Taoism

by Russell Kirkland

This clear and reliable introduction to Taoism (also known as Daoism) brings a fresh dimension to a tradition that has found a natural place in Western society. Examining Taoist sacred texts together with current scholarship, it surveys Taoism's ancient roots, contemporary heritage and role in daily life.
From Taoism's spiritual philosophy to its practical perspectives on life and death, self-cultivation, morality, society, leadership and gender, Russell Kirkland's essential guide reveals the real contexts behind concepts such as Feng Shui and Tai Chi.

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction, Religion

312 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2003

Reviews

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

First and foremost, potential readers should be fairly warned: this book is primarily a survey of Western scholarship on Taoism, not a history of Taoism itself. Which isn't to say the two aren't interrelated (they necessarily are); this is just to say the reader should not be expecting a beginner's guide to Taoist history. Kirkland's ideal audience appears to be Sinologists and students of religion who do not specialize in Taoism, so the prose is of a somewhat stilted, simplified academic style.

Furthermore, Kirkland takes on an annoyingly triumphalist tone that current scholarship is much less naive, imperialistic, erroneous, etc. than any of its predecessors. He rightly emphasizes the diversity of the Taoist tradition throughout the 2+ millennia of its existence, but does so in a way that makes it seem like he's overcorrecting past scholars' mistakes. He consistently shrinks from generalities, for good and for ill.

Another point of contention I have with this book is Kirkland's inconsistency in translating technical terms. For example, the term zhen 真 (or chen), often used to describe one of Taoism's highest ideals, becomes at times real/realized, perfect/perfected, and true/truth. The term xian 仙 (or hsien) he'll often translate as "immortal" (an extremely misleading translation which Sinology no longer uses) and other times translate (more accurately) as "transcendent." Even several titles of works from the Taoist canon change from page to page.

For all its flaws, though, Taoism: The Enduring Tradition provides a wealth of information about the historical development of Taoism. Kirkland's emphasis on particularities brings forth descriptions of many interesting historical figures and situations which have often been neglected in the West. However, these figures and situations become evidence to prove his thesis that recent Western scholarship of Taoism needs to correct the mistakes of past scholarship, rather than things to be studied in their own right.

[Alex Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

More about researching Taoism than about Taoism