Lao
Tzu’s Tao Te Ching is one of
the most translated books; there are thousands of translations of the
book (other than the Bible, Tao Te Ching is probably one of the most
translated works in world literature).
Many
of the translations available are imperfect. The reason is that the text
of Tao Te Ching is in itself one of the most difficult ones in the world
for intellectual understanding, let alone translating it into a different
language. Without a sound knowledge of the Chinese language (which is extremely
difficult to learn, not to mention to master) and a thorough understanding of
the cultural background, any attempt to express its profound content in a
language other than the original Chinese without any punctuation mark is an
insurmountable literary challenge.
The
main reason for the imperfections in nearly all the translations of Tao Te
Ching is best explained by the famous Indian fable of the blind men
describing an elephant. Like the blind men in the fable, each translator or
interpreter of Tao Te Ching is always looking at the text from his or
her own perspective. That explains why there is no “perfect” translation of Tao
Te Ching: none of us is Lao Tzu, and each of us is striving to probe into
the mind of the great sage according to our own perspectives and
interpretations. But, by the same token, that is also the beauty of the
book: it is open to any interpretation. For that reason, it is timeless;
its value changes with the change of perspective of its readers. Tao Te
Ching is not meant to be read in a single sitting, and then forget about
it; it is a book to be read, re-read, and then re-read as often as needed. Michael
Crichton, the best-selling author and acclaimed film-producer, once said in
interview with Amazon.com that if he were stranded on an island the only book
he would take with him would be Tao Te Ching. His comment speaks volumes
of the substantial intrinsic value of this ancient Chinese classic.
Yes,
Tao Te Ching is one of the world’s most difficult and yet most
intriguing masterpieces. By design, the book is riddled with unexplained
perplexities and contradictory possibilities through the deliberate use of
simple, but vague and ambiguous words. The real essence of the book is its absolute
and pure wisdom of living a life of balance and harmony, and thus enabling us
to reassess our own lives through the many life lessons that we undergo in
varying stages of life. Therefore, its unique content is eternal and timeless.
That is why I would like to introduce Tao Te Ching to you, if you have
not already read it, or have become fascinated by it.
Yes,
Tao Te Ching is one of the world’s most difficult and yet most
intriguing masterpieces. By design, the book is riddled with unexplained
perplexities and contradictory possibilities through the deliberate use of
simple, but vague and ambiguous words. The real essence of the book is its absolute
and pure wisdom of living a life of balance and harmony, and thus enabling us
to reassess our own lives through the many life lessons that we undergo in
varying stages of life. Therefore, its unique content is eternal and timeless.
That is why I would like to introduce Tao Te Ching to you, if you have
not already read it, or have become fascinated by it.
Stephen Lau
Copyright© by Stephen Lau
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