Burton Watson

Burton Watson is renowned for his lucid and beautiful translations from the Chinese and Japanese. He has written or translated several books published by Columbia University Press, including (the list is extensive). We are indebted to Professor Watson that he has been willing to devote his considerable talents and learning to meet this need for accurate translations of basic works. No doubt it would have been personally more gratifying to the researcher's instinct in him, and in the professional fraternity, had he turned to some untouched subject, no matter how obscure and out-of-the-way. That he has returned to several of the old masters is a credit both to them and to him. Great figures like Chuang Tzu, Han Fei Tzu, Mo Tzu, and Hsun Tzu merit rediscovery and reexamination by each generation. How much more is this true when, in comparison to Confucius and Lao Tzu, they have been known until now by so few!

- Wm. Theodore de Bary

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In my opinion, Burton Watson's is by far the best reading translation of the Chuang Tzu (by leaps and boundlessness). There are more and more translations coming out every minute, but setting aside the issue of accuracy, I find most of them are just not good reading. And as for re-examination of the old masters, I can only do my part to help make this happen.

- Wm. Enjoyer of Fresh Berries