In his unprecedented account of the way of martial arts, Master Zhongxian Wu explores WuDao through systematic instruction of select practices from the legendary Dai Family Style XinYi Martial Arts School. Traditional Chinese martial arts embody the richness and depth of Daoist philosophy, and their disciplined practice is an effective way to experience healing, internal alchemy and spiritual transformation. XinYi martial arts, as with all traditional Chinese martial arts, build strength and stamina, and involve a process of inner cultivation that can bring practitioners closer to the Dao. The author examines and interprets the connections between Daoist numerology, the spirit of classical Chinese martial arts, and internal alchemy practices. With extensive reference to the classic texts, the book provides unique and considered guidance that will inspire and empower practitioners of all levels. An authentic insight into the spiritual world of classical Chinese martial arts, this book is essential reading for practitioners of martial arts, NeiDan (internal alchemy), XinYi, Xingyi Quan, Taiji Quan, Bagua Zhang, Qigong and Chinese medicine, as well as anyone interested in traditional Chinese culture.

Written during the Tang dynasty, this unusual tantric guide documents a sexual tantra that is thought to have been practiced by kings for several dynasties, before losing favor to a more ascetic approach to Taoism. According to legend, the author was last seen on the edge of a precipice, clasping the book to his chest, and proclaiming the sincerity of his practice. Translated into English for the first time, this illuminating text carefully describes the methods of this sexual internal alchemy practice, pursued strictly for the spiritual advancement of the practitioner, and undertaken only once desire and attachment for a consort had been overcome. Cloaked in metaphor, the techniques and attendant virtues of the practice are presented in beautiful poetry and prose, with explanatory commentaries throughout. This is an important historical text that will provide a fascinating insight into ancient tantric practices for anyone with an interest in Taoism, Chinese history and philosophy, and tantra or meditation practices.

Military rule and the martial tradition of the samurai dominated Japanese culture for more than eight hundred years. According to Thomas Cleary--translator of more than thirty-five classics of Asian philosophy--the Japanese people have been so steeped in the way of the warrior that some of the manners and mentality of this outlook remain embedded in their individual and collective consciousness. Cleary shows how well-known attributes such as the reserve and mystery of formal Japanese behavior are deeply rooted in the ancient strategies of the traditional arts of war. Citing original Japanese sources that are popular among Japanese readers today, he reveals the hidden forces behind Japanese attitudes and conduct in political, business, social, and personal life.

When first published in 1958, "The Inward Morning" was ahead of its time. Boldly original, it blended East and West, nature and culture, the personal and the universal. The critical establishment, confounded, largely ignored the work. Readers, however, embraced Bugbee's lyrical philosophy of wilderness. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s this philosophical daybook enjoyed the status of an underground classic.

With this paperback reissue, "The Inward Morning" will be brought to the attention of a new generation. Henry Bugbee is increasingly recognized as the only truly American existentialist and an original philosopher of wilderness who is an inspiration to a growing number of contemporary philosophers.

Lord Lao, first known as the philosopher Laozi, the purported author of the "Daode jing," later became an immortal, a messiah, and high god of Daoism. Laozi, divinized during the Han dynasty and in early Daoist movements, reached his highest level of veneration under the Tang when the rulers honored him as a royal ancestor. In subsequent eras he remained prominent and is still a major deity in China today.
Livia Kohn's two-part study first traces the historical development of Lord Lao and the roles he played at different times for different believers. Part Two is based on one of Lord Lao's major hagiographies, the twelfth-century "Youlong zhuan (Like Unto a Dragon)," and studies the complex myth surrounding him. Lord Lao appears in eight distinct mythical roles, each associated with a particular phase in his life: He is the creator of the universe, bringer of cosmic order, teacher of dynasties, and the divine made flesh on earth. He is also the converter of the barbarians, the source of major Daoist revelations, and the god of Great Peace and political harmony. Comparing his story with related Confucian, Buddhist, and Western mythic tropes, Kohn illuminates the dynamics of the Daoist tale and persuades us to appreciate Lord Lao as a key deity of traditional China. Includes illustrations and tables.
Livia Kohn is Professor of Religion and East Asian Studies, Boston University; Adjunct Professor of Chinese Studies, Eotvos Lorand University, Budapest, Hungary; and Visiting Professor of Japanese Religion, Stanford Center for Technology and Innovation, Kyoto, Japan. Her most recent book is "Lao-tzu and the Tao-te-ching."

