The Way And Its Power: A Study Of The Tao Te Ching And Its Place In Chinese Thought is a comprehensive examination of the Tao Te Ching, one of the most important texts in Chinese philosophy. Written by Arthur Waley, a renowned scholar of Chinese literature and culture, the book provides a detailed analysis of the central concepts and themes of the Tao Te Ching, including the Tao (the Way), Te (Virtue), and Wu-wei (non-action).Waley explores the historical and cultural context in which the Tao Te Ching was written, as well as its influence on Chinese thought and culture over the centuries. He also examines the various interpretations and translations of the text, providing insights into the different ways in which it has been understood and applied.Throughout the book, Waley emphasizes the importance of understanding the Tao Te Ching not only as a philosophical text, but also as a work of art and literature. He pays close attention to the language and imagery used in the text, and explores the ways in which these elements contribute to its meaning and impact.Overall, The Way And Its Power is a rich and thought-provoking exploration of one of the most important works in Chinese philosophy, and an essential resource for anyone interested in understanding the Tao Te Ching and its place in Chinese thought and culture.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

In modern China, literature has been regarded as a vehicle of political and idea logical dissent, a concept that has persisted under communism. This study exhaustively analyzes the conflict between the Chinese Communist party and the intellectuals, particularly the writers, in the crucial decades of the 1940's and 1950's. By singling out individual writers as egregious examples, party leaders, through a series of thought-control campaigns, have tried to mold intellectuals along orthodox doctrinal lines. But these same leaders, holding to the paradoxical conviction that personal initiative and creativity are necessary catalysts in the effort to construct a Communist state, have not wanted to stifle these qualities altogether. The result has been a pattern of permissiveness and pressure, as illustrated by the ill-fated "Hundred Flowers" movement and the subsequent return to a policy of harsh regimentation. In depicting the views, feelings, frustrations, and tragic fates of many individual intellectuals in the confrontation with an oppressive party bureaucracy, the author reveals, in an unprecedented way, the nature of the authoritarian society that has evolved in Communist China. Her study convincingly demonstrates that totalitarian rule has not guaranteed the subservience of the Chinese intelligentsia and, even more important, that the alienated, critical intellectual remains a significant and vital force.