More than any other translation, Ziporyn's style manages to convey the playfulness, exuberance, and strangeness of the original text while maintaining a level of precision that allows for careful study and philosophical analysis. There are no perfect translations, but it is hard to imagine that a translation of the Zhuangzi can get any better than this one. -- Franklin Perkins, University of Hawai'i at Manoa
The importance of Ziporyn's translation of the complete Zhuangzi lies in its much-needed hermeneutic approach, which is attuned to the text's multivocal structure and its resistance to interpretive closure. With its carefully crafted supporting material that provides context for various debates, addresses philological matters, and explains different possibilities of translation, Ziporyn's Zhuangzi is not only uncompromisingly rigorous but also accessible to students of early Chinese philosophy and literature. At the same time, in tune with the moods and quirks of this idiosyncratic classic, Ziporyn's aptly playful English renderings bring out the humorous and provocative tone of the text, making this book an utterly absorbing read. Ziporyn's previous, abridged translation, Zhuangzi: The Essential Writings , presented with selected commentaries on the 'Inner Chapters,' has already replaced its predecessors and proved to be an indispensable resource for students and scholars alike. This new and unabbreviated translation will surely earn its place in no time as the authoritative translation of the complete Zhuangzi . -- Sonya oezbey, University of Michigan
