Everyone in the world knows that the soft overcomes the hard and the weak the strong, but who can practice this? -Chapter 78 The Tao Te Ching is one of the most profound pieces of writing in existence. Having been in continuous print for more than 2,000 years, its writings have inspired countless generations of spiritual seekers. The language of the Tao Te Ching is subtle, resulting in many different interpretations and translations. To help readers get past the difficulties associated with studying the Tao Te Ching, this unique special edition includes: * Five distinct translations of each of the 81 chapters presented together * A correspondence between the translations so they may be compared easily * The original Chinese text broken into sections and linked with each of the translations * The introductions to each of the translations complete with footnotes and Chinese characters * An Afterward featuring the teachings of a Taoist monk to his Western student