10 pages, 82-95 Life and death
===
Contents Audiobook chap
Preface 00
Introduction: A Very Short History of Daoism 00
Laozi and the Daodejing 00
Zhuangzi 00
Huang-Lao-Daoism 00
Daoist Mysticism 00
Daoist Religion 00
Daoism Today 00
The Dao 00
Part I: Images and Allegories 00
1. Images in the Laozi 00
The Wheel-an Image of the Dao 00
Water and the Female 00
The Root 00
2. Allegories in the Zhuangzi 00
The Dream of the Butterfly-Or: Everything Is Real 00
The Fishnet Allegory-Or: How to Forget Thinking 00
The Happy Fish-Or: Joy without Joy 00
Part II: Issues 00
1. The State 00
2. The Body (Of Infants and Corpses) 00
3. Life and Death 00
4. Time 00
5. Nature 00
6. Artisanship and Art 00
7. Ethics 00
8. Language and Thought 00
Part III: Structures 00
1. Presence and Nonpresence-Or: The Pipe of Heaven 12
2. Daoist Signs-Or: The Difference between Dao and God 00
Part IV. Perspectives 00
1. Daoism and Chan (or: Zen) Buddhism 00
2. Daoism and Contemporary Philosophy 00
Notes 00
Index 00
===
Daoism Explained: From the Dream of the Butterfly to the Fishnet Allegory
by
Hans-Georg Moeller
3.85 · Rating details · 46 ratings · 8 reviews
Hans-Georg Moeller has achieved the perfect blend with Daoism Explained.
is both a fascinating introduction on Daoist thought as well as an original and insightful contribution to Eastern philosophy.
This book will take the place of The Tao of Pooh by Hoff. Like that book, Daoism Explained offers a comprehensive presentation of Daoist philosophy that is interesting and easy to follow.
The study sheds new light on many Daoist allegories by showing how modern translations often concealed the original wit and humor of the Chinese original, or imposed alien philosophical frameworks on them.
It attempts to take away the metaphysical and Christian disguises with which Daoist philosophy has been obscured by Western interpretations in the past 100 years. (less)
35 people found this helpful
===
Harmony
5.0 out of 5 stars Thanks,Prof Moeller !
Reviewed in the United States on March 24, 2016
Verified Purchase
Prof Moeller understands Daoism .His clear concepts are fundamental to understand Chinese philosophy for Western people.
Looking forward to reading more of his book.
====
Russ Reising
5.0 out of 5 stars Best book I ever read on Daoism
Reviewed in the United States on January 19, 2014
Verified Purchase
My title says it all. Moeller gets at the philosophical core of Daoism and offers a comprehensive and, for me, truly eye-opening analysis of the tradition and some of its major statements, enigmas, and figures.
3 people found this helpful
===
G. Stark
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
Reviewed in the United States on September 20, 2006
Verified Purchase
It is a very accurate, readable book, and does great service in clarifying concepts previously and otherwise mis-interpreted.
4 people found this helpful
===
Sam George
1.0 out of 5 stars The Dao Can't be Translated
Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2020
The Tao De Ching makes it clear that the Dao can't be said or named. Yet this book, as with every book I have read like it in English, spend the entire book trying to name and speak it. The big problem with English is English. Almost every word we use goes back to Western philosophy, and even worse, is mediated through Christianity. Being.
One person found this helpful
===
R. Mutt
VINE VOICE
4.0 out of 5 stars Does just what the title says
Reviewed in the United States on September 13, 2006
This is a great book for readers of Daoist works- mainly the Daodejing (Laozi), Liezi, and Zhuangzi. It covers the fundamentals of Daoism succinctly without glossing over important concepts.
===
Jan 24, 2018Daz rated it really liked it
Shelves: daoism, nonfiction, art, philosophy
I can understand now why this book has made its way to art shops in Melbourne, and why it was recommended to me by a very gifted Fine Arts student from China. There is something quite beautiful about the writings of Daoism that calm the soul and offer that essence of minimalism; that ‘less is more’, 'non-action is action' philosophy that art and writing often benefit from.
