Mig

The problem I have noticed is no connection to this site and it seems that the website is under updates or being hacked. Last night couldn't view the website so I don't know if that is related.

Great link and very useful. As in the beginning of my posting I am curious to know what is when I hear that DDJ translation is not accurate or the translator didn't understand, what do they mean by that? Any examples?

As I said, I keep hearing and reading that some of those translations are wrong. I get that some translate 圣人as lord, sage or other term that was more related to their religion. Aside that, there were also some interpretations that were meant to their religious audience. I understand that translation is science and craft so there are some good translators who understand the meaning and know how to put it in an elegant way. Although, the more I have read some old translations of the DDJ the less I understand and without commentaries I am totally lost whether I read it in French or English. Do you have an example of how some translations are misleading the original text i.e. DDJ. Thanks,

True, Hendricks shouldn't be in that list. I am pretty sure is not fake news better hilarious observation. Interesting that nobody talks about their language proficiency and how well they understood the classics.. I can only imagine that foreigners scholars before 1800 and before 1949 lived in their compound and didn't have real contact with the locals except mandarins or such.

I found his translation online and it helped me to understand what people refers about his translation. I wonder why the translation sometimes is different so if you have read it and understand better now here below an example: The Master gives himself up to whatever the moment brings. He knows that he is going to die, then compared to Lau When going one way means life and going the other means death, three in ten will be comrades in life, three in ten will be comrades in death,and there are those who value life and as a result move into the realm of death, and these also number three in ten. 出生入死。生之徒，十有三﹔ 死之徒，十有三﹔ 人之生，動之死地，亦十有三。

I don't follow him and it seems he wants to be a jack of all trades and master of....Also, I wonder what is your personal opinion about his claims and knowledge. All I can say is that he may know his cultural daoist information thru someone who is familiar and sometimes what he says makes sense, for instance, the meaning of Chinese stuff he shows in his website or Youtube videos.

Could you give some examples to show the inaccuracies in his translation? And what is your criteria to determine that J.C.W or Hendricks are accurate? I am trying to understand as I hear quite often and even in my own experience, most of the translations leave you hanging there and at the end one gives up because we don't understand the meaning and if you are interested in Chinese culture even worst because you don't know what it meant in the Chinese cultural context. Thanks

I thought in general people don't tell what they practice in their spare time, sometimes people don't want to know especially now that we live in big cities or large metropolis. It is also cultural about communication and interaction with others. Now, if you don't tell them what you are practicing why tell them you practice qigong? Now, if someone is interested to know how to explain Daoism, how would you do that? Is it religious based opinion or more of a philosophical explanation a la western idea?

Just watched this video clip and I am curious to hear your opinion. IMO seems very accurate and nail the differences.

Isn't that all religions and philosophies are embedded in every day Chinese language and now even more in their way of life? I had the impression that proverbs and such use philosophical allegories or have religious connotations and we as westerners have difficulties in understanding how to use them in a regular conversation. Also, I though the fact that the 3 religions make part of their lives as being Confucian at work, daoist at home to cultivate their energy and religious believer as believer in faith.

How would you say that in Chinese? I am curious how would you convey this idea in written Chinese. Just curios.

Back in the 80's I remember how the media influenced the educated and non educated people in the places I visited, Beijing and Tianjin. I don't think is about superiority but what I felt was proud of their culture. I've seen other cultures and those from third world countries where they lost their identity and replaced it for a hybrid Americanization. Don't need that far from the south border and you will realize it and there are plenty of Youtube video clips for you to see. You are totally right about the dynastic system, just like the feudal system here, labels have changed. Also, back in the days, I remember seeing pictures the chairman Mao sitting by books as the Zizhi tongjian 資治通鑒 Little we knew at that time and much more we know today. We are living times of truly digital revolution. Here an interesting interview And here with all we said, how do you think Daoism plays a role and how that influence our view in this forum?

Great response and I appreciate your posting. The way I see the world or universe (whatever that means) is chaos, unbalanced so doing something stupid is doing the opposite of what others call non stupid. So in accordance to the world or nature if you will, I observe and I respect. Not to alter anything by my human greed but to transform and adapt to change. Why do we have to chose between A and B and not having C, D. Isn't existence an infinite number of incidents that happen by nano seconds? Then when I read your A and B it seems to me more arbitrary choices since I won't choose any those or maybe 2b only LOL

Your input is much of help and I appreciate it. Recently, I was listening Dashan, one of the first Canadians and/or westerner to make it happen as a foreigner in mainland China. Another one is a lady Jin xiaoyu. Quite impressive their command of putonghua. Since you are in mainland China, your feedback certainly can be helpful for those who want to learn the language and the understand the complexities of its culture and language diversity. Myself, I just discovered phone apps and I see the world indeed has changed. It is amazing. Also, heard from Hugo Barra, android developer, the staggering development of technologies in mainland China. Compared to the old days, 30, 20, 10 years ago, this time in history is day and night. I just can not believe it. Currently, I am testing Chinese skill android app and is phenomenal at all levels. Today, what we have as linguistic resources is far beyond one can imagine. Keep the good work and kudos. Tell us how all that is helping you become a daoist practitioner!! Merry Xmas!

Isn't online dating outdated? Isn't a meat market out there where lots of competition between guys? Where is the Dao here? What lessons do we learn out of the dating scene?

Isn't that the same for any other type of belief or belief in faith?

So how is your experience thus far? It will be interesting to know more about your level of Chinese now and what are the sources you are using reading, learning in Chinese? Enjoy!!

If you had to start which sect will you talk about? Will that be your first way to explain something as Daoism?

Do you really need to believe in something? I guess those who are in touch with nature have less tendency to believe in something, they admire and respect nature, don't they?

How can you live in harmony with the universe? Isn't living in an environment or a society far from harmony. How do you live yourself in harmony following Daoism? Where did you learn to live in harmony? From a book, a scripture or teachings from someone?

What is so great about his books. I've got the Chinese qigong and I found it informative but not as a scholar but mostly as a vulgarization of qigong with many wanted information left. I thought we had both yin and yang? What is for you yang from a Daoist perspective?

Is that the nature of the dao?

Is this what you are looking for? 天地之間, I found this in DDJ chapter 5: the space between heaven and earth

Who are those daoists that don't do meditation? Who are the daoists who practice only Qi or the nature heart?

It boils down to economics. In the meantime, someone has to feed all these rebels or soldiers? It is all about the oil they produce, the laundry monies from illicit drugs and corruption? It seems that it is beyond our comprehension or there is more that we don't know