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Customer Reviews (3)

Useful introduction to Chinese Culture

"The Chinese Mind" is a short introduction to today's Chinese culture and thinking. I felt it was a fair and accurate description of modern China and how/why things are the way they are (I've myself lived many years in China). This would be one of my recommended books if someone asks me for more information about China. Yet, I was disappointed with the final chapter, hence decided to go for 3 stars (more about that later).

The book consists of four parts, which do not really contain sub-chapters, but rather sub-sections. The first of the parts is about the language and its relationship to culture. The second part covers traditional China and the next part modern China. The last part is a list of "codewords" from the author to help understand the culture.

The author is of opinion that language conveys culture and thus an understanding of language is essential for understanding its culture (which I don't disagree). He considers some words/concepts in a language to be essential for understanding the culture, thus explaining these words/concepts a person can within a short time get a deep dive in the culture. He calls these codewords. The first part introduces this concept and the fourth part lists important codewords.

Part two covers a more traditional view of Chinese culture. It explains current cultural values and practices but in its traditional context. The next part covers more of the modern China and how it has changed over the years. China has had a roller-coaster ride from tradition, to no tradition but instead communism and cultural revolutions and then back to tradition again. This roller-coaster ride has deeply influenced the modern China. The author does a good job in describing this.

The last part consists of code words or key words which give an deep insight in Chinese culture. From my experience, some of these code words are right on, some of them are perhaps a little old and of less influence in modern day China. I felt the code word approach only partially useful, but the chapter could be greatly improved. The code words are sorted alphabetically, which is really too bad because some of them strongly relate, whereas some don't relate at all. This makes reading this chapter like jumping constantly from one concept to the other. It would have been much nicer reading if the author would have grouped them together, perhaps explained the groups and the relationship between the code words which cover similar aspects of the culture. He could provide an alphabetical index for when people are search for a particular code word. Also, the author stressed the importance of pictograms in the Chinese language a lot, yet he doesn't show the traditional (or simplified) Chinese characters but instead pinyin. It would have been so much more interesting to add the characters to the code words. For me, these points were causing me to be slightly disappointed in this chapter.

All in all, The Chinese Mind was a useful book, especially if you are not very familiar with modern China. It does a good job explaining how and why things are the way they are (in such a short text at least). I disliked the structure (especially the "discussion topics & questions sections). I disliked the way the last part was written, it had so much more potential. My initial rating would have been 4 stars, but due to the above mentioned annoyances, I'd lower that to 3.5 stars and chose 3 stars in the Amazon review to reflect this. This doesn't mean this is a bad or average book, it is good, yet it could have been even better. A reasonable good overview of modern China.

Brief and precise
A good starter for anyone who wants to have a first hand knowledge of what's meant by " Chinese".
The Chinese have a language which is difficult to learn. Each Chinese character has its own distinctive meaning.
Chinese civilisation's a recorded history of about five thousand years.
The authors have patiently go through all aspects of Chinese culture in this comprehensive book.
If you think the Chinese are inscrutable, hard to understand, get a copy of this book.

A realistic look at the future of world culture
As a Feng Shui consultant (openspacesfengshui.com) I'm fascinated with how Chinese culture is influencing the world right now and into the future.An easy read, this short book is bringing me up to speed in a hurry.Very highly recommended for its well-informed viewpoint, the cultural background it supplies, as well as the thoughtfully crafted discussion points the author provides at the end of each chapter. ... Read more

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This brand-new manual prepares students for a subject that has just been added to the Advanced Placement program. Separate sections review all parts of the new exam: Listening, Reading, Grammar, Speaking, and Culture. Each section also includes exercises, and the listening and reading sections include practice questions with answer keys and answer explanations. The book reflects the AP examÂ's standards, presenting questions in bothtraditional and simplified Chinese characters. Two full-length practice exams are presented with answer keys. Enclosed with the manual are three audio compact discs, which present spoken material covering the examÂ's Listening and Speaking sections. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Not Too Bad, But....
I bought it just because it's from Barron, however when I opened the book, I was kind disappointed that how the structure and content disconnected each other, it says it's for AP prep, but I found the difficulty was quite beyond the comprehensibility of high school grads who wish to take their AP exam in Mandarin Chinese.
Anyway, it's a nice start for those who want to better design and teach the AP Chinese course in future.

