Gia-Fu Feng was renowned not only as an English translator of Daoist classics (with his wife, Jane English), but also as a Daoist teacher in the United States. His works, celebrated for combining his insightful translations and calligraphy with his wife's artistic photography, launched a popular multicultural genre of spirituality and philosophy within the global book industry. Feng's approach, valued for its clarity and visual appeal, helped disseminate Daoist philosophy beyond traditional academic circles and influenced a new generation of spiritual seekers.
Very little is known about Chuang Tsu, and that little is inextricably woven into legend. It is said that he was a contemporary of Mencius. An official in the Lacquer Garden of Meng in Honan Province around the 4th century BC, Chuang Tsu was to Lao Tsu as Saint Paul was to Jesus and Plato to Socrates.