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Deng Ming-Dao
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Each Journey Begins With a Single Step: The Taoist Book of Life Paperback – September 1, 2018

by Deng Ming-Dao (Author)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 60 ratings
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This is a book of guidance for life's journey rooted in the wisdom of ancient China. Best-selling author Deng Ming-Dao provides key poetic lines that distill the essence of Taoism, organizing them in the form of a journey. The material here is drawn from three sources: The Tao Te Ching, The Yijing, and 300 Tang Poems.

Deng Ming-Dao writes: "We walk the Way each day. We don't know what's ahead and so it's helpful to have the wisdom of others to guide us. They have left us a message to encourage us. They have spoken of the joys, griefs, and purity that we should embrace. Like good pathfinders, they give us direction and prepare us for what we might encounter. They let us walk for ourselves. We have a wonderful companion for the journey."

The following lines reflect the inspirational nature of this book:

"A good traveler leaves no footprints."

"Think three times, then move."

"Words can be worth a thousand pieces of gold."

"Ancestors plant trees. Descendants enjoy cool shade."

"A journey of one thousand miles begins with a single step."

This is a lovely package that will function as a gift for all occasions and as an object for those looking for daily sustenance on life's journey.

Previous page
  1. Print length
    208 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Hampton Roads Publishing
  4. Publication date
    September 1, 2018
  5. Dimensions
    5 x 1 x 7 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1571748385
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1571748386
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Successful Taoist author Ming-Dao has gathered excerpts from The Tao Te-Ching, The Yijing, and Chinese poetic tradition (derived mostly from 300 Tang Poems) in order to create a lyrical (Melancholy spring wind, pained at river sunset.), poignant (My hair turns white in this foreign land ... and shivering animals in withered grass on every side will accompany my worried face.), and insightful (A good fighter is never angry.) journey through Taoism. Each carefully chosen phrase is a brush stroke which paints part of a picture that elevates as it comes more and more into focus. Ming-Dao's mastery of the words of Tao serves him well in this small but powerful book. He includes a glossary at the end for those less well-versed than he is in the subject. The book can be read front to back or randomly with equal gratification. Of course, it can also be used as an oracle by customers who are inclined toward psychic guidance. It will be perfect for holiday shoppers."
Even when the chariot is before a mountain,
There will be a road. --Proverb" --Anna Jedrziewski, Retailing Insights August 2018 -- Anna Jedrziewski ― Retailing Insights

"A marvelously engaging and innovative omnibus! Deng Ming Dao maps here the way of China's perennial philosophies. A wise and trusty mentor, he lets the landscape, within us all and all around us, speak for itself, so that we may each find our own way with this timeless guide." --Gary Gach, author of Pause, Breathe, Smile -- Gary Gach

“Deng Ming-Dao’s collection relies on three major sources: the Daodejing, given in its complete translation; the Yiying, said to have been written by Confucius; and examples from the Chinese poetic tradition. Some experiences will bring sorrow and pain, yet even these are shown to be part of the Tao, the mysterious Way that is said to lead through heaven and earth and is open to all.” – Foreword Reviews ― Foreword Reviews

“This collection of Taoist sayings is organized around simple and profound concepts, such as the road or path, truth or reason, speech and steps, or process. It's the multiple meanings that derive from this combination of concepts that will speak to each individual. Deng describes life as a journey in poetic form, offering the primary sources of these sayings.” --Library Journal ― Library Journal

About the Author


Deng Ming-Dao is an artist, philosopher, teacher, and martial artist. He is the author of eight books, including 365 Tao, Everyday Tao, Scholar Warrior, and Chronicles of Tao. He is an award-winning graphic designer and fine artist whose work is shown in several collections, including those of the Brooklyn Museum. Visit him at dengmingdao.com.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Hampton Roads Publishing (September 1, 2018)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 208 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1571748385
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1571748386
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 6.4 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 1 x 7 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 60 ratings

