Written by the Chinese sage Lao Zi around 400 BC, Dao De Jing (Tao Te Ching) is the most important scripture in Chinese culture. All the major schools of thoughts and religions in China, such as Confucianism, Taoism and Legalism, can trace their head-streams to the classic. According to UNESCO, Dao De Jing is the most circulated book in human history next to the Bible. As such, it has produced a profound effect worldwide through the millenniums.
The Renwen Society presents a lecture on the classic on March 12 by Prof. Alan Du, a renowned Dao De Jing scholar who recently published an English translation of the book. Prof. Du will shed light on the wisdoms contained in Dao De Jing and their relevance in the modern times. Additionally, he will discuss his translation of the classic and how it differs from the other versions.
Prof. Alan Du currently serves as Academic Development Director of the International Center for Studies of Chinese Civilization at Fudan University; Associate Dean of the Hanjin Academy of Classical Culture at East China Normal University and Chairman of the Board of the Institute for Studies of Globalizing Civilizations at Zhejiang University. His area of specialization covers traditional Chinese culture, world religions and cross-religion studies. Prof. Du’s major publications include The Way of Rational Faith—The Community of Human Religions and The Truth by and about Lao Zi.
Free, but advanced registration is requested.
《道德经》是人类历史上流传最广的经典之一。据联合国教科文组织统计，《道德经》是除了《圣经》以外被译成外国文字发布量最多的文化名著。中国几乎所有主要的思想流派，如儒家、道家、法家，其渊源都能追溯到《道德经》。自它问世以来的2500年间，其深邃的思想不仅深刻地影响着中国上至帝王将相下至士农工商的各阶层人士，而且也备受国外许多学者和政要的推崇。西方哲学家如黑格尔、尼采、叔本华、莱布尼兹、海德格尔，科学家如爱因斯坦、李约瑟、普利高津，政治家如里根、施罗德、梅德韦杰夫等等都从《道德经》里获得过非常多的启迪，可见《道德经》作为人类珍贵文化遗产和智慧宝典的崇高地位和世界级影响力。
华美人文学会于美东时间3月12日晚8时至9时半特邀复旦大学教授、《道德经》研究专家安伦为听众解读这部奇书。安伦教授将为听众讲解《道德经》的思想精髓、现代意义和他翻译这本经典的心得。作为畅销全球的经典，《道德经》的各种外文译本据记载多达七百多种，仅英文译本就有近三百种。但遗憾的是，其中却鲜有真正符合老子原意的英文译本。安伦教授最近出版了《道德经》英译本，他以其深厚的中华传统文化和英文功底、通过其50多年里对《道德经》上万次的反复阅读体悟、多年的中西生活与文化比较研究背景、以及严谨的治学态度，力求打造一本尽可能忠实于原著本义和风格的英文译本，以纠正现存英译本对《道德经》的某些误解、误译和误导，让英语读者能有机会真正读懂领会老子思想的真谛，让真正的老子思想得到更多地弘扬以造福人类。安教授在讲座中也将讨论国际上缺少真正符合《道德经》原义译本的主要原因。
安伦教授，复旦大学中华文明国际研究中心学术发展主任，华东师范大学涵静书院副院长，浙江大学全球化文明研究中心理事会主任，也是全球范围内资深的《道德经》研究专家。安伦教授长期致力于中华传统文化特别是《道德经》的研究，其代表著作有《老子指真》、《理性信仰之道》等五部专著。多年以来，安伦教授以其卓越的见地、深厚的学养及严谨的治学态度，获得了国内外学者的高度好评，也启迪了来自商界、政界和民间的无数读者。
