T’ai Chi Ch’uan is an embodiment of Taoism.
The practice and the T’ai Chi Classics that guide us emerged in the context of awareness of the Tao Te Ching and other perspectives of the time. Familiarization with these can be informative and, perhaps more importantly, a delight. I have some useful links and a few more words on this on the Chinese Classic Writings page.
Here are a few books you might want to have on hand:
Tao Te Ching
This is an obscure translation, but I keep coming back to Schoenewolf’s translation again and again; I find it utterly charming, and with a sensibility of levity. Delightful illustrations as well.
Lin Yutang has an impeccable translation, and he has other books as well. Find them. Read them.
Stephen Mitchell’s translation is very accessible and not a bad place to start
I like the Feng / English translation, and there is an audio version available--nice for when you’re driving!
Ursula Le Guin’s translation:
Witter Bynner was a wild child; you can actually stay in his house, now a B&B. Here’s his very accessible and pleasant translation; because it’s called “The Way of Life” in stead of the “Tao Te Ching”--something no marketing person would allow today--people sometimes overlook it.
:
Professor Cheng did his own translation of the Tao Te Ching; it’s fascinating, but might not be the easiest to start with.
I Ching
The Wilhelm Baynes version, with a forward by Jung, is the standard most of us start with--a classic:
Chuang Tzu
Thomas Merton did a translation--how cool is that? These two seem to have a genuine affinity:
