SKU: 75214052286

Dao De Jing in Clear English: Including a Step-By-Step Translation

Sale price$27.61 Regular price$30.68
Save 10%

Pay in installments of $7.67 with ShopPay, AfterPay and Klarna

Shipping Estimate
USA
  • USA
  • CAN

Ships within 48 hours · Estimated delivery Aug 10 - Aug 15

Promo Codes Available:

For Your Every Summer RSVP, with Code: SUMMER15

Description

Dao De Jing in Clear English: Including a Step-By-Step TranslationThe Dao De Jing (also called the Tao Te Ching) was written more than 2,500 years ago and is considered one of the most important books in world literature. Coming in at only 5,000 Chinese characters, its timeless wisdom has inspired millions of people around the world and serves as one of the cornerstones of the Taoist religion. It has been translated into English many, many times, but this new work by the best selling writing team of Jeff Pepper and

The Dao De Jing (also called the Tao Te Ching) was written more than 2,500 years ago and is considered one of the most important books in world literature. Coming in at only 5,000 Chinese characters, its timeless wisdom has inspired millions of people around the world and serves as one of the cornerstones of the Taoist religion.

It has been translated into English many, many times, but this new work by the best-selling writing team of Jeff Pepper and Xiao Hui Wang is much more than a translation. The authors have taken the unusual step of not just giving you the English translation, but also showing, word by word, how one gets from the original Chinese characters to the English version.

Each of the 81 short chapters contains a beautiful English translation, followed by a word-by-word and line-by-line breakdown of the chapter, showing the original Chinese, the pinyin (phonetic spelling in English characters), a word-for-word literal translation into English, and occasional helpful notes to help the reader better understand the translation. The result is a book that can be read casually, or studied carefully, or anything in between.

This new translation expresses the DDJ in simple language that anyone can access. In their Authors' Notes they say: "This is a book for ordinary people, not scholars. Many DDJ translations have been created by scholars for other scholars, and while we have studied many of them and owe a debt of gratitude to those scholars, we feel that the DDJ's message is simple, practical and universal, and we want everyone to have the chance to benefit from it. We try to follow the guidance of Laozi in Chapter 70, who tells us, in his usual elliptical way: "My words are very easy to understand, very easy to practice. In this world, they can't be understood, and can't be practiced."

It's impossible to do a 100% literal translation of the DDJ. Ordinary modern Chinese is quite different from Western languages, and the language used in this book is even more different. To start with, the original DDJ is extremely compact. Its verses have very few connecting words, forcing the reader to think deeply about the verse in order to tease out its underlying meaning or meanings. Some words can, depending on context, serve as nouns, verbs, adjectives or adverbs. Verbs in Chinese generally have no past, present or future tense, nouns have no gender (male/female), and no number (singular/plural). And to make things even more difficult, helpful little words like prepositions and pronouns are often missing entirely. As a result, translating literally from Chinese to English usually results in gibberish. Pepper and Wang have added just enough connecting words so that the sentence makes sense, while still expressing Laozi's thoughts as concisely as possible. They've also tried really hard to avoid the temptation to add things that weren't already there in order to make the sentence more readable.

A Pocket Edition of this book is also available. The Pocket Edition contains only the English translation, not the original Chinese or the detailed translation notes. It's only 114 pages vs. 380 pages, and it's a smaller size (5"x8" instead of 6"x9"), making it a better fit for the pants pocket.

Shipping Notes
  • Free Standard Shipping on $100+ Orders to the USA.
  • Except Preorder products are shipped in 48 hours.
  • Delivery to the USA:
  1. Standard Shipping : 3-10 business days
  • If time is of the essence, please consider selecting expedited delivery for faster service.
Exchange/Return Notes
  • We offer a 30-day return/exchange service after receiving.
  • Final sale items are not eligible for returns or exchanges.
  • To process your return/exchange, please contact us at [email protected]
  • Please click here for more details>>> Return & Exchange Policy
SKU: 75214052286

Discover Niche Categories That Outsell

Top-Converting Item to Boost Your Average Order

4.5 ★★★★★
Based on 24 reviews
Sort
Highest Rating
Newest First
Oldest First
Product Reviews
A
Verified Purchase
Amazon Customer
Charlottesville, US
★★★★★ 5
Perfect size
Color: Vanilla/Acorn
Perfect size . This will hold everything you need. It’s not too small not too big
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2026
J
Verified Purchase
Janet Becraft
Grantham, US
★★★★★ 5
Colors and size
Color: Vanilla/Acorn
Perfect for my needs
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2026
H
Holy Cow
Charlottesville, US
★★★★★ 5
Polished Everyday Crossbody, Though Priced Like a Designer-Branded Bag
Color: Vanilla/Acorn
This crossbody bag has a clean, classic look that works well for everyday use, errands, travel, or casual outfits where you want something more polished than a basic purse. The north-south shape gives it a slim profile, so it does not feel overly bulky, but it still has enough room for daily essentials like a phone, wallet, keys, small cosmetics, cards, and other small items. The zipper closure is a practical feature because it keeps everything more secure than an open-top bag, especially when walking around, shopping, or traveling. The front and back zippered pockets are also useful for items you want quick access to, like a phone, receipt, lip balm, or transit card. I like that the layout keeps the bag organized without making it feel complicated. The material is mostly PVC with some polyester and polyurethane, so it has more of a coated designer-bag feel rather than soft genuine leather. That makes it easier to wipe clean and more resistant to everyday marks, but buyers should know they are paying more for the brand/style than for leather construction. The bag feels structured and presentable, but it may not have the same long-term aging or softness as a real leather crossbody. For comfort, the crossbody style is convenient because it keeps your hands free and distributes weight better than carrying a small handbag by hand. It is best for people who want a stylish everyday bag, not someone looking for a large tote or something that can carry bulky items. For pricing, similar branded crossbody bags usually range from about $80–$200, depending on the brand, size, material, and whether it is leather or coated canvas/PVC. At around $180, this is on the premium side for a PVC-blend crossbody, but it is fairly typical for the Michael Kors price range. Overall, it feels worth considering if you like the style and brand name, but value-focused buyers may want to compare sale prices or color options before paying full price.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on May 14, 2026
L
Linda A.
Phoenix, US
★★★★★ 5
Stylish, Spacious, and Perfect for Everyday Use
Color: Brown/Acorn
absolutely love this Michael Kors Jet Set Travel crossbody bag! The design is great making it easy to pair with both casual and dressy outfits. It’s surprisingly spacious for its size and keeps all my essentials organized without feeling bulky. The quality of the materials and craftsmanship is excellent, and it feels very durable. This has quickly become my go to bag for everyday use and travel! Great price!
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2026
M
Miss Beckworth
Whiting, US
★★★★★ 5
Designer quality and design
Color: Vanilla/Acorn
This is the second Michael Kors bag in my collection, and I’m pleased with both of them. These are quality items that are timeless and complement pretty much everything that i own. At first, i thought that this was a travel bag in the sense that you would put toiletries in it, but it’s intended to be a smaller crossbody bag that you can travel with. It’s meant to hold essential items and look quite stylish while doing so. I chose this color since my luggage set and toiletry bags are all cream and brown. Classic, chic, elegant and sophisticated without screaming that this is a designer bag. This comes packaged beautifully and carefully so that it’s protected. The strap is adjustable on both sides. The bag lives up to Michael Kors quality and is worth every penny. I need a matching wallet or wristlet NOW. Highly recommended if you appreciate designer products that have a higher price point but will last for years and always be in style.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2026

recommand products