Created by Michael P. Garofalo, Green Way Research, Valley Spirit Center, Gushen Grove Notebooks, Vancouver, Washington (2010-2023), CCA 4.0
 

Hinton, David.     Online 1     Online 2     Online 3     GGNC   Books

Ho, Lok Sang, 2002.   Online 1     Online 2     Online 3     GGNC

Hogan, Ron, 2004.   Online 1: Includes an audio version.     Online 2    Online 3    Online 4    By Jesse Garon (Pseud.) Online     GGNC           

Hond, Bram den.     Online 1     Online 2    

Hong Kong City University   Online 1     In English and Chinese

Hua Ching Ni, 1995.   Book     Online 1     Online 2     Online 3     GGNC     VSCL         

Huang, Chichung.     Online 1     Online 2     Online 3     GGNC

Huang, Tao.     Online 1      Online 2     Online 3     GGNC         

Hu Huezhi, 2006.     Book

Hwang, Shifu.     Online 1     Online 2     Online 3     GGNC  

Tao Te Ching Chapters:     Chapters 1-20     Chapters 21-40     Chapters 41-60     Chapters 61-81     Index

Codes Used in this Document: 
PD = Public Domain
GGNC = Gushen Grove Notebook Collection; The webpage document of a translation was saved to my home computer reference files.
VSCL = Valley Spirit Center Library, Book Collection

Cloud Hands Blog

I

Ivanhoe, Philip.     Book

Tao Te Ching Chapters:     Chapters 1-20     Chapters 21-40     Chapters 41-60     Chapters 61-81     Index

J

Jiyu, Ren, 1985.     Online 1     Online 2     Online 3     GGNC  

Julien, Stanislas, 1842, French Translation    Online 1    Online 2     Online 3     

Tao Te Ching Chapters:     Chapters 1-20     Chapters 21-40     Chapters 41-60     Chapters 61-81     Index

K

Lindauer, David.    Online 1     Online 2    Online 3     GGNC      

Linnell, Bruce R. 2015   Online 1    

Lok Sang Ho, Lingnan University, 2002   Online 1 PDF

Lombardo, Stanley and Stephen Addiss, 1993.   Book   Online 1     Online 2     Online 3    VSCL     GGNC           

Ludd, Ned.     Online 1     Online 2     GGNC        

Lynn, Richard John, 2004.     Book     Online 1     Online 2     GGNC    VSCL 

Cloud Hands Blog

Tao Te Ching Chapters:     Chapters 1-20     Chapters 21-40     Chapters 41-60     Chapters 61-81     Index

M

Mabry, John R., 1994.     Book     Online 1     Online 2    Online 3     GGNC      

McCarroll, Tolbert, 1982.     Online 1     Online 2     Online 3     GGNC               

Mair, Victor H., 1990.     Book     Online 1    Online 2     Online 3     GGNC     VSCL        

Marshall, Bart, 2006   Online 1     GGNC

Created by Michael P. Garofalo, Green Way Research, Valley Spirit Center, Gushen Grove Notebooks, Vancouver, Washington (2010-2023), CCA 4.0

 

Tao Te Ching Chapters:     Chapters 1-20     Chapters 21-40     Chapters 41-60     Chapters 61-81     Index

U

Ubekannten     GGNC

Tao Te Ching    Universal Dialectic Institute  

Tao Te Ching Chapters:     Chapters 1-20     Chapters 21-40     Chapters 41-60     Chapters 61-81     Index

V

Von Lauer, Conradin   A French Translation     Online 1

Tao Te Ching Chapters:     Chapters 1-20     Chapters 21-40     Chapters 41-60     Chapters 61-81     Index

Cloud Hands Blog

W

Waley, Arthur, (1889-1966), Daodejing in 1934.     Books     Book     Book     Online 1     Online 2     Online 3     Online 4     Online 5     GGNC

Walker, Brian Browne, 1996.     Book     Online 1     Online 2     GGNC  

Yang, Xiaolin.     Online 1     Online 2     Online 3     GGNC  

Yang, Jwing-Ming, Ph.D., 2018.  Book    

Yutang, Lin, 1948.     Online 1     Online 2    Online 3     Book: The Wisdom of Laotse     GGNC     VSCL 

