The Tao Te Ching (alt. spelling: Dao De Jing) originated in China over 2000 years ago, although the exact date it was written isn't known. It is said to have been written by a man named Lao Tzu (Laozi) - for further information about him, look in the Taoist section of this directory under Lao Tzu. The Tao Te Ching is comprised of 81 chapters (or verses). It has been translated into different languages more than any other book in the world except the Bible, and the English translations can vary quite a bit depending on the person doing the translation. That's because Classic Chinese (in which the TTC was written) is very difficult to understand, and there is little punctuation or grammar. Basically, the Tao Te Ching is a philosophical text in which Lao Tzu tried to explain Tao (Dao). It is steeped in mystery and ambiguosity, but the common thread throughout is a reflection on Nature and the ways in which people can attain a more fulfilling life by being like Tao and Nature. Since there are so many different translations of the Tao Te Ching, it's a good idea to explore a variety of the versions available in English. For those who want a deeper understanding, it can be advantageous to do your own translation from Chinese.