Lao-tzu's Te-Tao Ching has been treasured for thousands of years for its poetic statement of life's most profound and elusive truths. Although the Te-Tao Ching is widely read, the author's enigmatic style and the less than perfect condition of the Chinese originals make many of its verses difficult to understand.

This ground-breaking translation is based on the Ma-wang-tui texts discovered in 1973, which were preserved in the tomb of an officials son and found to date to 168 BC - making the texts more than five centuries older than any others known. In this important edition of the classic work, Professor Henricks corrects many defects of the later versions and reevaluates traditional interpretations in his enlightening commentary.

In addition, Professor Henricks explains the basics of Taoism and discusses many other important finds from Ma-wang-tui.