Laozi's Dao De Jing Audiobook By Ken Liu cover art

Laozi's Dao De Jing

A Plain Translation

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Laozi's Dao De Jing

By: Ken Liu
Narrated by: BD Wong
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About this listen

Introducing a new translation of Laozi’s classic work that makes the intimidating approachable and the complex comprehensible.

Translated by best-selling author Ken Liu and read by acclaimed actor B.D. Wong, this new take on the Dao De Jing speaks directly to the sensibilities of a modern audience. Liu dispenses with footnotes and the granular details of academic debate in favor of presenting Laozi’s invaluable writing as clearly and colorfully as possible.

For those familiar with Daoist philosophy, Liu’s Dao De Jing provides a streamlined text and fresh interpretation from a veteran translator. For newcomers, Liu unpacks Laozi’s parables and meaning-rich language with an eye toward the work’s illuminating power.

The Dao De Jing has captivated thinkers for thousands of years. Now, Ken Liu’s accessible prose makes it accessible to scholars and neophytes alike.

©2023 Ken Liu (P)2023 Audible Originals, LLC.
Other Religions, Practices & Sacred Texts Progression Fantasy Inspiring Taoism
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About the Creator - Ken Liu

About the Creator

Ken Liu (http://kenliu.name) is an American author of speculative fiction. A winner of the Nebula, Hugo, and World Fantasy awards for his fiction, he has also won top genre honors abroad in Japan, Spain, and France.
Liu’s most characteristic work is the four-volume epic fantasy series, The Dandelion Dynasty, in which engineers, not wizards, are the heroes of a silkpunk world on the verge of modernity. His debut collection of short fiction, The Paper Menagerie And Other Stories, has been published in more than a dozen languages. A second collection, The Hidden Girl And Other Stories, followed. He also penned the Star Wars novel The Legends of Luke Skywalker.
He’s often involved in media adaptations of his work. Recent projects include The Message, under development by 21 Laps and Film Nation Entertainment; Good Hunting, adapted as an episode in season one of Netflix’s breakout adult animated series Love, Death + Robots, and AMC’s Pantheon, with Craig Silverstein as executive producer, adapted from an interconnected series of Liu’s short stories.
Prior to becoming a full-time writer, Liu worked as a software engineer, corporate lawyer, and litigation consultant. He frequently speaks at conferences and universities on a variety of topics, including futurism, machine-augmented creativity, history of technology, bookmaking, and the mathematics of origami.
Liu lives with his family near Boston, Massachusetts.

About the Performer

Films include Bird Box, The Normal Heart, Focus, Stay, Mulan (1 & 2), The Salton Sea, Executive Decison, Seven Years In Tibet, Father Of The Bride (1 & 2), The Freshman, and four films with the word "Jurassic" in the title, including Jurassic World Dominion. He received the Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Theater World, Clarence Derwent, and Tony Awards for his Broadway debut in M. Butterfly—an achievement not yet duplicated by another actor for the same role. He appeared as FBI Forensic Psychiatrist George Huang for 11 seasons on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, prison chaplain Ray Mukada on HBO's Oz, Whiterose in Mr. Robot (for which he received Emmy and Critic’s Choice nominations), Prof. Hugo Strange in Gotham, Baldwin Pennypacker in Amerian Horror Story: Apocalpyse, and played older brother Stuart Kim in America's first Asian American family on Margaret Cho's All-American Girl. Along with directing an episode, BD appears as Nora's chill Dad, Wally, in Comedy Central’s Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens. He recently completed shooting the new HBO Max series, The Girls on The Bus and will be seen in the upcoming Netflix film, Heart of Stone. Other Broadway includes the revivals of You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown and Pacific Overtures. Other theater includes The Great Leap (Atlantic Theater, A.C.T), The Orphan Of Zhao (A.C.T., La Jolla Playhouse), Herringbone (American Music Theater Festival, Williamstown Theatre Festival, McCarter Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse). He Directed the World Premiere of Mr. Holland's Opus,the new musical (which he has co-written with composer Wayne Barker, at the Ogunquit Playhouse and Yes, I Can Say That at Primary Stages* starring Judy Gold. He is the author of the critically acclaimed memoir Following Foo: (the electronic adventures of the Chestnut Man); (Harper Entertainment). He has been recognized by the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Asian American Journalist's Association, Asian AIDS Project, GLAAD, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, The Anti-Violence Project, Lambda Legal, Museum of Chinese in America, and Marriage Equality New York. He sits on the Board of Trustees of The Entertainment Community Fund (formerly The Actors’ Fund), American Conservatory Theatre and Rosie’s Theater Kids.

