CHI394: The Daoist Bible Final Essay Norman Trent Newell, Jr.

Professor Bokenkamp 12/16/2009

A Cultural Appropriation of the Dàodéjīng

The Lǎozǐ 老子or Dàodéjīng 道德經 is a Chinese text whose origin, authorship,

and interpretation continue to remain difficult for us to ascertain even today. These items

of contention can become even more difficult for us in our understanding due to

differences in culture, as well as, being further obscured by the two millennia that have

passed in which we can trace its existence. In the past 100 years, there has been an

explosion of translations of the Dàodéjīng in the English speaking West. There seems to

be some irony that a text that claims itself to be “easy to understand” is being retranslated

with greater and greater frequency. In this cultural appropriation through the translation

of this text, translators may have innocently, or not so innocently, colored their

translation with their own cultural views and agendas. For this article, I will look at The

Way of Life – Lao Tzu: A New Translation of the Tao Té Ching by R.B. Blakney and

show what I believe to be some erroneous assumptions and problems of translation that

lend to the distortion of the text in light of its cultural appropriation.

Raymond Bernard Blakney was a “Past President of Olivet College, former

missionary and teacher in China, and author of many volumes on Oriental religions…

[He] studied the book for thirty years and obviously lived according to its teachings”

(Blakney, 1). In his preface, Blakney explains his reasoning for making this translation:

For one reason or another each translation, in its turn, fails fully to
satisfy one who knows the original, and at length, one tries his own
hand at it. Will he, in his turn, satisfy? Probably not; but he may add
his share to the ultimate understanding of one of the world’s truly
distinguished religious works (Blakney, 9).

By this logic, everyone who ever knew the original should make a translation of the text,

which would, taken altogether, lead to the best understanding of it. The addition of more

translations means the addition of more material to sift through before one can arrive at

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CHI394: The Daoist Bible Final Essay Norman Trent Newell, Jr.
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“ultimate understanding” of the text, a sort of Zeno’s race paradox, if you will. One

could never reach an “ultimate understanding” because there would always be another

translation to read before you could arrive at it.

In his introduction, Blakney claims “the Chinese mystics were original and to the

point in their writing, but their point was identical with that of the great mystics

elsewhere” (Blakney, 9). Blakney, throughout, tends to lump all mysticism together as

one mysticism:

We have also seen that much of what is reported in the Tao Tê Ching is
parallel to the discoveries of mystics elsewhere in the world. The way
might well be Brahman’s brother… What these mystics found turned
out to be as true in one country as another and as trustworthy a guide to
the spiritual world today as then… Their natures were not unique; nor
did the problem of evil as they met it differ essentially from that of
other lands (Blakney, 42).

I follow with Benjamin Schwartz in his assessment of mysticism not being the same

everywhere and being related to the context in which it is found. Schwartz counters:

Even if this Taoism can be called mystical, it is, of course, a mysticism

which arises within a Chinese context and not in an Indian or Christian
context. In asserting that the Taoism is mystical, I am not asserting that
the mysticism of Taoism is Brahmanism, Mahayanna Buddhism, or the
mysticism of Jakob Boehme. It is a mystical outlook which remains
irreducibly Chinese and entirely sui generis (Schwartz, 187-88).

and with:

There is nothing which suggests the exaltation of mystic gnosis … and it may
well be that in this case Taoism is not so much a deep mysticism as a kind of
‘life attitude’ willing to submit to all the ways of the tao immanent in man and
nature without probing further into the deeper mysteries of being and obviously
without the aesthetic élan of a Chuang-tzu (Schwartz, 242-43).

The Western World, due to the influence of Judeo-Christian religions, tends to

view reality as two worlds: this worldly and other worldly. A commonly held belief is

that when we are alive we live in ‘this world’ and, when we die, we pass into the ‘other

world’. Chinese mysticism is only “this worldly”. There is no next world to go on to.

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CHI394: The Daoist Bible Final Essay Norman Trent Newell, Jr.
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For the ancient Chinese, “There is no ‘other world’ of supernatural beings which is

comparable to but radically different than the mundane one…The Chinese spirits were

simply human beings, dead ones, who continued to require nurture and to exercise power

over their descendants, but they made no moral demands and did not exercise any moral

sanctions according to some higher, transcendental law” (Allan, 19-20).

I have selected Chapters 13, 16 and 22 from Blakney to compare with D.C. Lau’s

translation as well as the standard Chinese text received from Wángbì 王弼 (226-249

C.E.). The complete texts are laid out side by side on pages 7 through 9 of this paper.