Cloud Hands Blog

Tao Te Ching Chapters:     Chapters 1-20     Chapters 21-40     Chapters 41-60     Chapters 61-81     Index

Z

Zhang, Thomas Z.     Online 1     Online 2    Online 3     GGNC   

Zhengkun, Gu     Online 1     Online 2     Online 3    GGNC   

Zi Chang, Tang     Online 1     Online 2     Online 3    GGNC

This webpage work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License

Created by Michael P. Garofalo, Green Way Research, Valley Spirit Center, Gushen Grove Notebooks, Vancouver, Washington (2010-2023), CCA 4.0

 

Tao Te Ching Chapters:     Chapters 1-20     Chapters 21-40     Chapters 41-60     Chapters 61-81     Index

Codes Used in this Document: 

PD = Public Domain  

GGNC = Gushen Grove Notebook Collection; The webpage document of a translation was saved to my home computer reference files.

VSCL = Valley Spirit Center Library, Book Collection

Tao Te Ching, Translations into English: Terebess Asia Online (TAO).  124 nicely formatted complete English language translations, on separate webpages, of the Daodejing.  Alphabetical index by translators.  Each webpage has all 81 chapters of the Tao Te Ching translated into English.  An outstanding collection─ the Best on the Internet.  Online as of 7 August 2015. 

Das Tao Te King von Lao Tse  The largest collection of very nicely formatted complete versions of the Tao Te Ching.  The collection includes 209 complete versions in 27 languages, plus 28 Chinese versions.  There are 112 English language versions of the Tao Te Ching available at this website.  A variety of search methods and comparision methods are provided, as well a a detailed index.  Offline as of 5/14/2013.

Tao Te Ching (Dao De Jing) by Lao Tzu (Laozi)

Valley Spirit Center Library (VSCL), Vancouver, Washington

Abbott, Carl.  Tao Te Ching: Word for Word  By Carl Abbott.  Translation and Commentary by Carl Abbott.  Santa Cruz, California, 2012.  223 pages.  ISBN:  9781469949147.  VSCL. 

Ames, Roger.  Daodejing: "Making This Life Significant" - A Philosophical Translation.  Translated with introduction and commentary by Roger T. Ames and David L. Hall.  New York, Ballantine Books, 2003.  Glossary, appendix, thematic index, notes, bibliography, 241 pages.  ISBN: 0345444191.  VSCL.   

Bright-Fey, John.  The Whole Heart of Tao: The Complete Teachings from the Oral Tradition of Lao-Tzu.  By John Bright-Fey.  Birmingham, Alabama, Crane Hill Publishers, 2006.  376 pages.  ISBN: 1575872471.  The Reverend Venerable John Bright-Fey, Sifu Fey, is the 12th generation lineage holder of the Blue Dragon Order of Esoteric Zen Buddhism, a distinct line of knowledge descended directly from Shaolin Temple. Sifu Bright-Fey teaches at the New Forest Center for Contemplative Living, Birmingham, Alabama.  This version of the Tao Te Ching is both a translation by a Chinese scholar and a fascinating interpolation based on his religious training.  He uses a schema of interpretation for lines in each of the 81 Chapters of the Tao Te Ching based on the concepts of the Taoist Mind (mindset and world view), Taoist Body (day to day concerns of living), Taoist Hand (training techniques by a Cultivator of the Tao, spiritual disciplines) and Taoist Heart (core and cherished beliefs) [p.21-].  His rigorous experiential approach resonates with my training in Taijiquan, Qigong, gardening, spiritual practices, and ritual.  VSCL. 

Bright-Fey, John.  The Whole Heart of Zen: The Complete Teachings From the Oral Tradition of Ta-Mo.  Crane Hill Publishers, 2006.  298 pages. 

Carus, Paul.  The Teachings of Lao-Tzu: The Tao Te Ching.  Translated by Paul Carus, 1913.  New York, St. Martin's Press, 2000.  ISBN: 0312261098.  VSCL. 

Chapter Index to the Tao Te Ching  

Concordance to the Daodejing 

Change Your Thoughts - Change Your Life: Living the Wisdom of the Tao  By Wayne W. Dyer.  Carlsbad, California, Hay House, 2007.  392 pages.  ISBN:  978-1401917500.  VSCL. 

