Preface by James Legge explained

What happens

Themes in this chapter

• Critique of Conventional Virtue

  Legge discusses the opposition between Taoism and Confucianism, highlighting Taoism's critique of Confucian moral and social principles.

• Return to Origins and Stillness

  The preface touches on the cultivation of the Tao as a rule of life favorable to longevity, reflecting a return to original simplicity.

Characters to notice

• Laozi

  Author of the Tao Te Ching, central figure of Taoism.

• Chuang Tzŭ

  Major Taoist philosopher whose writings are translated in this volume.

• James Legge

  Translator and author of this preface.

• F. H. Balfour

  Translator criticized for relying on the spurious Lü Yen commentary.

• Stanislas Julien

  Scholar whose work on Laozi is praised and defended against Balfour's charges.

• Herbert A. Giles

  Scholar who judged the Lü Yen commentary as spurious and ridiculous.

• Wu Chʽêng

  Yuan dynasty scholar whose commentary on the Tao Te Ching was highly useful to Legge.

• John Chalmers

  Protestant missionary who translated the Tao Te Ching in 1868.

Key passages

• “The two volumes now submitted to the reader are a fulfilment of the promise made so long ago.”

  These two volumes finally deliver on a promise made years earlier.

  Legge refers to his earlier promise to translate key Taoist texts.

• “It was not till after the introduction of Buddhism into China in our first century that Taoism began to organise itself as a religion, having its monasteries and nunneries, its images and rituals.”

  Taoism only became an organized religion with institutions and rituals after Buddhism arrived in China in the first century.

  Legge explains the historical transformation of Taoism from philosophy to religion.