My Journey in Mystic China: Old Pu's Travel Diary

Wow! What a great book. Now, I admit that I am biased toward anything John Blofeld writes. I first used his translation of the Yijing when I began studying baguazhang 25 years ago. I still prefer his translation. Blofeld was determined to write one book in Chinese, and he did...this one. It was his last book. Daniel Reid has produced a very readable English translation. It has the feel of a Blofeld book. Buy this book, sit back, and read about China in the 1930s and 40s from the eyes of an Englishman gone native. Blofeld's Chinese name was Lao Pu or Old Pu. His adventures are always fascinating, his attempts to understand the tao and Buddhism are often enlightening, and some events are just down-right funny. Highly recommended! I only wish I could read it in the original Chinese. Sigh.

First off, this is beautifully translated by Daniel Reid. Only a fellow sinophile such as Mr. Reid could have brought the nuances of a lost culture to life for modern English readers.John Blofeld, the author of classics such as  Bodhisattva of Compassion: The Mystical Tradition of Kuan Yin (Shambhala Dragon Editions)  and  I Ching: The Book of Change  has written an account which is far more frank than his  City of Lingering Splendour: A Frank Account of Old Peking's Exotic Pleasures . I had always known that "sing song girls" were a fact of traditional Chinese culture, but Blofeld's description of traditional Chinese bordello etiquette makes the practice more understandable in a wider cultural context, if only a little less sordid. Being an intimate autobiography, Blofeld spends a lot of time writing about the women in his life. I am certain this was cathartic for the author, but these descriptions also help to inform the reader of the culture and mores of pre-communist China.Beyond Blofeld's love life, it is clear that "mystic" was not an idly chosen word for the title. Mr. Blofeld is a mystic through and through, but he doesn't force the reader into his cosmology. He simply describes his experiences and lets the readers interpret them as they might. When he describes the "Bodhisattva Lights" on Wutai Shan (a Tibetan Buddhist sacred mountain) Blofeld says he saw lights floating across the sky. His description is so straightforward that I do not doubt that he saw a tangible reality. Having read a few descriptions of Tibetan Buddhist practice from that time period,  Magic and Mystery in Tibet , etc., I believe these lights were real projections of the mind, as described in  Flying Saucers : A Modern Myth of Things Seen in the Skies  .Many "coincidences" fill this book, of both a Taoist and Buddhist nature. Mr. Reid's introduction reinforces that synchronicities were the salient feature of Mr. Blofeld's life. Blofeld describes these events with such simplicity and humility that this reader finds it difficult to disbelieve these fantastic tales.John Blofeld truly loved China and the Chinese people. Reincarnation is often mentioned in this gem of a book, and the author makes it clear that he believes he spent previous lifetimes as a Chinese, and met many of his "fellow travelers" in his travels in the East. He did not suffer racism against his Asian friends from haughty Europeans silently, which was a very courageous action at that time. I suppose every culture is racist in a way, but the northern European variety can be the most vicious, especially when they had the guns to back it up (China was an occupied country in many ways, with foreign troops in the cities and foreign navies patrolling the coast and rivers).Blofeld also describes a pilgrimage to Tai Shan in Shandong province (for wonderful photographs of Tai Shan and its temples from that time period see  Travels of a Photographer in China, 1933-1946  ).The China that John Blofeld describes in this book is long gone. We can all thank the old master that he had the courage to bare his soul in such an intimate way, and we are all the richer for it.

Arrived in great shape earlier than predicted.

I expected to get more stories of taoist hermits etc. The title is a bit misleading. Some chapters are great but some are boring. I understand the importance of this "testimony", though. Lucky boy.

To be honest, I purchased this book for its beautiful cover, and happily, I wasn't disappointed by the text inside. Author 'Lao Pu' (John Blofeld) followed his dreams to China in the 1930s and presents in thoughtful and well-written text (originally written in Mandarin) the wonders and spritual life that he saw and experienced there through the eyes of an enraptured Sinophile. The 'Middle Kingdom' that he describes is clearly not the one we see today - the sorry regime created by Mao and destroyed by his 'Great Leap Forward', nor the 'economic miracle' that is modern China.

I'd rename this book 'My Journey through the Restaurants of China...'.Although John Blofeld gives a fair first-hand account of the sophisticated culture still to be experienced in the pre-Maoist China of the 1930's and 40's, anyone expecting some insight into Taoist or Buddhist practice in China of the period may be as disappointed as I was with this book. The book is interesting if you want to know something of the history of Chinese social etiquette. If you want an insight into Taoist and/or Buddhist practice in China, there are many more specifically dedicated books on the market covering these subjects.

Very fast service!!!! Merchandise is perfect!

For anyone interested in the now past culture and atmosphere of China this really is a must read. Originally written in Mandarin Chinese to honour his Chinese hosts, the book, beautifully translated by Daniel Reid adds greatly to his own autobiography. Truly a man worthy to remember and honour.

A useful book for my research projectsExpedited swiftly

Everything as expected, Excellent choice, great purchase.