Wong Yoo-Chong

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Reviews

“Every generation or so, the great classics of world literature are made new—new times bring new language, new readings, new needs. I cannot offer a scholar’s evaluation, only that of a layperson who has lived with this text as lantern for a lifetime, but I can say that for me, Wong Yoo-Chong has opened new slants of light to Laozi’s text, while honoring and disclosing the original with great faithfulness. I find the accompanying commentaries nothing less than thrilling—both Wong Yoo-Chong’s unfolded understandings, tuned to our current era, and the detailed descriptions of the formal and prosodic qualities of the Chinese verses. This translation—muscular, lyrical, informed by concern for the biosphere and all its beings—brings an original and meaningful contribution to the Dao De Jing’s English-speaking readers. Whether a person comes to it for the first time or with long familiarity of previous English-language versions, this volume opens new terrains of mind, heart, spirit, and contemplation.”

— Jane Hirshfield

“We badly need balance in this careening world, and there is some deep understanding in this text about where it might be found.”

— Bill McKibben, Schumann Distinguished Scholar, Middlebury College

“This new rendition of the Daodejing opens amazing dimensions of the ancient classic, exploring it to an entirely unprecedented depth. The work offers detailed linguistic analyses of words and phrases, supplements readings from classical commentaries, provides comparative perspectives from Buddhism, psychology, and science, and also contains complete transliterations in both modern Mandarin and reconstructed Old Chinese pronunciation. It pulls all of this together in a powerful and inspiring vista, presenting a truly impressive achievement.”

— Livia Kohn, Professor Emerita, Boston University; Executive Editor, Three Pines Press

“Wong Yoo-Chong’s annotated translation of the foundational text of Daoist thought achieves something as rare as it is necessary. With a light touch and a distinct voice, he has produced a work that respects the specificity of the Laozi, staying true to its poetic rhythms and its political aims. At the same time, it honors the intelligence of English-language readers who aspire to get past its deceptively simple surface to accede to what lies beneath. Loosely modeling the format of his annotations on that of classical Chinese commentary, Wong weaves together the distinct strands of the Laozi’s diction, musicality, and philosophy and reminds us of how the ancients can still speak to this modern world—if only, that is, they are given the chance.”

— Paula Varsano, Professor of Chinese Literature, University of California, Berkeley

“An inspiring and imaginative look at one of the world’s classics, this ancient book of wisdom has lessons for our imperiled planet today. … Add this great work to your must-read and -contemplate list.”

— David Barsamian, Director Alternative Radio

The Laozi

Even though the Lǎozǐ, or the Dào–Dé Jing, is the second most translated text in the world, its salient message for humanity has mostly been lost in the age of human hyperactivity that began with imperialism, industrialization, and capitalism. This project is my attempt to reintroduce the beauty and sometimes humor of the Lǎozǐ‘s poetry in order to appreciate its view of humans as one small element within nature’s cosmic web of interbeing.

The Lǎozǐ was the seminal text that constantly reminded people that they are an infinitesimal part of nature. It guided not only the Chinese, but the Tibetan, Mongolian, Vietnamese, Korean, and Japanese cultures through millennia by balancing life between meditation and action, between the pursuit of nothingness and things, between preserving nature and fabricating artifacts to subsist in the natural world. This way of life was abruptly discarded when colonialism invaded China in the 19th century. For survival, the Chinese had no choice but to abandon their contemplative life and turn to making things and weapons to counter the invaders’ superior technology and firepower. For the two centuries since, humanity has continued to focus on domination and material gains, not knowing when to stop, leading to the decimation of countless species. Thinking we are so smart and exceptional, we are actually ignorant of our own need to survive as only one part of the vast web of biodiversity. The Lǎozǐ‘s teachings of living simply are still the best guidance to see us through.

This is the first translation and annotation of the Lǎozǐ to relate this ancient text to current scientific understandings, as well as the teachings of the Buddha and Confucius, and to other Chinese classics. It is also unique in considering the Lǎozǐ as a book of poems, analyzing its textural structure and the ancient sounds of its characters to rediscover their assonance. With this musicality, the Lǎozǐ encourages us to see the universe from the point of Nature, instead of the narrow and skewed human perspective. We may have tipped the balance of our own survivability, but we could still benefit from this reading as we try to mitigate the damage we have don’t to our fellow species and to our common abode. We might even bring a measure of peace to our hearts.

Online Publications

As part of the Chinese diaspora, I am grateful to have spent the past dozen years studying the Lǎozǐ and to appreciate how it guided my culture through the millennia. After fleeing the civil war in my homeland cradled in my grandmother’s arms, I have watched the immense suffering of my compatriots resulting in tens of millions of lives lost and the steady disintegration of our culture. This devastation included the dismantling of rural life for urbanization, the abolishment of classical script along with vernacular dialects in villages, the wholesale destruction of ancient artifacts and structures, the banishment of all beliefs and religions not sanctioned by the Party in charge. I am fortunate to have the opportunity to compile this work and to connect it to today’s world so it may guide us through precarious times. Most of all, I hope to share the peace I experience studying the Lǎozǐ with anyone who would turn its pages and take a moment to reflect on our time here on Earth.

Classical Chinese was the curriculum of my primary and secondary education. I studied Chinese philosophy with Dr. Donald Munro in graduate school at the University of Michigan. There I received my degrees in Architecture and Urban Planning, which I practiced in Berkeley for over forty years. Having experienced life for three quarters of a century, I draw on a wealth of experience to appreciate the poetry and natural philosophy of the Lǎozǐ.