Philosophes taoïstes, tome 1 : Lao-Tseu, Tchouang-Tseu, Lie-Tseu

by Lao Tzu

Lao-tseu : Tao-Tö King. Tchouang-tseu : L' uvre complète. Lie-tseu : Le Vrai classique du vide parfait.

Tome I : «L'ouvrage réunit les trois grands textes des "pères fondateurs" de la philosophie taoïste, Lao-tseu, Tchouang-tseu et Lie-tseu, à partir des traductions soigneusement revues, assorties d'un "répertoire" général. C'est la somme, de haute tenue littéraire, d'une démarche de la pensée sans équivalent dans les cultures occidentales, désormais bien commun de la philosophie universelle.»
André Lévy.

Tome II : le Huainan zi est dû à Liu An, prince de Huainan et petit-fils du fondateur de la dynastie Han. Somme philosophique autant que politique, il se présente comme un ensemble de traités sapientiaux ayant pour fond le tableau vivant de la société des Han. Tout en donnant une idée aussi complète que juste d'une époque et d'une culture qui marquèrent profondément l'empire de Chine, il vise à servir les hommes dans leur aspiration à s'élever vers la sagesse. Il s'agit en fait de présenter sous un angle nouveau des connaissances déjà anciennes, de montrer que tout savoir se place sous le signe du tao et que l'interrogation sur le tao est préalable à toute autre.

896 pages, Hardcover

First published May 14, 1980

About the author

Lao Tzu (Chinese: 老子; pinyin: Lǎozǐ; Wade-Giles: Laosi; also Laozi, Lao Tse, Lao Tu, Lao-Tsu, Laotze, Laosi, Lao Zi, Laocius, Lao Ce, and other variations) was a mystic philosopher of ancient China, best known as the author of the Tao Te Ching (often simply referred to as Laozi). His association with the Tao Te Ching has led him to be traditionally considered the founder of Taoism (pronounced as "Daoism"). He is also revered as a deity in most religious forms of the Taoist religion, which often refers to Laozi as Taishang Laojun, or "One of the Three Pure Ones". Laozi translated literally from Chinese means "old master" or "old one", and is generally considered honorific.

According to Chinese tradition, Laozi lived in the 6th century BCE. Historians variously contend that Laozi is a synthesis of multiple historical figures, that he is a mythical figure, or that he actually lived in the 5th-4th century BCE, concurrent with the Hundred Schools of Thought and Warring States Period. As a result of being a a central figure in Chinese culture, both nobility and common people claim Lao Tzu in their lineage.

Reviews

[Voyageur · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very good overview of the Taoist school of through and it’s various thinkers from Lao Tzu and Zhuang Zu. It’s very well translated for the original texts such as the Guodian. It’s got an equilibrium between historical context, presentation of stories in the context of an analogy, discussion of philosophical thought and introductions. It’s very well sourced, the citations are great for contextualising of what’s being read and for interesting commentaires on the works.
There’s a great summary for the thought of Zhuang Zi. It goes

“The ultimate question that Zhuangzian solipsism poses is : am what I am at the moment I am conscious of being so, and in that sense I am a succession of selves that others see as different, but which I unite within a single, multiform and multi-temporal identity."
(Sorry for any faults, it’s a translation from French)