2 Books Like The Daode jing Commentary of Cheng Xuanying

The Daoist classic Zhuangzi, attributed to Master Zhuang Zhou (ca. 369-286 BCE), is among the most challenging texts in Chinese philosophy to translate. Brook Ziporyn’s brilliant translation not only captures its philosophical richness and openness but also conveys its poetic and humorous qualities, offering a reading experience akin to the original Chinese text.

I particularly resonate with Ziporyn’s emphasis on the “muchness and manyness” of the Zhuangzi, as it grasps the text’s rich complexity and diverse interpretations. This book also offers explanatory footnotes that provide essential information to aid real-time reading, as well as endnotes and a “Glossary of Essential Terms” that address philological matters and conceptual issues.

These features make this Daoist classic highly accessible to readers interested in early Chinese philosophy and literature.

The Daoist classic Zhuangzi has a rich tradition of commentaries, with Guo Xiang (265–312) being the earliest and most influential. Guo is credited with editing the text into the thirty-three-chapter version known today and providing a comprehensive commentary that deepens understanding of its often ambiguous narratives and aphorisms.

Richard Lynn’s monumental translation of Guo’s interlinear commentary, along with his new translation of the Zhuangzi, make this essential text accessible to English readers. Lynn achieves a superb balance between literary Chinese syntactic equivalence and English fluency. The book includes an 89-page introduction detailing Guo’s life and contributions, extensive notes, four appendices, and two glossaries.

These materials embody Lynn’s profound knowledge of Chinese thoughts and literature, expanding our understanding of the interpretative tradition surrounding the Zhuangzi.