Building a Library of Daoist Studies
The following is a general guide to those who are starting to build a library of books related to Daoist Studies.
General Introductions to Daoism |
|
 |
Russel Kirkland's Taoism: The Enduring Tradition is the latest general introduction to Daoism. Published by Routledge (2004) it draws upon current scholarship to present a new vision of the tradition, its teachings, and its true place in Chinese society. Read more in our New Books on Daoist Studies section. |
 |
Livia Kohn's Daoism and Chinese Culture was published in 2001 by Three Pines Press. The book is a comprehensive, general textbook for the nonspecialist. It's one of the few books that covers the whole range of Daoism, from the earliest texts, through to contemporary movements such as Qigong and Falun Dafa. See all books by Livia Kohn |
 |
James Miller's Daoism: a Short Introduction is recently published by OneWorld Publications. The book is a thematic introduction to Daoism, with an emphasis on Daoism as a living tradition in China and the West. |
 |
Isabelle Robinet's Taoism: Growth of a Religion is an excellent account of the origins of Daoism up to the Song dynasty. See all books by Isabelle Robinet |
 |
Kristofer Schipper's The Taoist Body is a thematic, rather than historical, introduction to Daoism by one of the few leading Western academics to have been ordained as a Daoist priest in the Zhengyi(Orthodox Unity) tradition. See all books by Kristofer Schipper |
The Only Book You Really Need |
|
| I know it's US$245 but you can't afford not to own the Daoism Handbook, edited by Livia Kohn, with contributions by many major scholars. This is a historical and thematic reference work containing 28 substantial chapters covering all aspects of Daoism as we presently understand them. |
|
Key Transations of Daoist Texts |
|
 |
Hal Roth's Original Tao is a translation of the Nei ye (Inward Training) chapter of the Guanzi. In addition to a meticulous translation, Roth provides a valuable assessment of the mystical practices that this foundational text describes. See all books by Hal Roth |
 |
Robert Henricks's Daode jing is an essential scholarly translation of the bamboo slips of the Daode jing discovered in 1993 at the Guodian excavations (Hubei Province). See all books by Robert Henricks |
 |
Livia Kohn's The Taoist Experience is a valuable anthology of translations ranging from ancient philosophical texts through to 19th and early 20th century Daoist texts. The translations are arranged thematically, not historically, and each text includes a brief introduction. |
 |
Early Daoist Scriptures, by Steve Bokenkamp with Peter Nickerson, is an fat anthology of medieval Daoist texts notably from the Shangqing and Lingbao traditions, now available for a more reasonable price in paperback. |
Meeting Daoist People |
|
 |
Road to Heaven is a fascinating travelogue by Bill Porter, aka Redpine, recording his conversations with hermits living in contemporary China. |
| Stephan Peter Bumbacher's The Fragments of the Daoxue zhuan is a critical text, translation and study a of collection of medieval Daoist hagiographies |
|
Daoism and ... |
|
 |
Published in 2001, Daoism and Ecology is a volume in Harvard's Religions of the World and Ecology series. |
 |
J. J. Clarke's The Tao of the West is a valuable study in the Orientalist genre of the history of ideas. It explains how the West came to develop its own view of Daoism, and how that view is shaped by the legacy of Western colonialism. The book will be the subject of a panel discussion at the American Academy of Religion's 2001 annual meeting in Denver, at which the author will be present. |
 |
Taoism and the Arts of China is not only a beatifully produced volume, based on Stephen Little's exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago, but contains great introductory essays by Kristopher Schipper, Patricia Ebrey, Nancy Steinhardt, Shawn Eichman and Wu Hung. |