Decoding DAO - by Lee Dian Rainey (Paperback)

About the Book

"Written by a leading authority on Chinese philosophy, Decoding Dao uniquely focuses on the core texts in Daoist philosophy, providing readers with a user-friendly introduction that unravels the complexities of these seminal volumes. Offers a detailed introduction to the core texts in Daoist philosophy, the Dao De Jing and the Zhuangzi, two of the most widely read - and most challenging - texts in China's long literary history Covers the three main ways the texts can be read: as religious, mystical, and philosophical works Explores their historical context, origins, authorship, and the reasons these seminal texts came into being, along with the key terms and approaches they take Examines 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 Provides 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 "--

Book Synopsis

Written by a leading authority on Chinese philosophy, Decoding Dao uniquely focuses on the core texts in Daoist philosophy, providing readers with a user-friendly introduction that unravels the complexities of these seminal volumes.

• Offers a detailed introduction to the core texts in Daoist philosophy, the Dao De Jing and the Zhuangzi, two of the most widely read - and most challenging - texts in China's long literary history
• Covers the three main ways the texts can be read: as religious, mystical, and philosophical works
• Explores their historical context, origins, authorship, and the reasons these seminal texts came into being, along with the key terms and approaches they take
• Examines 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
• Provides 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

From the Back Cover

Providing a unique focus on the core texts in Daoist philosophy, this lucid introduction to the Dao De Jing and the Zhuangzi 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.

The volume sets the Dao De Jing and Zhuangzi 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. Decoding Dao offers readers unrivalled insight into the multifaceted philosophy of Daoism, informed by the very latest academic scholarship.

About the Author

Lee Dian Rainey 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 Confucius and Confucianism: The Essentials (Wiley-Blackwell, 2010).