This new translation of the Chinese classic and foundation text of Daoism integrates the manuscript discoveries of the last 30 years, introducing a fundamentally different view of the nature of the Dao. Michael Puett, the Walter C. Klein Professor of Chinese History and Chair of the Committee on the Study of Religion at Harvard University, calls this translation "an excellent translation of one of the most important texts from the Chinese philosophical tradition," and goes on to state: "Building upon the crucial body of scholarship that has developed in China over the past several decades, Yang Peng succeeds in providing a translation that is both precise and readable. A wonderful achievement!" --Publisher