Can we talk about Lao Tse?

[Edmond]

Would someone tell me what "Tao" is?

[nome1486]

I've always heard that it means "the Way". Here's a site I found that has more information on it:
http://www.abodetao.com/mainsite/shop.cgi/SID=1055789959.4694/page=taoism.html

[chrissy]

The Tao of Pooh is a cute book and it explains Taoism really well using all of the Winnie the Pooh characters to illustrate its main points. In other words, Pooh is the essential Tao because he just lets thing happen with out resistance and that's why everything works out for him in the end. The rabbit is too pushy, the owl thinks too much and never does anything, eeor is always depressed but Pooh just is.

[Mirrorshades]

Yes, the word "Tao" translates as the "The Way", although Lao Tsu's Tao te Ching is often given the subtitle of "A Manual for Leadership". If you would like to find out more about the Taoist philosophies in a form which is more easily digestible and relevant to daily life (and also quite funny) I woud recommend The Book of Chuang Tsu.

[serein]

a chinese scholar named Ling Yutang wrote a series of interesting essays (in English)about philosophers of ancient China. I suggest you have a look at them.

[leonthepupil]

Yeah, Lin Yutang's "My Country and My People" is a nice introduction to chinese culture.however much of his description of Life in China is differnet now.

Speaking of Tao, my teacher once said,the laziest translation for "Tao" is Logos....

[tree]

I have heard about this person ten years ago, when i was ten.
I like meditation, oriental phylosopy...

[stavrokin]

Lin yutang is also famous in China. He and anther intellectual, Liang shiqiu, immigrated to the US because of some political or private reasons. They are both Chinese and English writers, especially Lin who received lots of Western Education and is also rooted in Chinese culture. Lin perhaps the first one has influence on Chinese and European people and still has been mentioned. I read many Lin’s essays and look for his English versions to improve my language. It’s nice to see people who are not from China like his works. :)

[Edmond]

I believe that "The way" is a literate translation of "Tao", but, I always believed that "Tao" meant Ethics.

[Zippy]

Tao is most often translated as 'Way', but you have to bare in mind the first couple of lines of the Tao Te Ching:

'Tao called Tao is not Tao,
Names can name no lasting names,'

My interpretation is that as soon as you think you know what Tao is - as soon as you assign it a name or a meaning (ie 'Way') then it ceases to be the true Tao.

Very complex philosophy Taoism!

[Edmond]

My interpretation is that as soon as you think you know what Tao is - as soon as you assign it a name or a meaning (ie 'Way') then it ceases to be the true Tao.

Very complex philosophy Taoism!


Very true my friend, indeed when one translates "TAo de chin" into English many meanings have already lost, I read it in Chinese, and I also read Rosenthal's online english version. The chinese version is better, far more meaningful.
xucius

[rodanho]

Fortunately I am a Chinese student, so I hope I may be helpful in solving the problem. Tao has got a principle meaning in Chinese,and that is WAY. But even in modern chinese it has got much more meanings than that, let alone what it may mean in ancient China. It can mean MORAL, or METHOD,ETIQUETTE.........But in Lao's philosophy, it mainly means LAW,or A REGULAR PATTERN