The Way of Chuang Tzu was published by New Directions in 1965. Merton, who did not read Chinese, worked from multiple English translations and scholarly commentaries to produce what he called “interpretive readings” — not translations in any academic sense but creative encounters with the ancient Taoist philosopher. The result is one of Merton’s most beautiful and surprising books: a Christian monk finding in a fourth-century-BC Chinese sage a voice remarkably congenial to his own sensibility.
Merton was drawn to Chuang Tzu for specific reasons: the Taoist’s mockery of conventional wisdom, his distrust of institutional religion, his insistence that the Way cannot be captured in words or systems, his humor, and his celebration of uselessness (the gnarled tree that survives because no carpenter wants it is one of Chuang Tzu’s central parables — and a perfect metaphor for monastic life).
The interpretive versions are Merton’s own poetry as much as Chuang Tzu’s philosophy: he takes the freedom of not being a Sinologist to render the Chinese sage in vigorous, contemporary English that captures spirit rather than letter. The book has been criticized by scholars of Chinese philosophy for its inaccuracies and its imposition of Christian categories on Taoist thought — but it works magnificently as what it is: a dialogue across millennia between two contemplatives who share a fundamental orientation toward reality.
Collecting The Way of Chuang Tzu
First edition (New Directions, New York, 1965): Cloth with dust jacket.
Market values:
- First edition, fine/fine: $75–$200
- Very good: $30–$75
Projected values (2026–2036): Moderate appreciation.
East Meets West
The Way of Chuang Tzu (1965) is Merton’s collection of “imitations” — free renderings rather than translations — of the Taoist sage Zhuangzi. Merton, who did not read Chinese, worked from existing translations with the help of the scholar John C.H. Wu, producing versions that capture the spirit of Zhuangzi’s paradoxical, anarchic wisdom. The book represents Merton’s deepening engagement with Eastern thought and his conviction that contemplative traditions share a common ground beneath doctrinal differences. It is one of the most popular introductions to Taoist thought in English.
Frequently Asked Questions
Was Merton a Buddhist? No — he remained a Catholic monk throughout his life. But he was deeply influenced by Zen Buddhism and Taoism, corresponding with D.T. Suzuki and Thich Nhat Hanh, and his final journey to Asia was motivated by his desire to deepen his understanding of Eastern contemplative practice.