Chen, Helen M.  Tao Te Ching: A New Translation with Commentary.  By Ellen M. Chen.  St. Paul, Minnesota, A New Era Book, Paragon House, 1989.  Index, glossary, bibliography, notes, 274 pages.  ISBN: 1557782385.  VSCL. 

Cheng Man-ch'ing (1902-1975).   Lao-Tzu: My Words are Very Easy to Understand.  Lectures on the Tao Teh Ching by Professor Cheng Man-ch'ing.  Translated from the Chinese by Tam C. Gibbs, 1981.  Berkeley, California, North Atlantic Books, 1981, 1971.  240 pages, Chinese characters for each of the 81 Chapters.  Brief biography of Professor Cheng.  VSCL. 

Clearly, Thomas.  The Essential Tao: An Initiation into the Heart of Taoism Through the Authentic Tao Te Ching and the Inner Teachings of Chuang-tsu.  Translated and Presented by Thomas Cleary.  San Francisco, Haper, 1993.  168 pages.  ISBN: 0062502166.  VSCL.   

Cleary, Thomas.  Further Teachings of Lao-tzu: Understanding the Mysteries.  By Thomas Cleary.  A translation of the Taoist Classic Wen-Tzu.  The Wen-tzu is dated circa 200 BCE.  This translation has 180 chapters.  Translated with introduction and notes by Thomas Cleary.  Boston, Shambhala, 1991.  184 pages.  ISBN: 087773609X.  VSCL.   

Cloud Hands, Inc.  Tai Chi Chuan: The Technique of Power.  By Cloud Hands Inc., 2003.  290 pages.  ISBN: 0974201308.  VSCL.    

English Language Translations of the Tao Te Ching - Sorted by Translators 

The Feminine Tao: Early Women Masters East and West    A webpage for each chapter provides multiple translations, and Chinese-English translation chart, and seal scripts.  An attractive layout makes comparisons between different translations easier to view. 

Grigg, Ray.  The New Lao Tzu: A Contemporary Tao Te Ching.  Tuttle, 1995.  187 pages.  ISBN: 978-0804830348. 

Henricks, Robert G.  Lao-Tzu Te-Tao Ching.  A new translation based on the recently discovered Ma-wang-tui texts.  Translated with and introduction and commentary by Robert G. Henricks.  New York, Ballantine Books, 1989.  Includes Chinese characters for each chapter.  Bibliography, notes, 282 pages.  ISBN: 0345370996.  Professor Hendricks says "the Ma-wang-tui texts do not differ in any radical way from later versions of the text." (xv).  VSCL.   

Heshang Gong.  The Ho-Shang Kung Commentary on Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching.  Author: Heshang Gong.  Translated into English by Dan G. Reid.  Center Ring Publishing, 2016.  326 pages.  ISBN: 9780994978127.  VSCL.

Hinton, David.  Tao Te Ching  Translated by David Hinton.  Counterpoint, 2002.  128 pages.  ISBN: 978-1582431826. 

Kohn, Livia and Michael LaFargue.  Lao-Tzu and the Tao-te-Ching.  330 pages.  ISBN: 978-0-7914-3599-1. 

La Fargue, Michael.  The Tao of the Tao Te Ching.  A Translation and Commentary by Michael LaFargue.  State University of New York Press, 1992.  Bibliography, 270 pages. ISBN: 0791409864.  This translation is based on the oldest version ( 168 BCE) of the Tao Te Ching found in King Ma's tomb - the famous Magwandali manscript.  VSCL. 

Lau, D. C..  Lao Tzu Tao Te Ching.  Translated with an introduction by D. C. Lau.  New York, Penguin Books, 1963.  Glossary, 192 pages.  ISBN: 014044131X.  VSCL. 

Le Guin, Ursula K.  Lao Tzu: Tao Te Ching: A Book about the Way and the Power of the Way  An English version by Ursula K. Le Guin.  With the collaboration of J.P. Seaton.  2 audio CDs are included.  Boston, Shambhala, 2009.  144 pages.  ISBN: 978-1590307441.  VSCL. 

