This ambitious book presents a new interpretation of Chinese thought guided both by a philosopher''s sense of mystery and by a sound philosophical theory of meaning. That dual goal, Hansen argues, requires a unified translation theory. It must provide a single coherent account of the issues that motivated both the recently untangled Chinese linguistic analysis and the familiar moral-political disputes. Hansen''s unified approach uncovers a philosophical sophistication in Daoism that traditional accounts have overlooked.

This ambitious book presents a new interpretation of Chinese thought guided both by a philosopher''s sense of mystery and by a sound philosophical theory of meaning. That dual goal, Hansen argues, requires a unified translation theory. It must provide a single coherent account of the issues that motivated both the recently untangled Chinese linguistic analysis and the familiar moral-political disputes. Hansen''s unified approach uncovers a philosophical sophistication in Daoism that traditional accounts have overlooked.

This ambitious book presents a new interpretation of Chinese thought guided both by a philosopher''s sense of mystery and by a sound philosophical theory of meaning. That dual goal, Hansen argues, requires a unified translation theory. It must provide a single coherent account of the issues that motivated both the recently untangled Chinese linguistic analysis and the familiar moral-political disputes. Hansen''s unified approach uncovers a philosophical sophistication in Daoism that traditional accounts have overlooked.