{"product_id":"decoding-dao-isbn-9781118465745","title":"Decoding Dao","description":"\u003cp\u003eWritten by a leading authority on Chinese philosophy, \u003ci\u003eDecoding Dao\u003c\/i\u003e uniquely focuses on the core texts in Daoist philosophy, providing readers with a user-friendly introduction that unravels the complexities of these seminal volumes.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eOffers a detailed introduction to the core texts in Daoist philosophy, the \u003ci\u003eDao De Jing\u003c\/i\u003e and the \u003ci\u003eZhuangzi\u003c\/i\u003e, two of the most widely read – and most challenging – texts in China’s long literary history\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eCovers the three main ways the texts can be read: as religious, mystical, and philosophical works\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eExplores their historical context, origins, authorship, and the reasons these seminal texts came into being, along with the key terms and approaches they take\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eExamines the core philosophical arguments made in the texts, as well as the many ways in which they have been interpreted, both in China itself and in the West\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eProvides readers with an unrivalled insight into the multifaceted philosophy of Daoism – and the principles underlying much of Chinese culture – informed by the very latest academic scholarship\u003c\/li\u003e \u003c\/ul\u003e \u003cp\u003eBook Notes x\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eChronology xi\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSection One: The Context\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eChapter One\u003c\/b\u003e The Social and Political Background— Confucianism—Mozi and Mohism (Moe-ds) and (Moe-ism)—Yang Zhu and Shen Dao (Ya-ahng, Jew)— Language and Logicians—Trends During the Warring States Era—Cultural Heroes and Concepts—Summary 3\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSection Two: Authors and Texts\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eChapter Two\u003c\/b\u003e The Dao De Jing—Why Does the Dao De Jing\/Tao Te Ching\/Laozi\/Lao Tzu Have So Many Names?— Dao De Jing, The Author—Dao De Jing, the Text—The Dao De Jing, the Style of the Text—The Dao De Jing in the West— The Zhuangzi, the Author—The Zhuangzi, the Text—The\u003cbr\u003eZhuangzi, the Style of the Text—The Zhuangzi in the West—Issues in Translation—Summary\u003cbr\u003e27\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eChapter Three\u003c\/b\u003e The Dao? A Dao? Dao? daos? dao?—Images: 49\u003cbr\u003eWater, Women, Baby, Root, and Others—What Is the Problem?—Conventional Values: Pairs of Opposites— Being and Non-Being—Summary\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eChapter Four\u003c\/b\u003e Illogical Statements?—Decoding—Not Acting, Not Knowing, Not Desiring—Ziran, Self-So, Natural, Spontaneous—Language—Morality—Summary 70\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eChapter Five\u003c\/b\u003e War—Government, Society, and the Sage- Ruler—The Golden Age—Advice for Would-Be Sages—Losing dao—Summary 90\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eChapter Six\u003c\/b\u003e What Is the Problem?—Anti-Confucians— Anti-Mohists—Being Useless—Point of View—This and That—Knowing How—Knowing What—Summary 111\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eChapter Seven\u003c\/b\u003e Language: Convention and Culture—This\/ That, True\/False—Language Is OK, Up to a Point— How to Use Language—Clarity—Death— Transformation—Survival of Consciousness and an Afterlife—Immortality—Dao—Summary 132\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eChapter Eight\u003c\/b\u003e Public Life—The Golden Age—What Should We Do?—Mirror—Forgetting—Mind\/Heart Fasting—Perfected People—The Relationship of the Dao De Jing and the Zhuangzi—Summary 156\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSection Three: Developing Dao\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eChapter Nine\u003c\/b\u003e The School of Zhuangzi and Followers of the Dao De Jing—The Han Feizi—The Guanzi—Huang- Lao—The Huainanzi—The Liezi—The Han Dynasty and Beyond—Summary\u003cbr\u003e179\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eChapter Ten\u003c\/b\u003e Organized Daoism—The Search for Immortality—Organized Groups—The Cult of Laozi— Modern Organized Daoism—The Mystical Reading— The Philosophical Reading—Modern Daoism—Dao Lite—A Lao-Zhuang Daoist—What Is Daoism and Other Problems 202\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eGlossary of Technical Terms 232\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eGlossary of Pronunciation 235\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFurther Reading 237\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBibliography 239\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIndex 252\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cb\u003eLee Dian Rainey\u003c\/b\u003e is Associate Professor in the Department of Religious Studies at Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada. She has taught Chinese philosophy for more than twenty years and has published widely in this area. Her publications include \u003ci\u003eConfucius and Confucianism: The Essentials\u003c\/i\u003e (Wiley-Blackwell, 2010).  Providing a unique focus on the core texts in Daoist philosophy, this lucid introduction to the \u003ci\u003eDao De Jing\u003c\/i\u003e and the \u003ci\u003eZhuangzi\u003c\/i\u003e offers students a comprehensive understanding of the principles underlying much of Chinese culture. The author's mastery of the material, combined with her accessible style, enables readers to get to grips with two of the most widely read – and most complex – texts in China’s long literary history.  \u003cp\u003eThe volume sets the \u003ci\u003eDao De Jing\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eZhuangzi\u003c\/i\u003e in their historical context and explains the key terms and approaches these two seminal works take. It traces their origins, their authorship, and the reasons they came into being. The author moves on to examine the core philosophical arguments made in the texts, as well as the many ways in which they have been interpreted, both in China itself and in the West. Importantly, the analysis extends to the three primary modes – religious, mystical, and philosophical – of reading these enigmatic volumes. \u003ci\u003eDecoding Dao\u003c\/i\u003e offers readers unrivalled insight into the multifaceted philosophy of Daoism, informed by the very latest academic scholarship.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e“\u003c\/i\u003eDecoding Dao does an amazing job of making classical Daoist philosophy accessible to undergraduates today. Many years of experience teaching this subject and listening carefully to students' questions have resulted in a book which finally explains Daoism in a way that works for them and not just for experts. This is a great achievement pedagogically and an enormous help for any class teaching about Daoism and Chinese philosophy.” \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eJames Miller\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e, Professor of Chinese Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, Canada\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis wonderful introduction provides historical context, keen analysis, and lively, accessible examples to help readers appreciate both surface meanings and the deeper significance of two essential—and beloved—texts of Chinese religion. Rainey’s great strength is to take very complex material and present it in an accurate, but friendly and accessible way.  This is an excellent companion book and textbook for any student—or general reader—anyone working his or her way through the Laozi or Zhuangzi.\u003cbr\u003e —\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eJennifer Oldstone-Moore\u003c\/b\u003e, Wittenberg University\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wiley-Blackwell","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47989031567589,"sku":"NP9781118465745","price":31.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9781118465745.jpg?v=1761782514","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/decoding-dao-isbn-9781118465745","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}