This is the complete Chuang Tzu, not only the Inner Chapters.

To me, the translation of =intent= in Ni's edition feels more appropriate than Watson or some others.

For comparison (Inner Chapter 1), in Watson, it says:
"Therefore I say, the Perfect Man has no self; the Holy Man has no merit; the Sage has no fame."

By contrast, in Ni, it says:
"Thus it has been said, 'Man in his highest form is selfless. Gods, who were once men, have no interest in achievement. One of natural wisdom takes no interest in fame.'"

It is likely that the former is a closer transliteration, but in English it is inaccurate to say "the Sage has no fame", when indeed he may have much fame about him. Then, what is meant? What is meant is what Ni makes plain.

Someone reading only Watson (or many similar translations) may struggle on interpreting that simple line for some time. But to what end? The sentences are not word puzzles.

I find nothing disingenuous about either approach. However, for myself, I find the cryptic nature of the highly transliterative approach as desirable mainly to the intellect and ego, and thus a distraction from the true intent.

I find that Ni is a capable translator of the intent - of conveying the wisdom - in this book, as he is in his translation of the Tao Te Ching.

Very Nice Book.... This is one that needs to be studied over the years and used as a supplement to spiritual practice...The Man is very down to earth and balanced in his approach. Read it for yourself and plant a seed in your soul!

On the contrary i totally disagree with the above comments by the above two Davids....the book is actually about the sayings of Chuang Tzu one of the famous sages in China, after Lao Tzu, as such Ni is merely translating and putting some of his own commentaries on what is essentially a book which has been translated & commented on by other authors.

The difference is that Ni managed to bring out the simple messages attributed to Chuang Tzu in an uncomplicated way.

I feel that this is a worthy read and will help in a person"s self cultivation.

As to accusations that this is "New Age" teachings, cult studies etc....I suggest readers to read what Ni has to say in his books with an open and discerning mind...it is in fact a logical and pragmatic view to living and to progress as human being in society

Master Ni, Hua Ching is the diffinative authority on Taoist Integral science. With the Esoteric Tao Te Ching, he presents the core of Taoist philosophy for modern people to consider. This elucitation of the ancient way is clear and precise. It is a fundamental tool for achieveing what the Ancient Chinese called 'Wu Wei' or non-doing. This book takes phenomenal bounds by presenting Lao Tzu's idea of self-government and a eutopiean society. It reveals the way and how to reach it. Having read many translations of the Tao Te Ching, I find this one to be top shelf material.

This doesn't read like most translations of the Tao Teh Ching (and I have translations of both the traditional text and the text discovered in the Xian tombs). However, I like what he has to say, and when I check his "translations" against a more traditional, literal translation, the two together make a lot of sense (he shed a lot of light on an otherwise incomprehensible literal translation in another book). I think what he is doing is therefore more of a paraphrase than a direct translation, a paraphrase that is an extremely concise commentary. So I think his approach is valid. You don't need to have another version of the Tao Te Ching to follow along, by the way. In reviews of other books by Ni, he is accused of being new age or self taught. I don't know about the new age part, but somewhere in this book he inasmuch acknowledges he is "self taught" and that is not a problem for me. Maybe Lao Tse was self taught, too. I find this book very helpful.

This is really two books in one. The first 200 pages or so gives a great deal of information on the traditional Taoist astrology and numerology that underlies the I-Ching. As valuable as this information is, it is the translation of the I-Ching itself where this work really shines. It is evident the author has a deep understanding of both the meaning of this text and the culture form which this teaching arose. In several instances the author gives facinating insites on ancient Chinese life and culture while explaining the meaning of the hexagrams. A great contirbution to the world's understanding of this classic text. A must for all readers from casual to scholars.

This book is a must for anyone who is looking for spiritual guidance. Master Ni (Hua Ching Ni) offers the reader straight-forward descriptions of I Ching concepts, along with many other related topics. He explains how the I Ching and nature are connected. His perception of the I Ching hexagrams contains the same gentle wisdom that comes forth in all of his books. He brings the I Ching principles to life by giving us realistic guidelines for daily living, using his experiential knowledge of ancient traditions passed down to him through generations of spiritual masters.