In the beginning of this book Daoism Explained, Moeller does a clever job of presenting the writings of the Laozi and the Zhuangzi, by comparing western philosophical interpretations to what he believes is the original and intended Chinese meaning. There were times where I felt like Moeller’s subjective voice was a little too overpowering for what should be an objective study of philosophy. Nevertheless, some of the material is quite significant when coming to terms with the ‘intended sense’ (for lack of a better term) of Daoism. For example, In the Dream of the Butterfly, Moeller identifies a glaring problem with western philosophy’s translation and interpretation of the allegory. Within their muddled mess, there is an unexplained emphasis on the subject “I”, while always seeking to gain some kind of profound meaning or a significance in regards to transcendence when the man 'remembers' his dream of being a butterfly. Those pesky westerners! They appear to think they can understand centuries of Daoist philosophy just because they can wear a Chinese robe for one day. As Moeller asserts, Daoism in its nature and in the original interpretation seeks to do just the opposite. For example, In the Dream of the Butterfly - the man does not focus on remembering his dream but rather an act of forgetting. 'Being' and not 'I' should rather focus on forgetting, letting go and understanding that the life or the dream of the butterfly and the life or the dream of the man are both distinctly separate yet very much experiencing their own worlds. This is just one example of a discussion within the book that I found fascinating.
So far (halfway through), Moeller’s writing is clear and concise. His material is well researched and this book is definitely not a waste of time if you are interested in the subject. Whether or not he ‘Explains’ every part of Daoism in accordance with its original intention is well up for debate. Herein lies why the book suffers a little bit from a pushy, forceful tone of voice. The irony for me, is that I think his work could have done with a little more objective flow, a little more... Dao. Still, a fantastic read with some remarkable imagery, metaphors and quotes that give beauty and humility to the spirit.
Extended note -
After finishing this work, Moeller moves away from his subjective voice. Some very interesting discourse on the 'The Way of the Dao', ancient Chinese structures of space, presence (you) vs nonpresence (wu) and a conclusion for where Daoism stands within Contemporary Philosophy. A little dense towards the end. Overall, a book worth reading for anyone fascinated by the topic and should really be apart of any artists' bookshelf. (less)
flag3 likes · Like · comment · see review
Jun 24, 2010Finbar rated it really liked it
Shelves: history, lit-crit, philo-sloppy, social-science
This is a great book on Daoism. I enjoyed Moeller's style of writing. He makes a subject that is often obtuse and shrouded in obscure metaphor clear and direct. I highly recommend this for anyone interested in Daoism or for those who have dabbled but were unable to penetrate the veil. (less)
flag1 like · Like · comment · see review
Dec 06, 2021Hans Otterson added it
I've been rambling my way through and in and out of the Daodejing for some time now. That philosophical-aphoristic work is at times incredibly deep and instructive and at times incredibly cryptic.
Mr. Moeller's book, beginning with a history of Daoism and continuing with a breakdown of Daoist images, allegories, and dialogues, really clarifies a ton and makes me feel equipped to dive back into the DDJ and move on to things like the Zhuangzhi, the I Ching, and others. In the western world, the DDJ is often sold as an ancient book about how to live, in a similar way that the Bible was often pitched to me as an adolescent as a "blueprint for life". Well, anyone who's read the Bible cover-to-cover, really read it without ideology behind their eyes, can tell you that it's no clear blueprint for life (which isn't to say it doesn't contain wisdom). In the same way, no one who's really read the DDJ could honestly drop it in your lap and tell you it's a guide to life.
