetry. He received numerous honours, including the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1952, the Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry in 1953, and was invested as a Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour (CH) in 1956.
Waley was largely self-taught, and his translations brought Chinese and Japanese classical literature to a broad Western audience. He translated works such as A Hundred and Seventy Chinese Poems (1918), The Tale of Genji (1925–26), and Monkey (1942), making significant contributions to the understanding of East Asian literary traditions in the West. Despite his extensive knowledge, Waley never visited China or Japan, nor did he speak Mandarin or Japanese, focusing solely on written texts.
Born in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, he attended Rugby School and briefly studied Classics at Cambridge University before leaving due to vision problems. In 1913, he became Assistant Keeper of Oriental Prints and Manuscripts at the British Museum, where he taught himself Classical Chinese and Japanese. Waley was also active during WWII, working for the Ministry of Information and running the Japanese Censorship Section.
He maintained a close personal relationship with dancer and orientalist Beryl de Zoete, though they never married. Waley passed away in 1966, shortly after marrying poet Alison Grant Robinson. His work left an indelible mark on the field of translation and introduced the high literary cultures of China and Japan to the English-speaking world. His translations continue to be highly regarded and widely published, influencing generations of readers and scholars.

Reviews

[Aaron Freedman · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Way and Its Power is a complex analysis of the Tao Te Ching and its place in the Chinese philosophy of its time. The intro by Arthur Waley is very detailed, and is actually longer than the Tao Te Ching itself. I would recommend reading the intro until the section titled "The Tao Te Ching," and then skip to the main text. After finishing the main text, go back and read the rest of the intro. This will give all of the context of the text and its vocabulary but won't yet go into the analysis of the Tao Te Ching's influence of Chinese philosophy. Both Waley's intro and his translation notes are scholarly but still give the reader a sense of Waley's opinion. This is what makes the commentary interesting and insightful to read. To an inexperienced reader (like me), the book may be a little difficult to get through sometimes, but this is not the fault of Waley nor the original text.

[Maelen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is very dated now, having been done long before the discovery of ancient manuscripts of the text in question at Mawangdui and Guodian. However, even as a translation, it is questionable. Waley often falls into the "No True Daoist" error, in which instead of translating the text, he transcribes what he thinks a Daoist should have said. For instance, in the notorious Verse 80, which details an ideal Daoist state where the people have been reduced to a species of domestic animal for the "sage," Waley translates 使民重死而不遠徙 as "He could bring it about that the people would be ready to lay down their lives and lay them down again in defence of their homes, rather than emigrate.” This is lunatic. Zhong si, "to fear capital punishment," is a combination found in the near-contemporary Legalist text Han Feizi, 人不樂生則人主不尊，不重死則令不行也 “If the people do not have joy in life then the lord of men will not be venerated, if they do not fear capital punishment then the ordinances will be ignored” (“An wei,” 3). What the text is actually saying is that if the peasants under the thumb of the sage try to run away, they will be killed. Waley, like so many other "translators," has decided before he began what a Daoist should be, and shaped his understanding thereby, rather than reading the text and allowing it to inform him of something closer to the truth.

[Mark Saltveit · Rating 3 out of 5]

Classic early 1960s translation of the Daodejing. Outdated now.

[Caleb · Rating 4 out of 5]

This rating is for Waley's introduction, appendices, and annotation. Not the Tao Tê Ching itself.

[Cobus Mostert · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked it, I'll try to apply the taoism in my everyday life

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

While parts of this translation are certainly outdated, the lengthy introduction does an amazing job of placing the Tao Te Ching in context.

[Alfhar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent translation

[Shubhada]

Taoism:
There is good information on BBC website about Taoism.

There is striking similarity between the Taoism and Hindu Vedant philosophy of Advait, though Hinduism does not prevent mankind from living a luxurious life. I think Vedant ( and Buddhism) are based on knowledge of everything while Taoism is based mainly on ignorance.

When I was studying at ABAC, Sean made a presentation about the Taoism. Even at that time I could see that it was easy to misunderstand Taoism as pessimist philosophy. But, in fact it asks for the action in non- action. ( The Sage relies on Actionless activity… Ch. 2, pg. 2) Basically for the general westerner, it is difficult to interprete the concept of Parabrahma or the Way or Tao. Material mindset will never accept the concept of hollow or zero ( Shoonya).

“There was something formless yet complete,
That existed before heaven and earth;
Without sound, without substance,
Dependent on nothing, unchanging,
All pervading, unfailing.
One may think of it as the mother of all things under heaven
Its true name we do not know;
‘Way’ is the by-name we give it.”

Tao and the Sages who follow Tao are Sthitpradnya. They are beyond any feeling. It preaches to carry on the activities without any anticipation of fruit. ” He is not ejected from fruition of what he had done”

“Tao never does;
Yet through it all things are done.”

“Rear them, but not lay claim to them,
Control them , but never lean upon them,
Be chief among them, but not manage them,
This is called ‘Mysterious Power’.”

This is so difficult to follow. Compare this with our children. We give birth to them, nourish them to be good individuals and then expect so many things out of them! To make happen this inactivity in everyday life is Herculean task indeed!

This book is not just about the philosophy, but indeed a way to live life. There are several messages scattered over the pages which speak of wisdom. Examples: “Deal with the things in their state of not- yet- being, Put them in order before they have got into confusion.”

or the advice about how to run a successful empire.. solving problems of unemployment… etc, ruling the people.

The three rules shared define author’s political and practical view.
PITY
FRUGALITY
REFUSAL TO BE THE AUTHORITY

These rules can be translated as follows:
1: Abstention from aggressive war and capital punishment
2: Absolute simplicity of living
3: Refusal to assert active authority

I think Taoism can be said to be the subset of the Hindu philosophy.
I am writing some quotes which I liked from this book. These are the quotes I can relate myself and my beliefs to…

1) It was from the Nameless that Heaven and Earth sprang.

2) Difficult and easy complete one kanother.
Long and short test one another.
Pitch and mode give harmony to one another.
Front and back give sequence to one another.

3) All things howsoever they flourish return to the root from which they grew

4)It is by not believing people that you turn them into liars

5) To be always talking is against nature

6) He who boasts of what he will do succeeds in nothing
He who is proud of his work, achieves nothing that endures.

7)The greatest carver does the least cutting

8) To be content with what one has is to be rich.

9) He who would be taker must begin as a giver.

10) Truly, ‘ the humble is the stem upon which the mighty grows,
The low is the foundation upon which the high is laid’

11) The tree big as man’s embrace began as a tiny sprout,
The tower nine storeys high began with the heap of earth
The journey of the thousan leagues began with what was under the feet.”