PATH OF VIRTUE_THE: The Illustrated Tao Te Ching

The Path of Virtue: The Illustrated Tao Te Ching presents the classic Chinese text, as translated by James Legge, alongside elegant drawings, paintings and sculptures from the extensive collections of the Cleveland Museum of Art. This book is the next publication in Abrams series of illustrated spiritual and philosophical works, preceded by The Book of Psalms and The Way of the Buddha .Composed in the 6th century BC by Lao-Tzu, a sage and recordkeeper in the Zhou court, the Tao Te Ching was originally the basis of Taoist philosophy, later adopted by Chinese Buddhists as a complement to their basic religious tenets. It has now come to be referred to as a political handbook for rulers, as well as a practical guide for daily life. Legge's rendering, presented here unabridged, is among the most poetic translations in English. Accompanied by artwork with Taoist themes and bound in a three-piece case with gilding and a ribbon, The Path of Virtue is a volume to be contemplated and admired.