Compiled by Vinaya Master Shi Sengyou, these writings (by laypeople as well as scholar-monastics) were intended to protect the Buddha Dharma from criticisms by Confucians and Daoists and the political powers of the time. As noted in the Translator's Introduction, Sengyou believed that ""The Way is propagated by people, and the teaching is clarified by literature." The work is widely known as an invaluable source to examine the early development of Chinese Buddhism and how this foreign religion was accepted and adopted in Chinese society. A notable aspect of this work is that Buddhist tenets are explained using Confucian and Daoist terminology. While the Collection is a Buddhist work from chiefly the fourth and fifth centuries, it also serves well as a primary source for studies of contemporary Daoism. Volume 2 completes the translation with fascicles 8-14 of the source text; Volume I (available separately) comprises fascicles 1-7.

Daodejing (Tao Te Ching) by Chinese philosopher Laozi (Lao Tzu) is one of the most popular Chinese texts, with more than 100 translations available. Why yet another? Author Charles Q. Wu believes that his explorations of the infinite nature of the Daodejing can ""bring the readers yet another step closer to what Laozi actually says and how he says it through still another translation."" The strength of Wu's version comes from his superior bilingual talents and unique cross-cultural perspective, allowing him to draw widely from both Chinese and Western sources. He provides his target audience of nonacademics and non-Chinese readers with line-by-line bilingual text and commentaries, and tries to retain the original beauty of the poetry and paradoxes of Laozi's writings. His ambition here is for English-speaking readers to experience what Laozi ""sounds"" like, as if they were reading the work in Chinese. Taking a fresh look at what is known as the Wang Bi edition of Laozi's immortal work, Wu makes use of new findings from recent archaeological discoveries, and invites readers to ""participate in the translation and interpretation as an open-door, open-ended process."" Rather than claiming finality in his translation, Wu sees himself as a tour guide-leading readers toward unexpected aha! moments as they encounter a more thorough understanding of the Daodejing.

Revealing the fundamental continuities that exist between vernacular fiction and exorcist, martial rituals in the vernacular language, Mark Meulenbeld argues that a specific type of Daoist exorcism helped shape vernacular novels in the late Ming dynasty (1368-1644). Focusing on the once famous novel Fengshen yanyi ("Canonization of the Gods"), the author maps out the general ritual structure and divine protagonists that it borrows from much older systems of Daoist exorcism. By exploring how the novel reflects the specific concerns of communities associated with Fengshen yanyi and its ideology, Meulenbeld is able to reconstruct the cultural sphere in which Daoist exorcist rituals informed late imperial "novels." He first looks at temple networks and their religious festivals. Organized by local communities forterritorial protection, these networks featured martial narratives about the powerful and heroic deeds of the gods. He then shows that it is by means of dramatic practiceslike ritual, theatre, and temple processions that divine acts were embodied and brought to life. Much attention is given to local militias who embodied "demon soldiers" aspart of their defensive strategies. Various Ming emperors actively sought the support of these local religious networks and even continued to invite Daoist ritualists so asto efficiently marshal the forces of local gods with their local demon soldiers into the official, imperial reserves of military power. This unusual book establishes once and for all the importance of understanding the idealized realities of literary texts within a larger context of cultural practice and socio-political history. Of particular importance is the ongoing dialog with religious ideology that informs these diff erent discourses. Meulenbeld's book makes a convincing case for the need to debunk the retrospective reading of China through the modern, secular Western categories of "literature," "society," and "politics." He shows that this disregard of religious dynamics has distorted our understanding of China and that "religion" cannot be conveniently isolated from scholarly analysis.

This concise, potent essay presents a first comprehensive theory of what "Daoist" poetry might involve. Beginning with the vision of the ancient classics and informed by Daoist practice, John Leonard searches through poetry from different cultures to find a class of putatively Daoist poetry outside the Chinese tradition. He then suggests ways to recognise its following of the Way and outlines basic principles and guidelines, also including a number of his own poems.