Daoism Explained reveals the origin of the DDJ as a political book--a book for ancient elites about how to lead. The "I" perspective of the book gets misconstrued in western readings as the individualistic "everyman": the book references "the master" as me, right? As someone to become, right? Well, no. A lot of it is talking about how to run a country, in the way that Plato's Republic was. And like The Republic, a lot of it is relevant to the individual's life and way of living, but approaching the book without some background info is going to lead you astray. Which is where Daoism explained comes in.
Because the meat of the book is Mr. Moeller going through Daoist texts and stripping away the traditional, westernized interpretations of them, that often squeezed the texts into familiar philosophical shapes at the cost of perverting and in some cases inverting them entirely. It's incredibly refreshing, nuanced, and rooted in readings of ancient commentators on the Daoist texts themselves, not simply Mr. Moeller's "new interpretation".
If you ever get intrigued by the Daodejing, I'd say, take a leisurely week and read it (you could read through it in an hour, but you'll want to let it breathe). And then read Daoism Explained next, and you'll be pretty damn well equipped to continue on. Highly recommended.
KC (less)
flagLike · comment · see review
Nov 27, 2021Chancakes rated it it was amazing
The books does a really good job of introducing Daoism in a rigourous way that is often missing in English presentations of the the tradition. He clarifies western misunderstandings of Daoism that have been perpetuated since the earliest encounters and translations of Daoist texts from the 19-20th century. Hoeller unpacks the various allegories employed in both the Laozi and the Zhuangzi, in addition to citing other texts like the Huainan Zi to clarify points in the former two.
Someone downsides to the book is I think a lack of exploration of the Neo-Daoist interpretations of Laozi from authors like Wangbi, which, arguably had the largest impact on the legact of Daoist thought in China post the Han period. Moeller criticised Wangbi and other Neo-Daoists for an overly metahphysical reading of the Laozi but it seems they are just drawing out the metahphysical and ontological thought present in the text. Either way they are an important branch of Daoism that I think would have been good to introduce. (less)
flagLike · comment · see review
Apr 14, 2019Matt rated it really liked it
Shelves: philosophy
A clear and concise overview of philosophical Daoism as well as explaining some of the pitfalls in interpreting Daoist texts based on their translations. A good place to start before reading the Daodejing or Zhuangzi.
flagLike · comment · see review
Apr 25, 2020Peter Sheffield rated it it was ok
Shelves: eastern-philosophy
Stilted and dry, not my cup of tea!
flagLike · comment · see review
Dec 08, 2009Colin Hoad rated it liked it
Shelves: research-books
An interesting book that seeks to place Taoism as a philosophy apart from the Western tradition. The author asserts that a number of assumptions Western scholars have regarding Taoism are based upon inaccurate early translations of key Taoist texts, including the famous "butterfly dream" parable in the Book of Zhuangzi. Moeller sketches out a new philosophical framework for Taoism and invites the reader to appraise it as a distinctively Chinese system of thought as opposed to a mere branch of existing Western philosophy. (less)
flagLike · comment · see review
Sample
Daoism Explained: From the Dream of the Butterfly to the Fishnet Allegory
Ideas Explained, Book 1
By: Hans-Georg Moeller
Narrated by: Simon Barber
Length: 8 hrs and 2 mins
Release date: 28-03-2019
Language: English
5 out of 5 stars1 rating
===
Paperback, 160 pages
Published August 9th 2004
Published August 9th 2004
by Open Court
===
Review
...clear, nontechnical languange, and this book should be helpful to anyone interested in Daoism and in Chinese thought. -- CHOICE, April 2005
===
Top reviews from the United States
dods
5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best books on Daoism
Reviewed in the United States on January 19, 2005
Verified Purchase
This is truly one of the finest books on Daoism. Professor Moeller's ability to illuminate many difficult daoist concepts in a clear and concise manner is very rare. Please take the time to read excerpts from the book.