I don't know who thought it was a good idea to find a woman with such a squeaky voice
The title says it all. The female voice in the cds is sooo squeaky that I cannot stand it. Her voice needs to be lowered two octaves. The written material is fine, just the CD voice is unbearably annoying. I just want her to shut up instead of actually listening.

A powerful set of review and practice tests for the AP test
Any preparing for the AP Chinese Language and Culture test needs BARRON'S AP CHINESE LANGUAGE AND CULTURE, a powerful set of review and practice tests for the AP test. Questions in both traditional and simplified Chinese characters are just like the actual exam, offering two full-length practice exams with answers plus audio CDs of spoken material.
... Read more

Product Description
At the start of the twenty-first century, China is poised to become a major global power. Understanding its culture is more important than ever before for western audiences, but for many, China remains a mysterious and exotic country. This Companion explains key aspects of modern Chinese culture without assuming prior knowledge of China or the Chinese language. The volume acknowledges the interconnected nature of the different cultural forms, from 'high culture' such as literature, religion and philosophy to more popular issues such as sport, cinema, performance and the internet. Each chapter is written by a world expert in the field. Invaluable for students of Chinese studies, this book includes a glossary of key terms, a chronology and a guide to further reading. For the interested reader or traveler, it reveals a dynamic, diverse and fascinating culture, many aspects of which are now elucidated in English for the first time. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Fast forward for a culture boom
Great collection of overviews on everything from films and TV to the revision of Confucianism. Each essay spans decades of developments and highlights. There's changes in ethnic minority cultures, shifting ideas of women's liberation, changing goals of literature, sports, and the Chinese internet world. It's a big step forward for understanding China's booming role in world culture. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a reader written especially for learners of intermediate level Chinese and above. It contains forty articles on topics such as Chinese language, culture, history, society, folklore, holidays, geography. The articles, arranged according to level of difficulty, are concise and written in a clear and colloquial style. Grammatical notes and exercises are included after each article and two appendices are available for easy reference. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

It is so good, I would add some itens in it description.
a) Recent publication: 2002b) The lenght of the texts and the
number of the new words increase gradually ( wisely ). The first
lessons are aproximately 400 characters with 30 new words. The last lessons are 800 characters long with 50 new words. c) Each lesson beginswith a study outline in Chinese an English to give a general idea of whatwill bethe lesson. d) In some lessons there appendices to give additional informations
such as " Chart of Chinese Radicals", " Commonly Mistaken Characters", "Chart of Family Relative Titles", etc.
Wise, really wise! Don't miss it.
... Read more

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Customer Reviews (4)

Very good read
I really enjoyed reading this book. It explains etiquette and also explanation of the way Chinese people think. It tries to cover both social and business situations.

I found it a very quick read. This is probably due to the straightforward writing style and the effective use of illustrations and cartoons.

Good guide for expats and tourists

"It's all Chinese to me" is an introduction to Chinese culture intended for tourists and expats. The start of the book is mainly text about the Chinese culture whereas the ending of the book is mainly pictures about the culture and things you should and should not do in China. The book is small and an easy read. Language usage is easy to understand. Like many of these books, the amount of generalizations in enormous and the actual insight in the culture is limited, yet it is a useful guide for expats and tourists.

The book consists of 11 chapters. The early chapters (History, politics, influences (or religion), rituals, and guanxi/mianxi contain mostly text with some pictures. From chapter seven onwards, the book mainly contains funny and interesting pictures with some text underneath it explaining the pictures and a tip. For example, on page 140 there is a picture with a foreign woman waving her hands while talking and a Chinese women looking puzzled. The text underneath says "Using excessive hand motions while talking may be a great source of bewilderment for many Chinese people." Etc.

A funny side-note on this book was that I bought it from the airport in Shanghai. When reading it, I noticed that one page was 'thicker' than the others, then I noticed that it also missed one page. After careful examination, I discovered that page 16-17 were glued together when I bought the book. These are the pages covering lacking democracy and the tiananmen incident. Apparently the Chinese censorship (ministry of information...) liked the book except for these pages and solved it creatively.

