A primer for translating classical Chinese Daoist texts and a bilingual sourcebook of Daoist literature.
In the present book, one of our leading translators of Daoist literature and an internationally recognized scholar-educator of Daoism offers a primer for translating Daoist literature. Drawing upon twenty years of experience and his own intensive translation work, amounting to some forty translations to date, Komjathy offers a unique perspective on the opportunities and challenges of engaging Daoist texts in a bilingual manner, specifically one informed by a study-practice model. In addition to a robust introduction that discusses Daoist literature and translation, Primer for Translating Daoist Literature?????? contains twenty-eight "lessons" from a wide variety of Daoist materials with accompanying, supplemental materials.
Key texts explored include the Baop?zi neipian ????? (Inner Chapters of Master Embracing Simplicity), Chuzhen jie ??? (Precepts of Initial Perfection), Chuandao ji ??? (Anthology of the Transmission of the Dao), Huangting jing ??? (Scripture on the Yellow Court), L?oz? zhangju ???? (Chapter-and-Verse Commentary on the Laozi), Neiye ?? (Inward Training), Y?ngxing yanming lu ????? (Record of Nourishing Innate Nature and Extending Life-destiny), and Zuowang pian ??? (Treatise on Sitting-in-Forgetfulness).
Each selection consists of a brief contextual and framing introduction that provides essential information on the given text and the relevant linguistic dimensions for developing fuller translation facility. The latter includes lesson-specific Daoist technical vocabulary. The book also contains ten appendices that assist readers in deepening their understanding of Daoist etymology, Daoist lexigraphy, and Daoist translation proper. While primarily intended for individuals interested in reading Chinese Daoist primary texts in the original, this book also may be used to develop bilingual engagement with Daoism and as a sourcebook of Daoist literature.
Louis Komjathy ??? (Ph.D., Religious Studies; Boston University) is a leading independent scholar-practitioner of Daoism and translator of Daoist literature. He serves as Director and senior scholar-in-residence at the Center for Daoist Studies ????, the education and research branch of the Daoist Foundation ?????. His most recent books include Taming the Wild Horse (Columbia University Press, 2017), Introducing Contemplative Studies (Wiley-Blackwell, 2018), and, with Kate Townsend, Entering Stillness (Square Inch Press, 2022). He also serves as project manager and editor-in-chief of the Daoist Translation Committee ??????. He lives in semi-seclusion on the Northshore of Chicago, Illinois.