===
Review
...clear, nontechnical languange, and this book should be helpful to anyone interested in Daoism and in Chinese thought. -- CHOICE, April 2005
===
Top reviews from the United States
dods
5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best books on Daoism
Reviewed in the United States on January 19, 2005
Verified Purchase
This is truly one of the finest books on Daoism. Professor Moeller's ability to illuminate many difficult daoist concepts in a clear and concise manner is very rare. Please take the time to read excerpts from the book.
The excerpt:
The Wheel - An image of Dao is a brilliant examination of Chapter 11 of the Tao Te Ching. Also, the chapters "The State", and "Presence and Nonpresence" (usually translated as being and non-being) are excellent.
"Daoism Explained" is not a rehash of ideas taken from previous books on the subject. It is a unique and intelligent examination of Daoism.
35 people found this helpful
===
Harmony
5.0 out of 5 stars Thanks,Prof Moeller !
Reviewed in the United States on March 24, 2016
Verified Purchase
Prof Moeller understands Daoism .His clear concepts are fundamental to understand Chinese philosophy for Western people.
Looking forward to reading more of his book.
====
Russ Reising
5.0 out of 5 stars Best book I ever read on Daoism
Reviewed in the United States on January 19, 2014
Verified Purchase
My title says it all. Moeller gets at the philosophical core of Daoism and offers a comprehensive and, for me, truly eye-opening analysis of the tradition and some of its major statements, enigmas, and figures.
3 people found this helpful
===
G. Stark
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
Reviewed in the United States on September 20, 2006
Verified Purchase
It is a very accurate, readable book, and does great service in clarifying concepts previously and otherwise mis-interpreted.
4 people found this helpful
===
Sam George
1.0 out of 5 stars The Dao Can't be Translated
Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2020
The Tao De Ching makes it clear that the Dao can't be said or named. Yet this book, as with every book I have read like it in English, spend the entire book trying to name and speak it. The big problem with English is English. Almost every word we use goes back to Western philosophy, and even worse, is mediated through Christianity. Being.
This work is so loaded and no how you slice and dice it (such as presence and absence) it is still Being. There is no such work in Mandarin.
The other huge mistake by the author is extensive discussion of the use of "ego." The concept of the ego was not articulated it the West until the 20th century. It is massive illiteracy to bring into a Chinese environment 2000 years ago. There was no ego.
Whatever the Chinese notion of self was it was not an ego. They did not have Freud.
Finally., an unforgivable error is the analogy of the Dao with the "flow" of self help. Shame on you! I don't the authors of the Tao thought of a jogger getting into the "flow." In fact, they could not conceive it.
One person found this helpful
===
R. Mutt
VINE VOICE
4.0 out of 5 stars Does just what the title says
Reviewed in the United States on September 13, 2006
This is a great book for readers of Daoist works- mainly the Daodejing (Laozi), Liezi, and Zhuangzi. It covers the fundamentals of Daoism succinctly without glossing over important concepts.
After reading this book anyone should be able to read the aforementioned works with a greater degree of comprehension.
As the previous reviewer stated, this is indeed one of the best books on Daoism.
However, it also contains one of the most backwards economic theories ever put on paper.
Fortunately, the author limits his hopelessly surreal ideas of the latter topic to only the last few pages.
In his attempt to explain society as a self-perpetuating force that runs itself without human action, he makes statements that are so blatantly silly that it almost seems as if he added them in just to see if readers were really paying attention.
In his own words, "the functioning of the modern economy has to be explained largely in terms of the flow of money and stocks- and no longer as a causal result of human enterprise."
So somehow if human enterprise were to suddenly cease, the flow of money and stocks will just keep going- right?
This notion seems too ridiculous to entertain, but the author continues by stating that "mass communication has quite obviously detached itself from actual human performances and 'autonomized' itself as a self-generating 'hypertext.'"
