TAOISM BIBLIOGRAPHY

compiled by Paul Cody

The following texts are ones I have read in my study of the Tao. * indicates a
work I would highly recommend. + indicates a very esoteric work that was
something of a struggle and probably is best not read until after other works have
been studied.
Blofield, J. (1985). Taoism: The road to immortality. Boston: Shambala. (mostly
historical)
+ Chang Po-tuan. (1986). The inner teachings of Taoism (T. Cleary, Trans). Boston:
Shambala. (metaphorical in nature)
Chuang Tzu. (1964). Chuang Tzu: Basic writings (B. Watson, Trans.). New
York: Columbia University Press. (a scholarly translation and useful, more
extensive but not as alive as Merton's book)
* Cleary, T. (Trans. & ed.). (1992). The book of leadership and strategy: lessons of
the Chinese masters. Boston: Shambala. (This classic of the Taoist canon,
called Huainanzi/ Huainan tzu, is most highly recommended. A king of
Huainan in the 2nd century BCE had eight Taoist masters at his court. This is
their collected aphorisms.)
* Cleary, T. (Trans. & Ed.). (1991). The essential Tao. San Francisco: Harper
Collins (the Tao Te Ching and the Inner teachings of Chuang Tzu [the 7
chapters directly attributed to him] in everyday prose and in one book for $12)
Cleary, T. (Trans. & ed.). (1989). Immortal sisters: Secrets of Taoist women.
Boston: Shambala. (good for providing a balancing history of female masters)
* Hoff, B. (1982). The Tao of Pooh. New York: Penguin. (a modern classic that
covers the central concepts)
Hoff, B. (1992). The Te of Piglet. New York: Dutton. (good, but not great like
the
earlier book, the author comes through too much in some places)
Hua-Ching Ni. (Trans.) (1995). Hua Hu Ching: The later teachings of Lao Tzu.
Boston: Shambala. (A modern Taoist master puts into print an orallytransmitted text that had been destroyed in the 14th century.)
* Huanchu Daoren. (1994). Back to beginnings (T. Cleary, Trans.). Boston:
Shambala. ( a small book full of accessible aphorisms)

Japiske, C. (1990). The Tao of Meow. Alpharetta, GA: Enthea Press. (Silliness for
Taoist cat owners: A cat, Waldo Japussy, reveals the wisdon of his species.)
* Johanson, G., & Kurtz, R. (1991). Grace unfolding: psychotherapy in the spirit of
the Tao-te ching. New York: Bell Tower. (Written mainly from the
perspective of a client, this book is also excellent for therapists. It grounds
the work of therapy in a Taoist context.)
+ Kohn, L. (Ed.). (1989). Taoist meditation & longevity techniques. Ann Arbor:
Center for Chinese Studies, The University of Michigan. (scholarly and
academic)
* LaFargue, M. (1992). The Tao of the Tao Te Ching. Albany: State University of
New York Press. (This work is a superb use of hermeneutics, the study of a
text's internal structure, for interpreting the Tao Te Ching.)
* Lao-tzu. (1991). Further teachings of Lao-tzu: Understanding the mysteries (T.
Cleary, Trans.). Boston: Shambala. (really good and from a master)
Lao-tzu. (1977). A translation of Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching and Wang Pi's
Commentary (P. Lin, Trans.). Ann Arbor: Center for Chinese Studies, The
University of Michigan. (an excellent translation also containing an
historical commentary)
Lao Tzu. (1990). Tao Te Ching (Trans. J. C. H. Wu). Boston: Shambala. (a
3"x4.5" translation to take with you wherever you go)
Li Po & Tu Fu. (1973). Li Po and Tu Fu (Trans. A. Cooper ). New York: Penguin.
(Li Po is considered the premier Taoist poet. He is often paired with his best
friend, Tu Fu, the other greatest Chinese poet, who is of the Ch'an [Zen]
tradition.)
Li Po & Tu Fu. (1987). Bright moon, perching bird (Trans. J. Seaton & J. Cryer).
Middleton, CT: Wesleyan University Press. (Ditto to the above, but I like this
collection better.)
Lieh-tzu. (1990). The book of Lieh-tzu (A. Graham, Trans.). New York:
Columbia University Press. (the third book of the Taoist canon, useful)
Loy Ching-Yuen. (1994). The book of the heart: Embracing the Tao (T. Carolan
&
B. Chen, Trans.). Boston: Shambala. (a small, 4.25 x 5", book of
Taoist/Buddhist thought, useful as part of daily practice)

Lui I-ming. (1988). Awakening to the Tao (T. Cleary, Trans). Boston: Shambala.
(approachable and pragmatic)
+ Lui I-ming. (1986). The Taoist I Ching (T. Cleary, Trans.) Boston: Shambala.
(A metaphorical explanations of metaphors, it is hard going)
* Merton, T. (1965). The way of Chuang Tzu. New York: New Directions. (a
delight, immediate in tone)
Sun-tzu. (1988). The art of war (T. Cleary, Trans.). Boston: Shambala. (Taoist
military strategy, Wall Street fad)
Tsai Chih Chung. (1992). Zhuangzi speaks: The music of nature (Brian
Bruya, Trans. ). Princeton: Princeton University Press. (Tsai Chih Chung is a
Taiwanese cartoonist who has created cartoons for the stories of Chuang Tzu.
Great!)
Tsai Chih Chung. (1995). The Tao speaks: Lao-Tzu's whispers of wisdom
(Brian Bruya, Trans.). New York: Anchor Books. (Tsai Chih Chung is a
Taiwanese cartoonist who has created cartoons for the Tao Te Ching. As
fantastic as his previous work!)
* Watts, A. (1975). Tao: The watercourse way. New York: Pantheon. (a good
explanation of basic Taoist concepts)
Watts, A. (1957). Ch. 1: The philosophy of the Tao. The way of Zen (pp. 3-28).
New York: Vintage. (a great short history of Taoism's origins and
influence)
* Yi Wu. (1989). The book of Lao Tzu (The Tao Te Ching).
Great Learning Publishing Co.
1818 46th Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94122
(My teacher's work: It takes you from the ideograms to the possible words in
English, to his translation, and his notes regarding the chapters. It is very good, in
a different way from the other translations, for it does not give as much context or
guidance. It leaves students more on their own to find their own Way.)