About the author

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Deng Ming-Dao

Deng Ming-Dao

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Deng Ming-Dao is the author of eight books, including 365 Tao, Everyday Tao, Scholar Warrior, and Chronicles of Tao. His books have been translated into fifteen languages. He studied qigong, philosophy, meditation, and internal martial arts with Taoist master Kwan Saihung for thirteen years, and studied with two other masters before that. He is an award-winning graphic designer and fine artist whose work is in several collections, including those of the Brooklyn Museum and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
60 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Mark Twain
5.0 out of 5 stars Genuine Authentic
Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2020
Verified Purchase
Authentic, genuine, honest. A good solid martial artist.
A good man. A kind man. A rock of a teacher.
His writings help remind me of The Great Comforter who cradles us all...
Peace, love and compassion. It has been my experience that he lives what he writes.
Namaskar to all the world.
2 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars excellent book to keep under the pillow
Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2018
Verified Purchase
This book is all about ancient wise teachers from china. They taught how to live a life without suffering. The author
is a expert on Taoism and he guide the student on the right track.
3 people found this helpful
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Tlea
4.0 out of 5 stars Enlightening
Reviewed in the United States on October 5, 2018
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Quick mindful reading
2 people found this helpful
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Charlie
5.0 out of 5 stars A journey of a thousand miles...
Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2019
I have heard another translation of this phrase is "A journey of a thousand miles begins with the ground beneath your feet." I am not sure which is more correct, but they have quite different meanings to me.
3 people found this helpful
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R L BOADEN
3.0 out of 5 stars Pick out and Use the Wisdom that Resonates with You...
Reviewed in the United States on April 5, 2019
I have some mixed feelings and impressions about this latest offering from Deng Ming-Dao.

I have got a lot out of much of his earlier books, and perhaps I was hoping for a similar reading/contemplation experience with this work.

The book comprises 18 chapters, each focused on a theme, and offering a mix of quotes from the Dao De Jing, Yijing, short proverbs, poems, Book of Rites, and a few other miscellaneous works. There is an excellent introduction. I particularly enjoyed the poems in each of the chapters, their subtlety and poignancy, their delicate symbolism and allusions. But then next to these is a jarring contrast with the Yijing - a text that I have difficulty comprehending due to its abstraction, complex system of meaning, and it's very antiquity. Luckily the author has also written "The Living I Ching" and his illuminating commentary on each hexagram is helpful. I am not sure that the Yijing can be usefully dissected out and pasted into an anthology this way, it seems to require a level of focus and active intellectual engagement at odds with the relaxed contemplative engagement invited by the poems and Dao De Jing.

In regard to the Dao De Jing quotes, I have read many translations and interpretations, and have my favourite go-to ones. Classical Chinese is not easy to translate, devoid of the convenient grammatical features that clarify the intended meaning. The version used here made me uncomfortably aware of the antiquity of this 5000 character text (warring states period, around 600 - 500 BCE) and some of the meanings, understandings and idioms do not translate well if left in their raw state, and do not always engage our minds now in the 21st century. It is not my experience that peaceful contemplation of Lao tzu's words can fully build a bridge across this chasm of the Unknown.

The first half of the book offers a balanced mix of each of the above sources, but then from chapter 11 through to 16 the inspiration seems to run dry and it is mostly quotes from the Dao De Jing and Yijing. The final two chapters resume the balanced format of the first 10 chapters.

Another inclusion in the quotes seemed out of place - from a Tai Chi treatise dealing with inner alchemy. These quotes were interesting, and useful for Tai Chi and Qigong practitioners as they work with the three treasures (Jing, chi and Shen) but this can be esoteric and I am not sure that this compilation is the best place for it.

I think a few words in the introduction, clarifying the organising thought or intention behind this compilation, and suggesting how to read/use/contemplate the quotes in this book would have made for a better reading experience, especially for who lack the rich history of Chinese thought and culture in our DNA.

All that said, I can still recommend this compilation, but just pick out and use what speaks to you as a unique person.
7 people found this helpful
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Cliente de Amazon
1.0 out of 5 stars Más de lo mismo
Reviewed in Mexico on February 13, 2022
Verified Purchase
Puro Lao Tsé, siempre lo mismo con este autor
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