A perfect balance of Lao Tzu and Confucious.However there is a more elegant and poetic English translation under a different title is translated by Thomas Cleary:"Back To Beginnings" (on Shamabala Publictions) though Cleary did selectively leave out some of the numbered meditations (and their numerical references).Note:Hong Yingming's Taoist mane is Huanchu Daoren.Get both books and understand the extent of the translator's art.If you read Chinese don't get Back to Beginnings get this version because it has English and Chinese side by side.One can learn from any version, this book is special.