Tao Te Ching - Softcover

Written some 2,500 years ago, the Tao Te Ching is the most influential Chinese book of all time. The title can be translated as The Book of the Way and Virtue and its verses are no less than an attempt to sum up the cosmos and human beings' place within it. This is a beautifully illustrated, colourful collector's edition which will look good on anybody's shelf as well as making an ideal gift.

The Tao Te Ching is fundamental to the Philosophical Taoism and strongly influenced other schools, such as Legalism and Neo-Confucianism. This ancient book is also central in Chinese religion, not only for Religious Taoism but Chinese Buddhism, which when first introduced into China was largely interpreted through the use of Taoist words and concepts. Many Chinese artists, including poets, painters, calligraphers, and even gardeners have used the Tao Te Ching as a source of inspiration. Its influence has also spread widely outside East Asia, aided by hundreds of translations into Western languages.