Here, Taoist practitioner Eva Wong offers a colorful treatment of the history and evolution of Taoism, told through traditional teaching tales. These tales, which Wong first heard as a child growing up in Hong Kong, are gleaned from the local storytellers and the uncensored chronicles known as yeshi--the wild history of China, not monitored by the official imperial scholars and historians. The stories are by turns mysterious and intriguing, passionate and violent, and they are peppered with colorful characters, including hermits, politicians, social activists, revolutionaries, scholars, scientists, and mystics. Arranged chronologically from prehistory through the early twentieth century, these stories introduce the schools in the Taoist lineages, and capture the defeats and victories of Taoism, its periods of decadence and decay, and its renewal, maturation, and spiritual triumph. Wong puts these stories into context, and shows that Taoism is a dynamic spiritual tradition, constantly changing--and being influenced by--history.

In "Holding Yin, Embracing Yang," Eva Wong presents translations of three key texts containing the highest teachings of the Eastern and Western schools of Taoist internal alchemy--the discipline of cultivating health, longevity, and immortality by transforming the energetic structures of body and mind. The texts are primarily concerned with meditation, breathing practices, and sexual yoga with a partner--all as means for developing within ourselves the same life-giving energy that sustains and nourishes the universe. The texts in this collection offer a clear view of the physical, mental, and spiritual methods of Taoist practice, showing why they are important and how these methods all can work together in the cultivation of mental peace, radiant health, and longevity. This collection will provide inspiration and the essential foundation necessary to begin Taoist practice under the guidance of a teacher. The three classics translated here are: "Treatise on the Mysterious Orifice "by Xuanweilun (sixteenth century), "Discussion on the Cavity of the Tao" by Daojiaotan (nineteenth century), and "Secret Teachings on the Three Wheels "by Sanjubizhi (nineteenth century). Included is an introduction in which Wong discusses the various schools of internal alchemy, as well as their main practices.

The way of the Tao is one of peace -- of serenity, meditation and inner contentment. For centuries the followers of the Tao have drawn strength from its great wisdom, its faith in the laws of the universe, and its rare gift of turning the negative into the positive.

Although the origins of Taoism lie long ago in the mists of time, its philosophy of contemplative calm is more relevant, in today's busy world, than ever before. Bringing the wisdom of the great Taoist thinkers into the twenty-first century, this exquisite little volume contains some of their most profound words, offering insight and advice on a wide variety of different areas.

For those who seek comfort, inspiration or simply refuge from the chaos of modern life, this wealth of spiritual enlightenment will be treasured as a timeless keepsake forever.

The "Chuang Tzu " has been translated into English numerous times, but never with the freshness, accessibility, and accuracy of this remarkable rendering. Here the immediacy of Chuang Tzu's language is restored in a idiom that is both completely fresh and true to the original text. This unique collaboration between one of America's premier poet-translators and a leading Chinese scholar presents the so-called "Inner Chapters" of the text, along with important selections from other chapters thought to have been written by Chuang Tzu's disciples.

Here is a rich and varied selection from the most popular classics of ancient Taoism, including the TAO-TE CHING, CHUANG-TZU, HUAI-NAN-TZU, and WEN-TZU. Also translated are wonderful Taoist fables and stories from the "Tales of Inner Meaning" and a selection of short teachings of the famed Taoist patriarch Ancestor Lu, one of the great figures of early Taoism.

A classic Chinese text on Taoist meditation, this work has inspired many Ch'i-kung (Qigong) techniques for attaining health, happiness, and long life. The book describes the use of meditation in circulating energy, the role of breath, and the conservation of procreative energy. It is one of the few Taoist treatises to describe the landmarks of spiritual development and document the process of spiritual development from start to finish.

Master Hua-Ching Ni uses straightforward language and personal experiences, as well as traditional stories and teachings of the ancient masters, to impart the wisdom of Taoism, the Integral Way. His teachings promote a simple, natural, healthy, and happy way of life that lays the foundation for spiritual self-cultivation. Master Ni emphasizes that it is important first to establish a good understanding of basic spiritual principles and then begin to realize this wisdom in daily life by adopting practices and attitudes that help to conserve, nourish, and refine the subtle energy. Among the topics he discusses in short, accessible passages are basic spiritual self-protection; self-reliance; emotional balance; do's and don'ts for a healthy, natural lifestyle; sleeping and dreaming; diet; love, sex, and marriage; and meditations and invocations from the Taoist tradition.

