Scan barcode
tornpaper's review
(10/21/2021). 1 STAR. I knew this Stephen Mitchell translation was full of shit when the phrase "Smaller than an electron, it contains uncountable galaxies." was employed. Electrons? Seriously? I didn't realize the Chinese discovered particle physics way before Thomson did, let alone have the technology! This is a garbage translation. Luckily I read Chinese, so I checked out the corresponding chapter, and lo and behold, this man had the AUDACITY to add electron into his translation, and translate 天 into GALAXY. "With great poetry, the freest translation is sometimes the most faithful", says the translator in his Foreward, but oh God, this??? This translation is offensive to the source material and is an act of narcissism, topped off with a cutesy Foreward to hide the terrible filter of his translation behind his constructed, Orientalist Asian mystique that elucidates secret, hidden truths of the universe.
Readers, I implore that you don't waste your time on this one. Find another translation. I'll update with one that does a better job later, but I need to vent this out, NOW.
EDIT: Try the Le Guin translation.
Readers, I implore that you don't waste your time on this one. Find another translation. I'll update with one that does a better job later, but I need to vent this out, NOW.
EDIT: Try the Le Guin translation.
oldpondnewfrog's review
3.0
The ancient Masters
didn't try to educate people,
but kindly taught them to not-know.
When they think that they know the answers,
people are difficult to guide.
When they know that they don't know,
people can find their own way.
didn't try to educate people,
but kindly taught them to not-know.
When they think that they know the answers,
people are difficult to guide.
When they know that they don't know,
people can find their own way.
More...