It was with amazement that I read about the new publication of the Guodian slip of Laozi, translated by Robert G. Henricks. This new treasury found in 1993 was studied upon by several Chinese and western scholars, including R.G. Henricks. He was one of the 31 scholars who attended the International seminar for discussion and study upon this new bamboo slip scripture.
It doesn't need explanation, to say that Mr Henricks is an extraordinary skilled and profound scholar in the Laozi realm of work. After translating and publishing his work on the Ma-Wang-Tui text of the Lao-Tzu - which proves over and over again to be a high-quality translation and commentary - it was but logical to find the 1st translation of the Guodian treasure to be translated and commented upon by him.
The Guodian version, named the Laozi, consists only of 31 chapters out of the 81 chapters we know today as being the complete Lao-Tzu work called the Tao Te Ching. It should be seen as an indepth study on the new Guodian version and I would not recommend this book to someone who has not studied the 'complete' Tao Te Ching prior to reading this book.
The Laozi is organized as it was written down on the bamboo slips; In three different Themes. For simplicity, Mr Henricks named these A, B and C. This division has a similar approach in Chuang-Tzu's work: three Sections making up his work: Inner section, Outer section and Miscellaneous. If this was intented is a thesis, but not a fact. It is opted this version to be one that's connected with the Guan-Dao school of Daoism. A great explanation is included on the completeness of the Guodian version compared to the philospical elements that are known in the later versions of the Lao-Tzu (Tao Te Ching).
For those who study and want to have new revelation upon the philosophy and Meaning of the Lao-Tzu, this book is a MUST read.
