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Primary sourceBook1904

The Book of the Simple Way of Laotze

Laozi · 1904

A 1904 English translation of the Tao Te Ching by Walter Gorn Old, attributed to Laozi.

An early English translation of the text attributed to Laozi, bringing his philosophy to Western readers.

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The Book of the Simple Way of LaotzePDF · 206 pages
The Book of the Simple Way of Laotze, translated by Walter Gorn Old, 1904.

About this source

What it is

This is a 1904 English translation of the Tao Te Ching, made by Walter Gorn Old and published in London. It is attributed to Laozi, described on the title page as a contemporary of Confucius in China.

Why it matters

This translation is one of many attempts by Western writers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to bring Laozi's philosophy to English readers, showing the growing international interest in Taoist thought at the time.

Look closer

  • Why might a translator dedicate this book to a wealthy industrialist like Andrew Carnegie?
  • What choices might a translator make when turning ancient Chinese ideas into English chapter titles like "Resting the People"?
  • How does this version's structure compare to other translations of the same text?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Laozi on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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