Q&A with Matthias Schossig, translator of first publication of Tao Te King by Body Balance

Chapter 33 of the Tao Te King

translated by Matthias Schossig

Who knows others is smart.

Who knows himself is wise.

Who conquers others has force.

Who conquers himself has power.

Who achieves has will.

Who knows how to be content, is rich.

Who does not lose his place, endures.

Who is not going under in death, lives.

-o-

"I humbly add this version of the 'only book in the world that has more translators than readers' to the endless flow of ever new versions, which all have their merits. May this effort be for the benefit of all practitioners of the gentle energy arts everywhere." --from the forward to the book

-o-

BODY BALANCE: How did you encounter the German version of the Tao Te Ching by Richard Wilhelm and Arthur Rouselle, the consciousness pioneers?

MATTHIAS SCHOSSIG: I actually studied many translations in my youth, from Bachofen, which I think was the first ever in the 1800s, all the way to contemporary translations, like the Psychedelic Prayers, by Timothy Leary, who picked the most experiential bits of the Tao Te King and turned them into a handbook for inner journeys. Each of these translations has their own merits, some are more scholarly, some emphasize the ethics, some strive to be precise, others are more poetic. I was always attracted by the meditative, experiential aspects of this book, which I consider one of the best things ever written - right next to De Ente et Essentia, by Thomas Aquinas, or Tractatus Logico Philosophicus, by Ludwig Wittgenstein. The author comes right to the point, right from the beginning, by defining the task: to talk about that, which cannot be named by words. There you have it. And this is why I thought it was a good idea to add one more translation to the long line of translations of the only book in history that, someone said, has more translators than readers.

What motivated you to translate their version into English for Body Balance Lotus Group and to publish it on-demand?

We had started some in-depth discussions of individual chapters in our Lotus Group, and listened to Didi Ananda Lalita who demonstrated how much music this language has by reading chapters to us in Mandarin Chinese. What struck me in these discussions was how much the Tao Te King is a manual for the correct practice of Tai Chi. Tai Chi is much more than a martial art or a series of physical postures. It radiates and transforms our entire lives. And the Tao Te King can be used as a manual for Tai Chi Practitioners how to apply their inner work to their lives.

Editor's note: The book is available on-demand from Lulu.com. 
http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/tao-te-king/18794930

How did you come to be a translator and what topic areas do you usually work with?

I started out in the eighties as a translator of non-fiction literature. I translated many esoteric and self-help books. I actually came to translating out of an interest in books, which were only available in English. I really wanted these in German, so I approached German publishers and asked if they were interested in these books. When they were, my next question was if they pay me to translate these books. This way, I became a translator/literary agent. Some of the books made their publishers and their authors very rich. Like John Gray, the author of "Men are from Mars - Women are from Venus" - a great book by a great guy. Anyway, for me, there was not so much money in translating books - translators are bottom feeders in the literary world. Although their work is very important, it is not generally recognized. Have you ever read the review of a foreign novel, in which the translator was mentioned? I haven't. It is kind of a blind spot.

You are both a dedicated tai chi practitioner and a dedicated singer.  How do those aspects of your life complement one another?

I am studying singing with Walburga Ziegenhagen, my wife, who teaches a special kind of singing, which is known as the School of Uncovering the Voice. We like to say that singing is 90% listening, and only 10% production of tones. It is like in Tai Chi, which I think is 90 % inner focus, and 10% physical effort. We "listen" to the flow of Chi in our bodies, just as we listen to the vibration of sound in singing. And our work is tuning in. The breath moves the blood, and the blood moves the Chi, as Shih Fu Eileen says. In singing, the breath moves the tone, and the tone drives the musical form.

Matthias by Tom X