Dao De Jing (Tao Te Ching)

This translation follows a canon-preserving approach , prioritizing textual fidelity and doctrinal integrity over stylistic embellishment. It is intended as a guarded rendering of the original text. The Dao De Jing exists in multiple versions, transmitted through different textual lineages. The text used for this translation is said to come from a Daoist lineage and is regarded by some as particularly authentic. In a few places, its wording differs slightly from the widely circulated Wang Bi recension. Such variations may arise from differences in transmission or copying, and are not necessarily matters of right or wrong. The study of the classics admits no single interpretation, and the reading of the text naturally varies from person to person. As the saying goes, the benevolent see benevolence, the wise see wisdom, the reader is invited to judge for themselves. In this translation, the term Dao is used in accordance with modern pinyin conventions. It corresponds to the older spelling Tao found in earlier English translations.