They have been numbered for ease of reference and words are highlighted to draw

attention to areas of difference in interpretation. Blakney, in his book, had also

paraphrased each chapter at the bottom of his translation and I have included this on page

10 for completeness in presentation of his material only.

Chapter 13 discusses the troubles brought on by social recognition and how one

who doesn’t value these is worthy of being the ruler. In lines 2, 5 and 6 on page 7,

Blakney chooses to translate shēn 身 as “self” whereas Lau chooses “body”. Blakney

does an interesting twist with this in line 6: “I suffer most because of me and selfishness.

If I were selfless, then what suffering would I bear?” Lau translates it as: “The reason I

have great trouble is that I have a body. When I no longer have a body what trouble have

I?” Lau’s interpretation might give a Christian reader some problems in that once you

are dead, you aren’t trouble free yet. A person has to face judgment. This may be why

Blakney steers clear of saying one is trouble free when one is free from one’s body.

Instead it’s replaced with a lesson on selflessness and selfishness. In line 8, Blakney

chooses to interpret ài 愛 as “love” and seems to twist the Chinese to say “Who loves all

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people as he loves himself”. Ài has this meaning but it can also mean “to grudge”. Line

8 literally says “grudge/love-use-body-to benefit-the empire/world sovereignty”. There is

no “people” rénmín 人民 in this line. Thus, I believe Blakney is reading some of his

beliefs into the text.

Chapter 16 describes a specific meditative practice that allows one to return to the

root. By returning to the root, a set of events will unfold that leads a person to naturally

obtain the “way”. In line 2 on page 8, Blakney has translated zuò 作 as “work”. I would

argue that not all things work for the benefit of each other in nature, which is a rather

utopian vision. Lau has translated it as “rise”, which is more fitting in reflecting growing

things that rise up and fits with the observance later that things decline again thereby

“returning to their root”. In lines 6 and 7, he has chosen to translate mìng 命 as “the will

of God”. Lau has translated it as “one’s destiny”. Predestination is a volatile topic in

Christianity. Blakney may have been avoiding this by using a more acceptable term.

This is in conflict with the Daoist Chinese worldview in which the Dao supersedes the

world of Heaven, Earth and Man as presented in lines 11 to 15. In the Christian

paradigm, God, is the ultimate source. Nothing prefaces Him. In lines 9 and 10, Blakney

seems to throw in some ‘fire and brimstone’ by translating those lines as “That not to

know it is blindness that works evil” (Blakney, 68). Lau translates these lines as “Not to

know the normal is to be without basis. To innovate without basis bodes ill” (Lau, 64).

Wàng 妄 has the meanings of “conduct that is not correct”, “careless” and “absurd”.

Xiōng 凶 has the meanings of “unlucky”, “misfortune related to funeral arrangements”,

“crop harvest failure”, “savage, ferocious”, “a murderer” and “dread.” Literally, lines 9

and 10 would read “not knowing the normal or the constant, [is like] ‘conduct that is not

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CHI394: The Daoist Bible Final Essay Norman Trent Newell, Jr.
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correct’ giving rise to or producing ‘savagery’.” “Blindness” seems to be a bit of a

stretch. In the progression of lines 11 to 16, Blakney subtly twists the words to make the

divine (God to Blakney) seem like the end rather than the Dao. Lines 15 and 16 illustrate

this clearly: “And divinity is the Way Which is final.” This is reminiscent of John 14:6:

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father

except through me.” Blakney leaves out the “Way” in line 16, seeming to change the

meaning here. Lau maintains consistent wording in the progression giving us “Heaven

[leads] to the way, The way to perpetuity”. Here, Lau maintains the idea that the Dao

supersedes Heaven where Blakney blurs the edges of that idea. Line 17 for Blakney also

seems to echo the idea of John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one

and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Whereas in Lau’s rendering, if one “returns to the root”, one will attain the way which

leads to not having danger occur to one’s person to the very end of their allotment of life.

Mò 沒 has the meaning of “sinking”, “to the end” and “to die”. The passage works with

both translations, yet Blakney, in my mind, has chosen a more Christian sounding phrase.

