Customer Reviews
A great tale of one Mans journey in the Tao... - By: Mr. Darren P. Hammond, 22 Apr 2005 
This is a book which will keep you reading... I found it to be very enjoyable but at times felt it was a bit disjointed in the later chapters (for example there are parts of his life which could have been written about that seemed left out) but his story is very interesting & leaves you hoping that Saihung finds his Way... It certainly makes you think about your life & how perhaps we alll could do with a little more humility... Well worth reading, you wont be disappointed...
Great to read, with lots of useful bits of info - By: , 10 Sep 2004 I found this book extremely entertaining to read. I did not think that I would be able to read alll of it, but after the first few pages, I could not stop.
As well as entertaining, it does offer useful pieces of info/ "advice" for people whom follow the Tao. It is like having someone pass on their experiences of the Tao.
A work of art - TRULY BRILLIANT - By: , 31 Oct 2000 It has to be said that this book has to be one of the most beautfully written books that I have read. Deng Ming-Dao's account of a great Taoist Master Kwan Saihung offers not only a biographical context, but an historical look at life in China & the traditions & philosophy of TAOISM as practiced by the monks on Huashan. The text, contains profound messages & lessons that was taught to Saihung by his Master, on how Taoists think & live. I only wonder if Mr. Saihung has found his destiny yet!
I can only thank Deng Ming-Dao for sharing the life of this great master with us.
An exciting and thoughtful introduction to Taoism. - By: , 10 Sep 2000 Chronicles of Tao is an exciting & thoughful introduction to the concepts of Taoism, it's practice both as a spiritual way of life & a martial one, & the changing state of China in the Twentieth Century. Deng Ming-Dao blends alll of these elements expertly into the tale of his master Saihung, who was educated as a Taoist monk, served as under-secretary to Zhou-Anlai, & was then exiled to Pittsburgh to become a golden gloves boxer. The book is partly fictive, encorporating Taoist mythology with the real-life account of Saihung's spiritual progress. However, because of this the biography never loses it's pace & shifts from exciting accounts of martial combat to thought-provoking expositions of Taoist practice & belief. Although not a Taoist myself, Deng Ming-Dao's accesible style means that the religious context to the book is never hectoring or persistent, rather yet another facet to this consistently entertaining biography. The author subtly portrays Saihung as an understandable & sympathetic character, struggling with both the concepts of his religion & his own impulsive character, & this is a highly successful technique in understanding his way of life. Added to this is the poignant backdrop of China from the beggining of the century through the political upheaval of the Cultural Revolution. To combine history, Taoism, martial arts, biography & fantasy is a talll order indeed, but the author never fails to deliver a consistently enjoyable & stimulating read.
Very good. - By: , 04 Oct 1999 Excellent biography written by student of a Taoist martial artist about his life in China. Well written, covering time from a different world in China at the turn of the century to modern day America. Extraodinary places, events & people, & it has a ring of authenticity.