This book describes the author's relationship with his father, Yo San Ni, while growing up in a traditional Chinese family in pre-communist China. Yo San Ni was well respected healer in his community, but most of all he was a Taoist teacher who had spent much of his youth living and studying with Taoists in the mountains of China before settling down and starting his own school called the College of Tao and Chinese Healing.

Some of the book describes the relationship between a father and a son, but more than that, the relationship between a high level Taoist and a young, bright student with exceptional ability. The reader gets the sense of the deep respect the author had for his father and the way he dealt with the separation that occurred when the Communists took over China and Hua Ching Ni had to flee the country is remarkable. Another remarkable passage is how Yo San Ni maintained his virtuous nature throughout the Cultural Revolution especially when he was put on trial while in his nineties.

The main importance of this book though is the deep nature of Yo San Ni's teachings that his son records for us. This is not religious Taoism, but the Taoism of everyday life and how to achieve oneself in daily life. With such chapter titles as "Guidance for Deep Meditation" and " The Essential Practice", the reader will find this book is one that can be used on a daily basis, whether one is just beginning with self-cultivation or has years of experience. Hua Ching Ni recommends this book as important for men who want to practice self-cultivation. For women, he recommends "Mystical Universal Mother". For all readers, it is recommended to read this book more than once. At first it may seem too esoteric, but the 2nd or 3rd time it begins to go deeper to reach your spirit.

The clarity of the writings of Master Ni is far beyond any author I have ever read. The feeling I had when I found his work has to be akin to the feelings of those who uncovered King Tut's Tomb. I felt like a "spiritual archeologist" finding the beginnings of mankind's spiritual wisdom

The Majestic Domain Of The Universal Heart: The Most Truthful Divinity by Taoist Master Hua-Ching Ni and his son, Maoshing Ni, is a deeply spiritual book of inspirational guidance, based on the teachings of Lao Tzu and Chen Tuan. Offering spiritual growth and harmony through the holistic embrace of all life has to offer, The Majestic Domain Of The Universal Heart makes for peaceful, enriching, rewarding reading, and is a highly recommended addition to Eastern Philosophy Studies supplemental reading lists.

Mastering Chi: Strength From Movement is a comprehensive guide to the Taoist Physical Arts, (also known as T'ai Chi), and their practice for the purpose of enhancing health, flexibility, balance, and spirituality. From choosing the right movements for oneself, to descriptions of exercise and breathing techniques, Mastering Chi is an excellent and useful guide. Mastering Chi is a welcome and highly recommended addition to personal, dojo, and community library T'ai Chi and Eastern Philosophy supplemental reading lists and reference collections.

...shame it's gone out of print

The Story of Two Kingdoms is a more in depth teaching of the Integral Way. There is significant use of spiritual metaphors in this book. Interpretating them as lilereal examples will limit a persons understanding; and may leave someone perplexed. I make a recomendation for this book, only till simplier works have been studied and understood first. This book helps is disolving contradictory thinking, through the attainment of harmony.

On the Tao Te Ching portion of the book: This elucidation by Ni is supposed to represent the Southern Internal Alchemy school's view on the Tao Te Ching. This version is not as poetic or beautiful as some others, but is clear and effective in delivering its message, without confusing the reader too much.
On the Hua Hu Ching portion of the book: I do not like this portion of the book. The message may be valuable, but the format is in that of a conversation between Laozi and a prince, and is old fashioned in language so it is confusing and harder to understand. This is just my opinion, and some of my friends enjoyed this format, and maybe you will too, but I prefer Brian Walker's version, which is based on this very translation, but is instead a sort of poetic summary, condensing each chapter to its essential lessons.

I truly likes this book. His translations might be a bit confusing for the first time reader, but after a while I realized it was all to convey the ideas more clearly. An excellent book, and an excellent message. I enjoyed it very much...

Over-reliance in many spiritual texts on enigmatic wording does not inherently promote understanding of what cannot be directly spoken. This book is perhaps slightly less poetic - and certainly less cryptic - than most translations of the Tao Te Ching. And it is a welcome tradeoff for it's well-conveyed manner. (I have not read other translations of the Hua Hu Ching for comparison, so I will not comment on that part of the book.)

With plain, direct, and gentle wording he gracefully illuminates. Yet, it is so worded such that each passage still leaves a silence at the end of it, offering the reader the space to dwell on that which cannot be put into words.