Chapter 22 is a description of the qualities that allow one to be ruler of the

empire. What is interesting is that Blakney’s wording seems reminiscent of the

Beatitudes from the Bible: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of

heaven. Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek,

for they will inherit the earth…” (Matthew 5:3-10). Compare with lines 1 to 6 on page 9:

“The crooked shall be made straight And the rough place plain; The pools shall be filled

And the worn renewed; The needy shall receive And the rich shall be perplexed”

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CHI394: The Daoist Bible Final Essay Norman Trent Newell, Jr.
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(Blakney, 74). Blakney has also interpreted shào 少and duō 多as “needy” and “rich”

respectively, whereas, Lau has translated them more literally as “a little” and “a lot”.

My purpose in looking at Blakney’s text of the Dàodéjīng has been to point out

the subtle additions that as human beings we make when we receive information and

make it our own. Translators don’t always keep the text within the context of its origin,

but knowingly or unknowingly add something of themselves to the work. A text that

most likely arose to be a text of statescraft, has been claimed not just by Daoists as their

own, but by Confucianists, Buddhists, and Christians as well as many others. Blakney’s

translation is no better or worse than most. He seems to be simply one who is looking for

the similarity of things in order to support his worldview.

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 CHI394: The Daoist Bible
Professor Bokenkamp
57 [13] (D.C. Lau)
1
Favor and disgrace are like
being startled;
2
Honour is a great trouble like
your body.
3
What is meant by saying that
favor and disgrace are like
being startled?
4
Favor being that which when
bestowed on a subject serves to
startle as much as when
withdrawn,
this is what is meant by saying
that favor and disgrace are like
being startled.
5
What is meant by saying that
honour is a great trouble like
your body?
6
The reason I have great trouble
is that I have a body.
When I no longer have a body,
what trouble have I?
7
Hence he who values putting
his person in order can be given
the custody of the empire.
8
He who grudges using his
person for putting the empire in
order can be entrusted with the
empire.
Final Essay Norman Trent Newell, Jr.
12/16/2009
13 (Wángbì 王弼) Brings trouble with it;
2
High rank, like self,
寵辱若驚，
1 Involves acute distress."
貴大患若身。
2 3
What does that mean, to say
That "favor, like disgrace
何謂寵辱若驚﹖
3
Brings trouble with it"?
寵為下。
4 4
When favor is bestowed
On one of low degree,
得之若驚
失之若驚 Trouble will come with it.
The loss of favor too
是謂寵辱若驚。 Means trouble for that man.
何謂貴大患若身﹖
5
This, then, is what is meant
By "favor, like disgrace
吾所以有大患者，
6
Brings trouble with it."
為吾有身， 5
What does it mean, to say
及吾無身， That "rank, like self,
吾有何患? Involves acute distress"?
6
I suffer most because
故貴以身為天下，
7
Of me and selfishness.
若可寄天下。 If I were selfless, then
What suffering would I bear?
愛以身為天下，
8
若可託天下。 7
In governing the world,
Let rule entrusted be
To him who treats his rank
As if itwere his soul;
8
World sovereignty can be
Committed to that man
Who loves all people
As he loves himself.
13 (R.B. Blakney) 60 [16] (D.C. Lau)
1
1
"Favor, like disgrace I attain the utmost emptiness;
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 CHI394: The Daoist Bible Final Essay Norman Trent Newell, Jr.
Professor Bokenkamp 12/16/2009
2
I keep to extreme stillness. All things work together:
2 3
The myriad creatures all rise 致虛極守靜篤。
1 I have watched them reverting,
4
together And have seen how they
3
And I watch thereby their 萬物並作，
2
flourish
return. And return again, each to his
4
The teaming creatures
吾以觀復。
3
roots.
All return to their separate 夫物芸芸各復歸其
4

5
roots. This, I say, is the stillness:
5
Returning to one's roots is
根。 A retreat to one's roots;
known as stillness. 歸根曰靜，
5 6
Or better yet, return
6
Stillness is what is called To the will of God,
returning to one's destiny.
是謂復命；
6
7
Which is, I say, to constancy.
7
Returning to one's destiny is 復命曰常，
7 8
The knowledge of constancy
normal. I call enlightenment and say
8
Knowledge of the normal is
知常曰明。
8
9
That not to know it
discernment. 不知常，
9 10
Is blindness that works evil.
9
Not to know the normal is to be 妄作凶。
10
11
But when you know
without basis.
10
知常容，
11 What eternally is so,
To innovate without basis You have stature
bodes ill. 容乃公，
12
12
And stature means
11
To know the normal is to be 公乃王，
13 righteousness
13
tolerant. And righteousness is kingly
12
Tolerance leads to 王乃天，
14
14
And kingliness divine
impartiality,
13
天乃道，
15 15
16
And divinity is the Way
Impartiality to kingliness, Which is final.
14
Kingliness to heaven, 道乃久，
16

15
16
Heaven to the way, 沒身不殆。
17 17
Then, though you die,
The way to perpetuity, You shall not perish.
17
And to the end of one's days
one will meet with no danger.

