• Tao te Ching

  • By: Lao Tzu
  • Narrated by: Emma Topping
  • Length: 1 hr and 15 mins
  • 3.8 out of 5 stars (19 ratings)

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Tao te Ching  By  cover art

Tao te Ching

By: Lao Tzu
Narrated by: Emma Topping
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Publisher's summary

Written around the 6th century BC by the sage Laozi and read by Emma Topping.

©2011 Saland Publishing (P)2011 Saland Publishing

What listeners say about Tao te Ching

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

A quirky but worthwhile version

I've been a fan of Tao te Ching for decades, and have read many translations. I like different nuances translators bring. This isn't my favorite translation, but it is slightly odd in an enjoyable way. I like clear-voiced British-inflected narration like this. It has an archaic sound, some lines are delivered in rhyme with an almost Victorian resonance. It might sound a bit sing-song to contemporary ears. It's interesting to contrast Lao Tzu (Tao te Ching) to Confucius (Analects), also available on audio. The contemporary Chinese government has leaned away from Lao Tzu and toward Confucius, for industrial-discipline and capitalism-compatibility reasons, obvious upon listening. Tao te Ching probably seems senseless or incomprehensible to many modern western listeners, and I suspect it would to my Chinese business students as well. But it has great depth for me.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Marvelous Reading

Where does Tao te Ching rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Marvelous, evocative reading. True jewel, memorable. Can be listened to many times with fresh insight and delight.

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Translation and Narration weren't great.

One of the world's greatest philosophies, but this isn't the best way to learn about it. Harder to follow because of the narrator and outdated (aka slightly wrong) translation.

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