It's quite interesting to know that this author feels as if mass communication on planet Earth will continue unabated if all the humans got on spaceships and left. The whole idea that economies and politics and mass communication don't need people sounds like something that would happen if robots took over the planet Terminator-style. If that's what the author is referring to, then I suppose I am wrong. But if the author thinks the "Dao" will handle monetary exchanges just fine without us around, then he needs to put the bong down for a while. In all, this book is great and would have fully earned its five stars if it weren't for this little delusional twist at the end.
Read more
13 people found this helpful
Read more
13 people found this helpful
===
Jan 24, 2018Daz rated it really liked it
Shelves: daoism, nonfiction, art, philosophy
I can understand now why this book has made its way to art shops in Melbourne, and why it was recommended to me by a very gifted Fine Arts student from China. There is something quite beautiful about the writings of Daoism that calm the soul and offer that essence of minimalism; that ‘less is more’, 'non-action is action' philosophy that art and writing often benefit from.
In the beginning of this book Daoism Explained, Moeller does a clever job of presenting the writings of the Laozi and the Zhuangzi, by comparing western philosophical interpretations to what he believes is the original and intended Chinese meaning. There were times where I felt like Moeller’s subjective voice was a little too overpowering for what should be an objective study of philosophy. Nevertheless, some of the material is quite significant when coming to terms with the ‘intended sense’ (for lack of a better term) of Daoism. For example, In the Dream of the Butterfly, Moeller identifies a glaring problem with western philosophy’s translation and interpretation of the allegory. Within their muddled mess, there is an unexplained emphasis on the subject “I”, while always seeking to gain some kind of profound meaning or a significance in regards to transcendence when the man 'remembers' his dream of being a butterfly. Those pesky westerners! They appear to think they can understand centuries of Daoist philosophy just because they can wear a Chinese robe for one day. As Moeller asserts, Daoism in its nature and in the original interpretation seeks to do just the opposite. For example, In the Dream of the Butterfly - the man does not focus on remembering his dream but rather an act of forgetting. 'Being' and not 'I' should rather focus on forgetting, letting go and understanding that the life or the dream of the butterfly and the life or the dream of the man are both distinctly separate yet very much experiencing their own worlds. This is just one example of a discussion within the book that I found fascinating.
So far (halfway through), Moeller’s writing is clear and concise. His material is well researched and this book is definitely not a waste of time if you are interested in the subject. Whether or not he ‘Explains’ every part of Daoism in accordance with its original intention is well up for debate. Herein lies why the book suffers a little bit from a pushy, forceful tone of voice. The irony for me, is that I think his work could have done with a little more objective flow, a little more... Dao. Still, a fantastic read with some remarkable imagery, metaphors and quotes that give beauty and humility to the spirit.
Extended note -
After finishing this work, Moeller moves away from his subjective voice. Some very interesting discourse on the 'The Way of the Dao', ancient Chinese structures of space, presence (you) vs nonpresence (wu) and a conclusion for where Daoism stands within Contemporary Philosophy. A little dense towards the end. Overall, a book worth reading for anyone fascinated by the topic and should really be apart of any artists' bookshelf. (less)
flag3 likes · Like · comment · see review
Jun 24, 2010Finbar rated it really liked it
Shelves: history, lit-crit, philo-sloppy, social-science
This is a great book on Daoism. I enjoyed Moeller's style of writing. He makes a subject that is often obtuse and shrouded in obscure metaphor clear and direct. I highly recommend this for anyone interested in Daoism or for those who have dabbled but were unable to penetrate the veil. (less)
flag1 like · Like · comment · see review
Dec 06, 2021Hans Otterson added it
I've been rambling my way through and in and out of the Daodejing for some time now. That philosophical-aphoristic work is at times incredibly deep and instructive and at times incredibly cryptic.
