Lu Tung-pin (755 – 805 CE) was a scholar, poet and student of the inner life who is considered one of the ‘Eight Immortals’ of the Taoist tradition. The ‘Tao’ means literally ‘the Way’, but like Sufis feeling unable to define the Divine Presence in names and forms, Taoists always put the Tao beyond explanation.

What is Tao?
It is just this.
It cannot be rendered into speech.
If you insist on an explanation,
This means exactly this.

Translations by T. C. Lai