Dear Listener,

What was it like translating this classic work for audio?
"As a writer of stories about the future, I’ve always believed in the power of storytelling for good. During the pandemic, however, I suffered a crisis of faith. All around me, lies passing as truth were the most popular stories, a testament to the power of storytelling for ill. Hoping to find a way out of the darkness, I began to read the Dao De Jing, a classic I simply assumed I knew through quotations and fixed expressions. It was nothing like I expected.
In the Dao De Jing, Laozi doesn’t comfort, persuade, or offer solace. He simply makes observations about Dao, the path of providence, of grace, of life itself. You can take his words or leave them; it’s all the same to him. He’s not trying to sell you anything. Yet, in that refusal to confront, to judge, to direct, Laozi did give me solace. What can be more comforting than to have a conversation with a mind that has transcended mortality, a voice that has survived the ages? The more I read, the more I wanted to argue, to contend, to dispute, and then, later, to yield, to accept, to imagine. I began to see the shape of my own life, the questions that opened seams, the patterns that pooled and shimmered.
Meanwhile, a record of my conversation with him could be set down. All translations are, ultimately, a reflection of the translator’s trials to discern the spirit of the text within its shadowy mirror. This book merely makes that struggle obvious instead of hiding it, a foolish honesty that I think Laozi would appreciate." -Ken Liu, translator of Laozi's Dao De Jing

What listeners say about Laozi's Dao De Jing

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Simply Brilliant

Lucid, accurate, resoundingly beautiful. What a gift! Many thanks to all the writers, musicians, producers, performers of this project. Thank you Audible Originals. I will be recommending this recording to friends and family. Also, hoping for a printed version.

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Does honor to a timeless masterpiece

Adds back value to a masterpiece of spiritual and literary writing which I will never get a chance to read without translation. A line in to the world of translating and writing. Well researched and deeply felt crafting both as a book and as an audiobook experience. Ken Liu has not hoarded the treasure of his journey, but given it to us.

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3 people found this helpful

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Worth reading.

You should definitely check an official translation or two or three out not just this one. This however, does give a good added perspective to the writing. I feel like it was worth the time to listen.

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Worth every second

Great commentary and additional Daoist stories - the narrator is terrific and the production adds to the material without being overwhelming

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Laois

Great book and teaching the way of life and way of your thinking of life

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I like it

I really liked this book. It's both nice background noise and it's also so beautiful in its contents. I highly suggest it!

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May be the best introduction to the Dao De Jing

Wat makes this translation of Laozi's famed philosophical work special is translator Ken Liu, an extraordinary writer in his own right. His commentary is as engaging as the most excellent Ted Talk.
A Daoist life is not entirely attainable but I don't think anyone should beat themselves up over that. It's more a process. Reading from the Dao De Jing (or Tao Te Ching) is like checking yourself, a reminder to let go of your ego.
It also parallels a lot of religious beliefs--and is largely compatible with them.

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Peaceful Contemplation

I am not Chinese, nor am I a Taoist.

In fact, before listening to this translation I was wholly unfamiliar with the Taoist philosophy. I am, however, a huge fan of Ken Liu - his writing, his translating, and his thought process in general (watch interviews with him - they are fascinating).

And this was a really thought-provoking and relaxing listen. BD Wong's narration is perfect, and I plan to revisit this again.

Highly recommended for those with an open mind who want to hear new perspectives in a comfortable way.

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Wow! I NEED this additionally in book format, please!

Not even an hour into this book, I wanted to buy a physical copy to take notes and write musings in the margins. But it only exists as an audiobook right now. I love the narration and listening to it, but please please please turn this into a physical book too so I can revisit it and reflect in writing on it too.

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Love this interpretation

Very loving and open, love how humbling and a perspective on why caring for everyone is better than a won argument. Puts a beautiful light on attuning into yourself to be able to love others unconditionally and without strings attached. Laugh at everything, even if it makes others uncomfortable.

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