Inspired by the earliest and core texts of Zen Buddhism, Zen Speaks distills the philosophy and wisdom of Zen in a series of illustrated Chinese character cartoon panels that are irreverently humorous and profoundly wise.

Zen Speaks: Shouts of Nothingness

Literature & Fiction

Chung, Tsai Chih

Humor & Satire

Anchor

A profoundly wise and humorous rendering of the classic Chinese text on military strategy, as told through the delightful Chinese cartoon panels of best-selling author Tsai Chih Chung.

Sunzi Speaks: The Art of War

History

Military

Presents key pasages from the "Analects" of Confucius in comic book form

Confucius Speaks: Words to Live By

Politics & Social Sciences

Philosophy

The sixth book in the Zen Speaks series of cartoon-illustrated adaptations of Chinese thought and philosophy by world-renowned author Tsai Chih Chung, Wisdom of the Zen Masters combines selections from the most important and famous Zen texts into a single volume. Only one Chinese Buddhist work ever attained the status of an official scripture, the Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch. Wisdom of the Zen Masters illustrates the key narrative of this text and follows the orthodox line of Zen transmission in a loosely chronological format from patriarch to patriarch, master to master. The result is a delightful romp through the history of forty or so illustrious and irreverent Zen masters, complete with enlightening anecdotes and disarming wisdom. In addition to the Platform Sutra, many episodes are drawn from other key Zen texts, including the Transmission of the Lamp, the Gateless Gate (Mumonkan), and the Blue Cliff Record. All of these are recognized as rich sources of the famous Zen koan. Wisdom of the Zen Masters is not only a perfect introduction to Zen Buddhism, but also an essential component of any Zen collection.

Wisdom of the Zen Masters

Zhuangzi Speaks: The Music of Nature

During a period of political and social upheaval in China, the unconventional insights of the great Daoist Zhuangzi (369?-286? B.C.) pointed to a way of living naturally. Inspired by his fascination with the wisdom of this sage, the immensely popular Taiwanese cartoonist Tsai Chih Chung created a bestselling Chinese comic book. Tsai had his cartoon characters enact the key parables of Zhuangzi (pronounced jwawngdz), and he rendered Zhuangzi's most enlightening sayings into modern Chinese. Through Tsai's enthusiasm and skill, the earliest and core parts of the Zhuangzi were thus made accessible to millions of Chinese-speaking people with no other real chance of appreciating this major Daoist text. Translated into English by Brian Bruya, the comic book is now available to a Western audience. The classical Chinese text of the selections of the Zhuangzi is reproduced in the margins throughout. Evoked by the translation and the playful cartoons is the spontaneity that Zhuangzi favors as an attitude toward life: abandon presuppositions, intellectual debates, and ambitions, he suggests, and listen to the "music of nature." With the writings attributed to Laozi, the Zhuangzi contributed to an alternative philosophical ideal that matched Confucianism in its impact on Chinese culture. Over the centuries this classical Daoism influenced many aspects of Chinese life, including painting, literature, and the martial arts. It had a particularly strong effect on Chan Buddhism (Japanese Zen). For this book, Donald Munro has written an afterword that places Daoism and the Zhuangzi in historical and cultural context.

Comics & Graphic Novels

Bruya, Brian (Translator)

Comic Strips

Princeton University Press

A humorous interpretation of the historical Chinese classic

Journey to the West Book 1

Asiapac

Part 2 of The Journey to the West, paperback format.

journey to the west (journey to the west book 2)

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Books by Chung, Tsai Chih