Lin, Derek.  Tao Te Ching: Annotated and Explained.  Translation and Annotation by Derek Lin.  Foreword by Lama Surya Das.  An inspiring, precise translation of the ancient Chinese wisdom classic with facing page commentary that brings the text to life for you.  Woodstock, Vermont, 2006, 2010.  167 pages.  ISBN: 1594732043.  VSCL. 

Lynn, Richard John.  The Classic of the Way and Virtue: A New Translation of the Tao-te Ching of Laozi as Interpreted by Wang Bi.  Translated by Richard John Lynn.  Translations from the Asian Classics Series.  New York, Columbia University Press, 1999.  Extensive index, glossaries, notes, 244 pages.  ISBN: 978-0231105811.  VSCL. 

Mair, Victor.  Tao Te Ching: The Classic Book of Integrity and the Way by Lao Tzu.   Translated, annotated and with an afterword by Victor H. Mair.   Woodcuts by Dan Heitkamp.  An entirely new translation based on the recently discovered Ma-Wang-Tui manuscripts.  New York, Bantam Books, 1990.  168 pages.  ISBN: 0553070053.   VSCL.   

Meacham, William, PhD.  Tao Te Ching Ontology.  2010.  Relates the thought of Lao Tzu to that of Alfred North Whitehead's "Process and Reality: An Essay in Cosmology," 1929. 

Mitchell, Stephen.  Tao Te Ching: An Illustrated Journey  Translated by Stephen Mitchell.  Illustrated with ancient Chinese paintings.  Frances Lincoln, 2009.  96 pages.  ISBN: 978-0711229648.  VSCL. 

Mitchell, Stephen.  Tao Te Ching: An Illustrated Journey.  Translated by Stephen Mitchell.  London, Frances Lincoln, 1999.  Text translation by Stephen Mitchell in 1988.  No pages numbers.  Illustrated with color paintings.  ISBN: 978071122948.   VSCL. 

Muro, Manuera, 2020   Lao Tzu's Tao Te King.  Translated by Dwight Goddard (1919).  With parallel original full text in Chinese ideograms.  2000, 150 pages.

Ni, Hua Ching.  The Complete Works of Lao Tzu: Tao Teh Ching & Hau Hu Ching  Translation and Elucidation by Hua-Ching Ni (Grandmaster Ni).  Sevenstar Communications, Revised Edition, 1995.  253 pages.  ISBN: 978-0937064009.  VSCL. 

Ni, Hua Ching.  Esoteric Tao Teh Ching  By Grandmaster Ni, (Master Ni, Hua Ching). Los Angeles, Tao of Wellness Press, Sevenstar Publications, First Edition, 1992, 2011.  Index, 192 pages.  ISBN: 978-0937064498.  VSCL.

On Rendering the Tao Te Ching by Michael Rossman

Red Pine.  Lao-tzu's Taoteching.  Translated by Red Pine (Bill Porter).  Includes selected commentaries of the past 2,000 years.  Includes the text in Chinese. San Francisco, Mercury House, 1996, Second Edition.  184 pages.  ISBN: 1562790854.  VSCL.   

Rosenbaum, Robert Meikyo.  Walking the Way: 81 Zen Encounters with the Tao Te Ching.  By Robert Meikyo Rosenbaum.  Foreword by Sojun Mel Weitsman.  Boston, Wisdom Publications, 2013.  Index, term/subject index, bibliography, 364 pages.  ISBN 9781614290254.  VSCL. 

Sixty Translations of the Tao Te Ching: Bibliography and Index

Star, Jonathan.  Tao Te Ching: The Definitive Edition; Translation and Commentary  By Jonathan Star.  New York, Jeremy Tarcher/Penguin, 2001, 2003.  Extensive indexes and tables, bibliography, 349 pages.  ISBN: 158542269X.  VSCL.  

Lin, Derek.  Tao Te Ching: Annotated and Explained.  Translation and Annotation by Derek Lin.  Foreword by Lama Surya Das.  An inspiring, precise translation of the ancient Chinese wisdom classic with facing page commentary that brings the text to life for you.  Woodstock, Vermont, 2006, 2010.  167 pages.  ISBN: 1594732043.  VSCL. 

