The Daode Jing: A Guide PDF
Preview The Daode Jing: A Guide
The Daode jing Guides to Sacred Texts The Daode jing A Guide LIVIA KOHN 1 3 Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University’s objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide. Oxford is a registered trade mark of Oxford University Press in the UK and certain other countries. Published in the United States of America by Oxford University Press 198 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016, United States of America. © Oxford University Press 2019 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of Oxford University Press, or as expressly permitted by law, by license, or under terms agreed with the appropriate reproduction rights organization. Inquiries concerning reproduction outside the scope of the above should be sent to the Rights Department, Oxford University Press, at the address above. You must not circulate this work in any other form and you must impose this same condition on any acquirer. CIP data is on file at the Library of Congress ISBN 978– 0– 19– 068982– 7 (pbk.) ISBN 978– 0– 19– 068981– 0 (hbk.) 1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2 Paperback printed by LSC Communications, United States of America Hardback printed by Bridgeport National Bindery, Inc., United States of America Contents List of Illustrations ix Series Introduction: Guides to Sacred Texts xi Introduction 1 PART ONE THE TEXT 1. Times and Authorship 7 The Axial Age 7 The Warring States 9 Confucianism 12 Yin- Yang Cosmology 15 Laozi 17 The Laozi Legend 20 Divinization 22 2. Textual Development 26 Language 26 Texts in Tombs 29 Guodian 31 Mawangdui 35 Heshang Gong 37 Standardization 39 Wang Bi 41 3. Key Concepts 45 Dao 45 Cosmic Unfolding 49 Natural Dynamics 53 Self- Being 56 Virtue 57 Images and Metaphors 60 vi Contents 4. Social Application 67 Nonaction 67 Social Reality 69 Sufficiency 72 Humility and Simplicity 76 Clarity and Stillness 80 Sagehood 84 PART TWO TRADITIONAL EXPANSIONS 5. Communities and Politics 93 Primitivism 93 Self- Cultivation 96 Longevity Techniques 99 Inward Training 102 The Jixia Academy 105 Syncretism and Huang-L ao 108 Masters of Methods 111 6. Devotional Activation 114 Early Recitation 114 The Celestial Masters 116 Chanting for Immortality 118 Highest Clarity 121 The Northern Celestial Masters 125 Integrated Ordination 128 7. Commentary Exegeses 134 The Nature of Commentaries 134 Ideal Rulership 136 Personal Self- Cultivation 139 Original Nonbeing 144 Western Ascension 148 Mystical Attainment 150 8. Later Developments 155 Twofold Mystery 155 Imperial Attention 159 Song Huizong 162 Internal Alchemy 164 Daode jing Readings 167 Contents vii Clarity and Stillness 169 The Qingjing jing 171 PART THREE MODERN RECEPTION 9. China Today 179 Religious Veneration 179 Academic Study 182 Intellectual Engagement 185 Politics and Education 187 Ecology 189 Cognitive Therapy 192 Self- Help 195 10. In the World 201 Eastern Transmission 201 Early Western Reception 206 Seeing Dao 209 Philosophical Adaptation 212 Popular Understanding 214 Multiple Readings 217 11. English Translations 222 Types of Translations 222 Literal Translations 224 Historical Scholarship 226 Philosophical Renditions 228 Poetic Versions 231 Social Relevance 234 Self- Help Manuals 237 Whimsical Renditions 239 12. Western Adaptations 243 Daoist Leadership 243 Doing Business 246 Ecology 249 The Tao of . . . 251 Literary Allegories 255 Songs of Dao 257 Index 263 Illustrations 1. Laozi meets Confucius 18 2. The bamboo slips at Guodian 32 3. The dynamic interaction of yin and yang 50 4. Modern sign with ancient saying 64 5. “Dao follows naturalness” 70 6. Laozi as sage 87 7. The Yellow Emperor 107 8. Daoist monks chanting 128 9. A Daoist meditating on the spirits of the five organs 140 10. The landscape of internal alchemy 164 11. Temple complex on Mt. Wudang 181 12. The main Caodai sanctuary 205 13. A feng shui garden 219 14. Witter Bynner’s version 233 15. Peter Firebrace’s Sea Gong 260
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