The Tao Teh King: A Short Study in Comparative Religion

The full Tao Te Ching paired with the third century commentary of Wang Pi, the reading that shaped how the text was understood for centuries. Includes appendices on the life of Lao Tzu and on the differences with the Ma-wang-tui manuscripts.

Paul J. Lin

The complete eighty one chapters of the Tao Te Ching in a plain modern English rendering. A short, uncluttered read if you want the text itself without commentary or notes.

Lao Tzu

Lao Tzu's core sayings arranged by theme rather than by chapter, covering the Tao, virtue, government and the conduct of the sage. A good first contact with the text for readers who find the full Tao Te Ching dense.

Lionel Giles

Research essays on how the Tao Te Ching has been read, translated and reinterpreted around the world. Useful if you are comparing translations and want to understand why they diverge so much.

Misha Tadd

A translation and study of the Xiang'er commentary, a Celestial Masters reading of the Tao Te Ching recovered from the Dunhuang caves. Traces how the text was received inside the earliest organized Taoist community.

David Chai