Synopsis
Revered for millennia in the Chinese spiritual tradition, Chuang Tze stands alongside the Tao Te Ching as a founding classic of Taoism. The Inner Chapters are the only sustained section of this text widely believed to be the work of Chuang Tzu himself, dating to the fourth century B.C.E. But this is an ancient text that yields a surprisingly modern effect. In bold and startling prose, David Hinton's translation captures the "zany texture and philosophical abandon" of the original. The Inner Chapters fantastical passages - in which even birds and trees teach us what they know - offer up a wild menagerie of characters, freewheeling play with language, and surreal humor. And interwoven with Chuang Tzu's sharp instruction on the Tao are short-short stories that are often rough and ribald, rich with satire and paradox. On their deepest level, the Inner Chapters are a meditation on the mysteries of knowledge itself.
Library Journal
The Chuang Tzu, named after its author (364-290 B.C.E.), along with the Tao Te Ching, form the basis for philosophical Taoism. Only the "inner chapters," the first seven of the 33, are completely attributed to Chuang Tzu. Hinton offers a vibrant translation that captures the subtlety, complexity, ambiguity, and profound depth of the Eastern text. His ten-page introduction sets the work in its historical context and shows how Chuang Tzu's perspective is revealed through his use of language. Hinton is helpful in pointing out the numerous genreshumor, parable, myth, story, and philosophyChuang Tzu has used to compose his text. Hinton's refreshing translation is modern while at the same time capturing, rather than distorting, the Eastern essence of this work. Highly recommended even for libraries having a previous copy of this work.David Bourquin, California State Univ., San Bernadino