16 (R.B. Blakney)
1
Touch ultimate emptiness,
Hold steady and still.
16 (Wángbì 王弼)

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 CHI394: The Daoist Bible Final Essay Norman Trent Newell, Jr.
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1
67 [22] (D.C. Lau) The crooked shall be made
22 (Wángbì 王弼) straight
1 2
Bowed down then whole; And the rough places plain;
2 3
Warped then true; 曲則全，
1 The pools shall be filled
3 4
Hollow then full; And the worn renewed;
4
Worn then new; 枉則直，
2 5
The needy shall receive
5 6
A little then benefited; And the rich shall be
6
A lot then perplexed.
窪則盈，
3
perplexed.
敝則新
4

7 7
Hence the sage grasps the One So the Wise Man cherishes the
8
and is the shepherd of the
少則得，
5
One,
empire. 多則惑。
6 8
As a standard to the world:
9
Not displaying himself,
9
He does not display himself,
是以聖人抱一，
7
He is famous;
and so is conspicuous;
10
為天下式。
8 10
Not asserting himself,
He does not show himself, and He is distinguished;
so is manifest; 不自見故明；
9
11
Not boasting his powers,
11
He does not boast of himself, 不自是故彰；
10
He is effective;
12
and so has merit; Taking no pride in himself,
12
He does not brag about it, and 不自伐故有功；
11
He is chief.
so is able to endure. 不自矜故長；
12
13
Because he is no competitor,
13
It is because he does not 夫唯不爭，
13
No one in all the world
contend that no one is in a 故天下莫能與之爭。 can compete with him.
position to contend with him.
古之所謂：
14
14
The saying of the men of old
14
The way the ancients had it, 「曲則全者」 Is not in vain:
'Whole through being bowed "The crooked shall be made
down', is a true saying as can 豈虛言哉！ straight-"
be. 誠全而歸之。 To be perfect, return to it.

Truly it enables one to hand it

back whole.

22 (R.B. Blakney)

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CHI394: The Daoist Bible Final Essay Norman Trent Newell, Jr.
Professor Bokenkamp 12/16/2009

Blakney’s Paraphrases for Chapters 13, 16, and 22

13
“If high rank comes to one or leaves him, he will suffer for the egotism involved.
Only those to whom high rank is a great trust and who love people are fit for
government” (Blakney, 65).

16
“Deep in all there is a stillness, where the root of life is, and the root is God, from
whom destiny proceeds, and without knowledge of that root, the eternal root, a man is
blind and will therefore work evil. Let the king take note.
When he knows that root, he will be of great stature as a man and king whose
righteousness endows him with kingliness and makes him at last divine because the Way
is at work in him. Thus, the king may die but he will not perish” (Blakney, 68).

22
“In words suggestive of the Hebrew prophets, the writer says that the Way, like
Jahweh, is the restorer and mender of inequities. This thought should prove attractive to
the ruler of distressed people.
Let the king therefore embrace the One, the Way, by his own quietness (inaction),
and then, through him, the Way will take care of the needs of all.
Comment: This poem indicates that civilized society is contemplated as a result
of the Way’s virtue. The king would still be king and the wrongs of society righted”
(Blakney, 74).

Works Cited

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CHI394: The Daoist Bible Final Essay Norman Trent Newell, Jr.
Professor Bokenkamp 12/16/2009

Allan, Sarah. The Way of Water and Sprouts of Virtue. Albany: State University of New
York Press, 1997.

Blakney, Raymond B. The Way of Life Lao Tzu: A new translation of the Tao Te Ching.
New York, New York: Mentor, 1955.

International Bible Society. The Holy bible, New International Version. Grand Rapids,
Michigan: The Zondervan Corporation, 1984.

Lau, D.C. “Lao-Tzu Tao Te Ching: Translation of the Ma Wang Tui Manuscripts.” Ed.
Sarah Allan. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1994.

Schwartz, Benjamin I. The World of Thought in Ancient China. Cambridge,

Massachusetts: The Belknap Press of the Harvard University Press, 1985.

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