Mr. Moeller's book, beginning with a history of Daoism and continuing with a breakdown of Daoist images, allegories, and dialogues, really clarifies a ton and makes me feel equipped to dive back into the DDJ and move on to things like the Zhuangzhi, the I Ching, and others. In the western world, the DDJ is often sold as an ancient book about how to live, in a similar way that the Bible was often pitched to me as an adolescent as a "blueprint for life". Well, anyone who's read the Bible cover-to-cover, really read it without ideology behind their eyes, can tell you that it's no clear blueprint for life (which isn't to say it doesn't contain wisdom). In the same way, no one who's really read the DDJ could honestly drop it in your lap and tell you it's a guide to life.
Daoism Explained reveals the origin of the DDJ as a political book--a book for ancient elites about how to lead. The "I" perspective of the book gets misconstrued in western readings as the individualistic "everyman": the book references "the master" as me, right? As someone to become, right? Well, no. A lot of it is talking about how to run a country, in the way that Plato's Republic was. And like The Republic, a lot of it is relevant to the individual's life and way of living, but approaching the book without some background info is going to lead you astray. Which is where Daoism explained comes in.
Because the meat of the book is Mr. Moeller going through Daoist texts and stripping away the traditional, westernized interpretations of them, that often squeezed the texts into familiar philosophical shapes at the cost of perverting and in some cases inverting them entirely. It's incredibly refreshing, nuanced, and rooted in readings of ancient commentators on the Daoist texts themselves, not simply Mr. Moeller's "new interpretation".
If you ever get intrigued by the Daodejing, I'd say, take a leisurely week and read it (you could read through it in an hour, but you'll want to let it breathe). And then read Daoism Explained next, and you'll be pretty damn well equipped to continue on. Highly recommended.
KC (less)
flagLike · comment · see review
Nov 27, 2021Chancakes rated it it was amazing
The books does a really good job of introducing Daoism in a rigourous way that is often missing in English presentations of the the tradition. He clarifies western misunderstandings of Daoism that have been perpetuated since the earliest encounters and translations of Daoist texts from the 19-20th century. Hoeller unpacks the various allegories employed in both the Laozi and the Zhuangzi, in addition to citing other texts like the Huainan Zi to clarify points in the former two.
Someone downsides to the book is I think a lack of exploration of the Neo-Daoist interpretations of Laozi from authors like Wangbi, which, arguably had the largest impact on the legact of Daoist thought in China post the Han period. Moeller criticised Wangbi and other Neo-Daoists for an overly metahphysical reading of the Laozi but it seems they are just drawing out the metahphysical and ontological thought present in the text. Either way they are an important branch of Daoism that I think would have been good to introduce. (less)
flagLike · comment · see review
Apr 14, 2019Matt rated it really liked it
Shelves: philosophy
A clear and concise overview of philosophical Daoism as well as explaining some of the pitfalls in interpreting Daoist texts based on their translations. A good place to start before reading the Daodejing or Zhuangzi.
flagLike · comment · see review
Apr 25, 2020Peter Sheffield rated it it was ok
Shelves: eastern-philosophy
Stilted and dry, not my cup of tea!
flagLike · comment · see review
Dec 08, 2009Colin Hoad rated it liked it
Shelves: research-books
An interesting book that seeks to place Taoism as a philosophy apart from the Western tradition. The author asserts that a number of assumptions Western scholars have regarding Taoism are based upon inaccurate early translations of key Taoist texts, including the famous "butterfly dream" parable in the Book of Zhuangzi. Moeller sketches out a new philosophical framework for Taoism and invites the reader to appraise it as a distinctively Chinese system of thought as opposed to a mere branch of existing Western philosophy. (less)
flagLike · comment · see review
Sample
Daoism Explained: From the Dream of the Butterfly to the Fishnet Allegory
Ideas Explained, Book 1
By: Hans-Georg Moeller
Narrated by: Simon Barber
Length: 8 hrs and 2 mins
Release date: 28-03-2019
Language: English
5 out of 5 stars1 rating
===
Daoism Explained: From the Dream of the Butterfly to the Fishnet Allegory (review)
Carine Defoort
China Review International
University of Hawai'i Press
Volume 14, Number 1, Spring 2007
pp. 179-185
Review
Reviewed by:
Carine Defoort (bio)
Hans-Georg Moeller. Daoism Explained: From the Dream of the Butterfly to the Fishnet Allegory. Chicago: Open Court, 2005. viii, 178 pp. Paperback $16.95, ISBN 0–8126–9563–1.
