The Influence of Taoism on American Literature, a Study from the Perspective of Western Binary Opposition

Abstract

With the deepening communication between the East and the West. Taoism, a domestic religion in China, has also been introduced into the Western world. In particular the masterpiece of Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, has affected numerous readers. There is a huge gap between Western binary opposition and the Eastern philosophy contained in Taoism. Caused by such a mentality, the misunderstanding of American literature on Tao Te Ching and Taoism is ubiquitous. This paper mainly analyzes the introduction and translation of Tao Te Ching in America, the misinterpretation and acceptance of the theory of Lao Tzu and the influence of Taoism on American writers, poets and Chinese-born American writers. Taoism has been greatly promoted and accepted in America with the help of these scholars and works.