Tao Te Ching: The Taoism of Lao Tzu Explained.  By Stefan Stenudd.  CreateSpace Independent Pub., 2015.  320 pages.  ISBN: 9781514208045. 

Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu: Selected Translations, Commentary, Resources, Index

Tao Te Ching, Lao Tzu's Dao De Jing: Selected Translations, Commentary, Bibliography, Links, Notes

Terebess Asia Online (TAO)  Dozens of complete translations of the Tao Te Ching.  

Towler, Solala.  Practicing the Tao Te Ching: 81 Steps on the Way.  By Solala Towler.  Foreword by Chunglang Al Huang.  Sounds True, 2016.  320 pages.  ISBN: 9781622036035.  VSCL.  I own the book and Kindle edition. 

Waley, Arthur.  The Way and Its Power: Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching and Its Place in Chinese Thought.  By Arthur Waley, 1889-1966.  Translation and commentary by Arthur Waley in 1934.  Part of the UNESCO collection of representative works, 1994.  New York, Grove Press, 1958.  Introduction, commentary, index, notes, 262 pages.  ISBN: 978-08021-5085-1.  "Arthur Waley’s brilliant and definitive translation of one of the foremost of all mystical books, Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching, has become a modern classic in its own right. Unlike previous translations, it is founded not on the medieval commentaries but on a close study of all the early Chinese literature, and it provides a singular example of authoritative scholarship skillfully blended with brilliant, precise writing. In his introduction, Dr. Waley gives an extensive scholarly account of Chinese thought down to the end of the third century B.C. Here, the author presents a full picture of Chinese prehistory, early philosophy, and literature, showing the original, lofty conception of Taoism before the gradual corruption through the course of centuries, tracing this conflict of philosophies and its background of politics."

Walker, Brian Browne.  The Tao Te Ching of Lao Tzu  Translated by Brian Browne Walker.  St. Martin's Griffin, Reprint Edition, 1996.  112 pages.  ISBN: 978-0312147440. 

Wang Bi (Wang Pi, Fusi)  226-249 CE  Commentary on the Tao Te Ching

Two Visions of the Way: A Study of the Wang Pi and the Ho-Shang Kung Commentaries on the Lao-Tzu.  By Professor by Alan Kam-Leung Chan.   SUNY Series in Chinese Philosophy and Culture.  State University of New York Press, 1991.  Index, bibliography, glossary, notes, 314 pages.  ISBN: 0791404560.  VSCL.    

"Among the many transmitted editions of the Tao Te Ching text, the three primary ones are named after early commentaries. The "Yan Zun Version," which is only extant for the Te Ching, derives from a commentary attributed to Han Dynasty scholar Yan Zun (巖尊, fl. 80 BC-10 AD). The "Heshang Gong Version" is named after the legendary Heshang Gong (河上公 "Riverside Sage") who supposedly lived during the reign (202-157 BC) of Emperor Wen of Han. This commentary (tr. Erkes 1950) has a preface written by Ge Xuan (葛玄, 164-244 AD), granduncle of Ge Hong, and scholarship dates this version to around the 3rd century AD. The "Wang Bi Version" has more verifiable origins than either of the above. Wang Bi (王弼, 226 – 249 AD) was a famous Three Kingdoms period philosopher and commentator on the Tao Te Ching (tr. Lin 1977, Rump and Chan 1979) and the I Ching."
-  Wikipedia, Tao Te Ching

This webpage work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License

Created by Michael P. Garofalo, Green Way Research, Valley Spirit Center, Gushen Grove Notebooks, Vancouver, Washington (2010-2021), CCA 4.0

 

The Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu, Circa 100 BCE

Comments on Compiling, Translating, Interpreting, Explaining, Interpolating, Studying, Scholarship

-  Richard Carter

 

