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Articles
There are two ways to spell Chinese words translated into English. Wade Giles is older and many still use it. Pinyin is newer and has gained wide acceptance. See Glossary of Daoist terms.
| Pinyin System | Wade Giles System |
| Daoism | Taoism |
| Newer, more accurate pronunciation, Daoism is being increasingly used. | Older, remains popular in general usage |
| Daoism | Taoism |
| Dao De Jing | Tao Te Ching |
| Laozi | La Tzu |
| Qi | Chi |
| De | Te |
| Qigong | Ch’i Kung |
| Taiji | T’ai chi |
| Yijing | I Ching |
| Zhuangzi | Chuang Tzu |
Dao De Ching
Tao Te Ching, Laozi, A Translation for the Public Domain by J.H. Mcdonald, 1996. This translation of the Dao De Jing is used throughout this website.
Tao Te Ching: The Taoism of Lao Tzu Explained, Stefan Stenudd, author. CreateSpace Independent Publishing, 2nd edition 2015. An easy to read translation and commentary on the Dao De Ching.
The Eternal Tao Te Ching: The Philosophical Masterwork of Taoism and Its Relevance Today, Benjamin Hoff, Author, Abrams Books, 2021. An English interpretation of the Dao De Ching using the pre-writing Chinese brush characters.
History and Philosophy
Taoism: The Parting of the Way, Holmes H. Welch Jr., author. Beacon Press, 1971. A scholarly outline of the history of Daoism and what the author thinks it means.
Taoism for Inner Peace: Ancient Philosophies for Everyday Life, Einzelgänger, author. Independently published, 2025. A good guide to apply Daoist philosophy.
Liezi
The Book of Master Lie, Thomas Cleary, translator. 2011. A nice translation of Liezi.
Zhuangzi
Chuang Tzu, Mystic, Moralist and Social Reformer, Herbert A. Giles, translator. Bernard Quaritch 1889. Classic public domain translation.
Complete Works Of Zhuangzi, Burton Watson, translator. Columbia University Press, 1968. An excellent translation of Zhuangzi.
The Cicada and the Bird: The Usefulness of a Useless Philosophy. Zhuangzi’s ancient wisdom translated for modern life, Christopher Tricker, author. Independently published, 2022. A new easy to read translation that focuses on Zhuangzi’s actual writings.
Wenzi
Wen-Tzu, Understanding the Mysteries, Thomas Cleary, Translator. 1991. The only English translation of the Wenzi.
The Wenzi: Creativity and Intertextuality in Early Chinese Philosophy (Studies in the History of Chinese Texts, 9), Paul Van Els, Brill Academic Publisher, 2018. An in-depth analysis of the bamboo fragments from the Dingzhou Wenzi.
Els, P. van. (2006, May 29). The Wenzi: creation and manipulation of a Chinese philosophical text, Paul Van Els, 2006. Doctoral Thesis on the Dingzhou Wenzi.