Laozi: A Dao and De for the Anthropocene

This translation of the Lǎozǐ is unique in its faithful pursuit of the original meaning and prosody, combined with exhaustive citations of historical commentaries, connecting the insights of this ancient classic to current scientific and psychological findings. Rooted in the understanding that the ineffable Dao guides all things, the Lǎozǐ addresses cosmology, the yin and yang equilibrium, egalitarianism, the use of force and the cultivation of equanimity. This book examines the poetics through analysis of structural form and ancient Chinese phonology, seeking to enliven the text’s meanings by reviving its phonology. It is the first attempt to link the Lǎozǐ’s cosmology and theory of Oneness in personal growth, social relationships, and humanity’s place in the natural world with today’s biological sciences.