"The first assignment for Daisetz "Great Simplicity" T. Suzuki in 1898 was to help Paul Carus with the Tao Te Ching.  Dr. Carus knew no Chinese, but he wanted this translation to a scholarly one and he had Suzuki supply a character by character gloss, as best he could, but Suzuki found himself unable to check Carus's use of Teutonic abstractions.  "The Chinese are masters in reproducing the most subtle changes in their innermost feelings," Suzuki wrote of his first collaboration with Carus, "thus, in order to translate passages from Lao Tzu, I had to explain to Dr. Carus the feeling behind each Chinese term.  But being himself a German writing in English, he translated these Chinese ideas into abstract conceptual terms.  If only I had been more intellectually equipped then," he thought later, "I might have been better able to help him understand the original meaning."
In order to supply a corresponding Chinese text, Suzuki cut out the Chinese characters from Chinese and Japanese books, and pasted them in the proper places on the manuscript pages, which where then reproduced photographically [and then printed in 1913]."
-  How the Swans Came to the Lake, by Rick Fields, 1981, p. 139

 

"Now scriptures are collections of symbols.  Their peculiar characteristic is a kind of magical elasticity.  To successive generations of believers they mean things that would be paraphrased in utterly different words.  Yet for century upon century they continue to satisfy the wants of mankind; the are 'a garment that need never be renewed'.  The distinction I wish to make is between translations which set out to discover what such books mean to start with, and those which aim only at telling the reader what such a text means to those who use it today.  For want of better terms I call the first sort of translation 'historical', the second 'scriptural'.  There are several good 'scriptural' translations of the Tao Te Ching.  Here again I think Wilhelm's is the best, and next to it that of Carus."
-  Arthur Waley, The Way and Its Power, 1934, 1958, p.13.

 

"Translation," as T. S. Eliot wrote of the Fennollosa-Pound version of Noh plays, "is valuable by a double power of fertilizing a literature: by importing new elements which may be assimilated, and by restoring the essentials which have been forgotten in traditional literary method.  There occurs, in the process, a happy fusion between the spirit of the original and the mind of the translator: the result is not exoticism by rejuvenation."
-  How the Swans Came to the Lake, by Rick Fields, 1981, p. 165

 

Is That a Fish in Your Ear?: Translation and the Meaning of Everything  By David Bellos.  New York, Faber and Faber, 2011.  Index, notes, 393 pages.  ISBN: 9780865478763. VSCL. 

 

"The Dragons of Eden: Speculations on the Evolution of Human Intelligence by Carl Sagan (1977), recounts a story, probably fictional, about the lack of accuracy in text translation programs.  A deputation that included an American Senator was proudly led to a demonstration of a translation program. The Senator suggested a phrase to be translated, "Out of sight, out of mind". The machine printed Chinese characters and these were then entered into the machine to be translated back to English. The visitors were all astonished when the machine printed the phrase "invisible idiot" on the paper. The computer had literally translated the separate expressions "out of sight" and "out of mind". The anecdote and the phrase "invisible idiot" have entered popular culture."  -  Wikipedia, Dragons of Eden

 

"I wish to make another, quite different, kind of distinction.  It has reference to two sorts of translation.  It seems to me that when the main importance of a work is its beauty, the translator must be prepared to sacrifice a great deal in the way of detailed accuracy in order to preserve in the translation the quality which gives the original its importance.  Such a translation I call 'literary', as opposed to "philological'."
-  Arthur Waley, The Way and Its Power, 1934, 1958, p.13.  Arthur Waley (1889-1956), was an eminent independent scholar and author from England.  He was fluent in English, and could read and translate Chinese and Japanese.  However, he could not converse with people in any any East Asian language, and he never visited the Far East.  His many translations are still widely available. 

 

 

 

"World literature students need to keep in mind that different translations, particularly of the classical texts, can impact interpretation. In general, there seem to be four major concerns for translation. 

1. Accuracy (Whether the translation accurately portray the original meaning of the text)
2. Coherence (Whether the translation as a piece itself is able to get its point across)
3. Style (Whether the translation captures the style, e.g. meter and rhyme, of the original piece)
4. Contextualization (Whether the translator makes the context of the text clear)

By definition, academically rigorous translations focus on characteristics one and two, to the extent that it sometimes diminishes the quality of the second two. Non-academic translations usually focus on the second two traits. While this is not intrinsically a bad thing, it is essential to remember that some amateur "translators" may not know Classical Chinese and may not be maintaining fidelity to the original text.