I enjoyed the book. It is all very stereotypical and shallow... it doesn't go deep into the Chinese culture and language. Yet, if I were an expat to China then this book would definitively be useful. It didn't contain very obvious mistakes either, as far as I could tell. Because the book does what it should do, but is not an exciting must-read book that gives great insight, I'd rate it to 3 Amazon stars. Good for quick reading by tourists and expats, not good for people looking for deep insights.

survival guide
if are going to be in china for a while. This is the BEST way to realize that you are not crazy.
This will get you to realize you are going somewhere you have to learn and their customs and things usually go there way.
I keep going back to it just to make sure I'm following protocol.

Fantastic Book
Even though I've been trying to learn about Chinese culture for over 6 years now, this book more than doubled my knowledge.It's a very easy and entertaining read, I read the whole thing in just 3 short sittings. ... Read more

Product Description
From the first century, when Buddhism entered China, the foreign religion shaped Chinese philosophy, beliefs, and ritual. At the same time, Buddhism had a profound effect on the material world of the Chinese. This wide-ranging study shows that Buddhism brought with it a vast array of objects big and small--relics treasured as parts of the body of the Buddha, prayer beads, and monastic clothing--as well as new ideas about what objects could do and how they should be treated. Kieschnick argues that even some everyday objects not ordinarily associated with Buddhism--bridges, tea, and the chair--on closer inspection turn out to have been intimately tied to Buddhist ideas and practices. Long after Buddhism ceased to be a major force in India, it continued to influence the development of material culture in China, as it does to the present day.

At first glance, this seems surprising. Many Buddhist scriptures and thinkers rejected the material world or even denied its existence with great enthusiasm and sophistication. Others, however, from Buddhist philosophers to ordinary devotees, embraced objects as a means of expressing religious sentiments and doctrines. What was a sad sign of compromise and decline for some was seen as strength and versatility by others. Yielding rich insights through its innovative analysis of particular types of objects, this briskly written book is the first to systematically examine the ambivalent relationship, in the Chinese context, between Buddhism and material culture. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Serious scholarship here.
Well-rounded and thorough, with a very readable background as well, it lacks serious photographs to complement the text. ... Read more

Product Description
A practical and accessible guide to an ancient but rapidly changing culture

Perfect for business and armchair travelers alike, China A to Z explains the customs, culture, and etiquette essential for any trip or for anyone wanting to understand this complex country. In one hundred brief, reader-friendly chapters, alphabetized by subject, China A to Z introduces a general audience to contemporary Chinese society, as well as its venerable history. Discover:
• Why Chinese names are written in reverse order
• What to bring when visiting a Chinese household
• What the current relationship is between Japan and China
• Why you should wrap gifts in red or pink paper, and never send white flowers

With the 2008 Summer Olympics being held in Beijing, thousands of Chinese adoptions occurring each year, and China becoming the fourth most popular international destination, the need for information about this complex country is greater than ever. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

handy mini-wiki
This is a well written, easy to read book with good insights into Chinese culture. Subject matter are issues that concern visitors for short trips or extended visits. The subjects are easy to reference and contain historical perspectives and practical suggestions. Just what a visitor wants, both for insight into the area and to prepare one for a positive experience.

A very useful and interesting trip preparation guide and something I intend to bring with me for reference on future trips to China.

a simple-minded book
A simple-minded book written by Cantonese speakers who don't know how to pronounce things in proper Mandarin.The authors are also blatantly pro-communist and present only a most caricatured account of the civil war.

Not bad!
A nice overview...gives you some very helpful hints about dealing with people and situations there.

Covers a lot of places, items and cultural differences, but as might be expected, not at all in depth but certainly a good starting point to guide you to what you would wish to know more about.

Short helpful collection of tips on current China
Just got back from a short notice, whirlwind, week long visit to the P.R. of China, and I found this book way more useful than the far more detailed tour guides I read.Although I only visited Guangzho and Beijing, in those cities I found the authors' observations of culture, custom and travel to be spot on.This is kind of Cliff's notes for China, so it is easy to quibble with the points of view and choices of the authors, but as long as you keep in mind how much they had to try to cover while keeping the book short and concise, I think you will concur they did a pretty good job.