When Zhuang Zhou dreamt and turned into a butterfly, there was Zhou and there was the butterfly. There had to be a distinction between them, according to Zhuangzi, which he relates to the “changing of things.”1 In the case of Hans-Georg Moeller, there is the sinology scholar and there is the philosopher, there is the German professor and the Canadian chair. This book, Daoism Explained, is to some extent the result of his “changing of jobs” from Germany to Canada, since it is the translation of his earlier work In der Mitte des Kreises: Daoistisches Denken (Insel Verlag, 2001). And it is, more importantly, the fruitful result of the author’s expertise in both sinology and philosophy.2
The intention of the author is to free Daoist philosophy from the “metaphysical ballast” in which it has been submerged by “Western” interpretations, but not exclusively by Western scholars (p. vii). He therefore searches more “original” readings of the Laozi and the Zhuangzi and stresses the differences between ancient Daoist and modern Western philosophy. Moeller tries to avoid the Laozi commentary of Wang Bi, who “developed a nearly ‘metaphysical’ concept” of Daoist core notions (p. 15). Instead, he often takes recourse to Guo Xiang’s interpretation of the Zhuangzi because that is “a much more original contribution to Daoist philosophy” (p. 15) as opposed to “Wang Bi’s somewhat pompous and static reification of Dao” (p. 16). To some readers this may sound a bit unpromising, like one more simplistic depiction of China as the absolute Other by a postmodern Westerner. But that is not the case: Daoism Explained presents, aside from some general comparative statements about “China” and “the West,” many powerful images, subtle philosophical insights, and refreshingly new interpretations.
Following a short introduction, the book is divided into four major parts: (1) images and allegories, (2) issues, (3) structures, and (4) perspectives.
The introduction (pp. 1–26) is a concise and largely chronological presentation of Daoism, beginning with Laozi and the Daodejing, followed by the Zhuangzi, Huang-Lao Daoism (Han), Daoist mysticism (Wei-Jin commentaries), Daoist practice (from the Later Han onward), Daoism today, and ending with the concept of “Dao.” In each case the author provides his readers (mainly perceived as philosophically rather than sinologically trained Westerners)3 with the basic information concerning sources, recent discoveries, authorship, and general context. At this introductory stage, Moeller does not join any debate, but presents the stage clearly and comprehensively. [End Page 179]
Part 1 (pp. 27–65) discusses various interconnected Daoist images in the Laozi and well-known allegories in the Zhuangzi. The first and most elaborated image is that of the wheel, with its opposition between the empty hub and the spokes around it: “Thirty spokes are united in one hub. It is in its [space of] emptiness where the usefulness of the cart is” (p. 27, Laozi 11). The opposition between the hub and the spokes is absolute, complementary, and momentary. Insight into their collaboration teaches one how to behave effectively in the world. The hub is the central, empty, single, undifferentiated, and unmoving pivot. By its very nature it allows the orderly action of all the different spokes. They are many, peripheral, well distinguished, and rotating orderly, permanently, and without overlapping each other. Although this interplay of center and periphery is so of itself (ziran), it is not easy for humans to realize.4 Only one trained to be a sage is able to wu wei er wu bu wei: remain nonactive at the center so that every action can orderly take place in the periphery. “If one understands their respective functions and their relation to each other, one realizes what ancient Daoism saw as essential factors determining the success or failure of an action or a process” (p. 28). Other important images in the Laozi are water, the female, and the root. Water symbolizes the power of what...
pdf
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