With this in mind, I usually select academic translations, ones that favor interpreting the Daodejing as a political text first and foremost. Historians who intend to invoke the classical text should really take this context into mind before citing passages. Translations focusing on Daoist cosmology and alchemical theory tend to overanalyze in way that can be detrimental for classical historians, even if it is incredibly useful for understanding Daoism as understood during the Han Dynasty (e.g. for understanding the work of Ge Hong)."
-  Jonathan Reiter
 

 

Translating Phrases Used in Taijiquan

What Does "Xu Ling Ding Jin" Mean?

"One of the most vexing phrases in this body of texts appears in Wang Zongyue's "The Taijiquan Treatise."  This is the phrase that I've translated "An intangible and lively energy lifts the crown of the head."  The actual phrase in Chinese is xu ling ding jing.  Xu means "empty," "void," "abstract," "shapeless," or "insubstantial."  Ling can mean "neck," "collar," "to lead," "to guide," or "to receive."  Ding here means "the crown of the head."  Jin is a word that should be familiar to most Taijiquan practitioners, meaning "energy" or "strength."  To translate this phrase literally in a way that makes sense is seemingly impossible. ...  To demonstrate the difficulties presented in translating the phrase, I've assembled for comparison a number of different renderings:

Yang Jwing-Ming translates xu ling ding jin as:
"An insubstantial energy leads the head upward."

T.T. Liang renders it:
"A light and nimble energy should be preserved on the top of the head."

Benjamin Pang Jeng Lo translates the phrase:
"Effortlessly the jin reaches the headtop."

Douglas Wile translates the phrase variously:
"The energy at the top of the head should be light and sensitive."
and
"Open the energy at the crown of the head."

Guttmann gives one rendering as,
"... the head is upheld with the intangible spirit."
Elsewhere, he gives it a fairly plausible if incomprehensible literal rendering as a noun phrase:
"Empty dexterity's top energy."

Huang Wen-Shan translates it as:
"The head-top should be emptied, alert, and straight."

Robert Smith's version has it:
"The spirit of vitality reaches to the top of the head."

Jou Tsung Hwa's rendering is similiar:
"The spirit, or shen, reaches the top of the head."

Finally, in one of the freer renderings I've seen, T. Y. Pang renders the phrase:
"The spine and the head are held straight by strength, which is guided by the mind."

As the reader can see, the range of nuance in these diverse translations of this one phrase is considerable.  Virtually all of the readings are interpretive; that is, the four-character phrase as it has been handed down will not yield a dependable reading based on the characters alone.  One can only conclude that this phrase is a remnant of an oral formula whose original structure eludes our knowledge.  Our understanding of it inevitably depends upon the context─ the following phrase about sinking the qi to the dantian─ and upon commentaries of former masters, including Yang Chengfu's elaboration in the first of his "Ten Essentials."  The concept is also linked to differently worded but related phrases appearing in other classics, for example, "the spirit (shen) threads to the crown of the head" (shen guan ding) in the "Song of the Thirteen Postures," and the phrase about "suspending the crown of the head" (ding tou xuan) appearing in both "The Mental Elucidation of the Thirteen Postures" and the "Song of the Thirteen Postures." "

-  By Taijiquan Master Fu Zhongwen.  Mastering Yang Style Taijiquan.  Translated by Louis Swaim.  Blue Snake Books, 2006, p. 182-183

 

 

"Yes, there is a difference – occasionally profound – depending on the translator. Ninety percent of the time, authoritative translations (like those recommended here) convey the spirit, if not the letter of the literal original Chinese. Why? Understandably, translators need to use some beautiful and persuasive words to make their translations readable. Also, the brightest translators in academia have centered their life’s work around words. This may impede their ability to plumb the depths of the Taoist point of view (e.g., words and speech). Nevertheless, no problem; if we get that 90%, the rest comes to us naturally.

Translators will also tend to bend the Taoist view to match the Western humanist paradigm into which they are conditioned. No problem either! If a reader is likewise steeped in the humanist paradigm, nothing else would be palatable anyway. Understandably, the translation that feels best to us is the one that matches our own personal world view."
-  Center Tao, Translations

 

 

Tao Te Ching:  Translating, Compiling, Indexing, Bibliography, Scholarship

Created by Michael P. Garofalo, Green Way Research, Valley Spirit Center, Gushen Grove Notebooks, Vancouver, Washington (2010-2023), CCA 4.0