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.