The ancient Chinese regarded the written word as a transformative force able to move heaven and earth and unite the reader with the source of all things, the Tao. The power of writing, especially poetry, is celebrated here in four short texts that present both practical instruction and spiritual insight. 10 b&w calligraphies.

This incisive, illuminating translation of the Tao Te Ching treats these sacred writings as religious philosophy having as their central message the value of peace. Refreshing and challenging, this is a landmark work for all those investigating Eastern religion and philosophy.

Back Cover:

A NEW TRANSLATION WITH COMMENTARY
ELLEN M. CHEN
The Too Te Ching: A New Translation with Commentary is a thoroughly contemporary study of a classical book, one which is perhaps humanity's earliest extant religious text. Professor Ellen Chen's new translation and commentary on the Tao Te Ching is the first to treat this sacred and influential collection of writings as religious philosophy, having as its central message the value of peace.

This new translation of the Tao Te Ching is valuable and unique in that it interprets the writings from internal textual evidence and portrays the text as a coherent, self-consistent, organic whole; it situates the Tao Te Ching in the context of ancient Chinese thought and religions, as well as places it in dialogue with traditional Western philosophies. It also critically incorporates the best insights of important past commentaries on the text. In addition, Chen's well-documented translation is a sensitive and accurate one, which attempts to supply consistent English equivalents for often-used key phrases in the Chinese.

The Tao Te Ching: A New Translation with Commentary probes the intricate history of the Tao Te Ching, as well as of Lao Tzu-who is traditionally believed to be its author. In her introduction, Professor Chen considers fascinating evidence for the authorship and dating of the text, and places the work in a social and historical context. Professor Chen makes it clear that this book, whose profound comprehension of mankind's place in the natural universe is of supreme value in this day of nuclear peril, is essential in establishing a consciousness of reconciliation among all creatures of our planet. The Tao Te Ching: A New Translation with Commentary is a refreshing and challenging discussion of the classic Tao Te Ching, a work whose vision of peace is the tantamount expression of our times and, in Ellen Chen's superbly rendered translation, a vision that must surely emerge and endure.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ellen M. Chen lectures and teaches on the subject of Taoism and oriental philosophy. She has written numerous articles for various journals, including Philosophy East and West and History of Religions. She is currently a Professor of Philosophy at St. John's University in Jamaica, New York.

A sensible and compassionate book that will help those involved in any form of therapy make the best possible use of their time, effort, and money. "A fascinating blend of Eastern spirituality, Western psychotherapy, feminist consciousness, and real caring."--Riane Eisler, author of The Chalice and the Blade 35 black-and-white photographs.

This unique, highly contextualized translation of the Laozi is based on the earliest known edition of the work, Text A of the Mawangdui Laozi, written before 202 BCE. No other editions are comparable to this text in its antiquity. Hongkyung Kim also incorporates the recent archaeological discovery of Laozi-related documents disentombed in 1993 in Guodian, seeing these documents as proto-materials for compilation of the Laozi and revealing clues for disentangling the work from complicated exegetical contentions. Kim makes extensive use of Chinese commentaries on the Laozi and also examines the classic Chinese texts closely associated with the formation of the work to illuminate the intellectual and historical context of Laozi s philosophy.
Kim offers several original and thought-provoking arguments on the Laozi, including that the work was compiled during the Qin, which has traditionally been viewed as typical of Legalist states, and that the Laozi should be recognized as a syncretic text before being labeled a Daoist one."

Daoist Identity is an exploration of the various means by which Daoists over the centuries have created an identity for themselves. Using modern sociological studies of identity formation as its foundation, it brings together a representative sample of in-depth analyses by eminent American and Japanese scholars in the field.

The discussion begins with critical examinations of the ways identity was found among the early movements of the Way of Great Peace and the Celestial Masters. The role of sacred texts and literary culture in Daoist identity formation is discussed. The volume then focuses on lineage formation and the increasing role of popular religious practices, such as spirit-writing, in modern Daoism since the Song dynasty. Finally it discusses the Daoist adaptation and reinterpretation of Buddhist rites, such as the feeding of souls in hell and the use of ritual gestures, and the changes made in contemporary Daoism in relation to traditional rites and popular practices.