Lots of Useful Information for Such a Quick Read!
I just took my first trip to China for business purposes and I found this to be the most helpful book of all three books I took on the trip.This is a well-written, colloquial read that speaks to the history, culture, perspective and trends of China in an easy-to-internalize format.It draws significant comparisons to American culture so that one better understands the differences and it rationalizes them too.It's loaded with information for such a quick read and I was conversational on so many different topics that it helped me to dialogue with my Chinese colleagues in a way that made them feel comfortable and helped them to open up more too.This is not a tourist's guide that rates the attractions of the landd such as a Fodor's,etc.It is a culture overview.I highly recommend this book for those who need an introduction to the Chinese culture. ... Read more

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Chinese Calligraphy
This award winning tour de force must be owned by all who have a Chinese art and/or calligraphy collection. ... Read more

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This critique of the Chinese was banned in mainland China by Communist Party officials. This edition includes a selection of Bo Yang's speeches, writings and media interviews, as well as a sample of the reactions his comments have provoked. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

The very best originally Chinese-written book in history
First of all let me gravely announce the obituary of the author Bo Yang:

Bo Yang died in hospital on 29th April 2008 of pneumonia complications at the ripe age of 88, at 1:10AM Taiwan local time (GMT+9) in Sindien City, Taiwan. He will be sadly missed.

I rate and recommend Bo Yang's "The Ugly Chinaman" highly, indeed second only to the Bible alone.

Each and every individual Chinese and all others who have any exposure or connection to the Chinese culture should read it at least THRICE. Have some background knowledge on Chinese history, open up your mind with a rational thinking . . . and you will actually WANT to read it over and over again. You will then wonder why Confucius has been regarded for millennia as the greatest Chinese philosopher ever. Now we have one greater than Confucius by leaps and bounds - Bo Yang.

Bo Yang was stating the grim fact that (at least part of) the Chinese culture has long rotten. So rotten that generations after generations of Chinese people under it are so much influenced that they have lost their own identities, lost their individual ways of thinking, lost their abilities to judge, lost the power to unite, and ultimately, lost their very own dignities.

He further points out the saddest and most appalling thing under this rotten culture: that any individual who dares to show his individual way of thinking or his ability to judge would be treated as an outcast, a "cultural traitor", a pariah of society, which, in ancient China, could be punishable by imprisonment of arbitrary periods. Or even death.

The author was NOT attacking the Chinese people in general. He pointed out that if the Chinese were to unite, the nation could well emerge to be the world's strongest and most sophisticated - but, alas, the Chinese could never unite! He was attacking those who oppress or otherwise take advantage of other fellow Chinese people under the guise of "Chinese culture" - in other words, those who use the (rotten) Chinese culture for their own interests but at the expense of others'.

The hypocrisy, the vanity, the slavish, servile characters, the noisiness, the greed for power (especially political power), the cruelty unleashed in order to achieve and maintain such power . . . ugh, all the vile scums, the dark qualities and the sinister aspects of the Chinese culture unveiled at Bo Yang's most eloquent flick of a pen. What a delight, and what a revelation on reading and repeatedly reading it!

All because the author was challenging us - the ethnic Chinese - to jump out of the rotten culture and improve on ourselves as a people, as a race, as a nation.

It's all the Truth. Telling the Truth. Accept to Truth. Not Fear the Truth.
Why do dictators, communists, crazies, psychos like Red commies in North Korea, ex-USSR, North Korea or Cuban dictator for life,Fidel Castro have an obsession with controlling the press or shutting down newspapers.

Does it have something to do with with Telling the Truth?

Bo Yang himself spent years in prison for criticizing the incompetent-idiot chiang kai-shek.

Why does China have the most elaborate Internet firewall in the world.

Does it have to do with fear of the Truth?

Bo Yang risk his own life and limb to write this book.

"The Ugly Chinaman" along with "The Private Life of Chairman Mao" is two of the most important books of the 20th. century. Both are censored in China. Why do they have censorship.Because they are afraid of the people knowing the Truth.

Do a search on Amazon. There is a book called the "Ugly American" and "Ugly Japanese" and now the "Ugly Chinaman".
All this is about telling the Truth.

True, there "some" who are Ugly American, Ugly Japanese and some Ugly Chinaman.Not everyone can be an Angel.

The many facets of Ugly Chinese culture are simply True.Spitting, talking loud in public, bragging are all cultural traits from the feudal distant past.

The Worst feudal-primative cultural trait is "dishonesty".The inability to be honeset and tell the Truth.This is a good book for Westerners and Chinese alike to read as China becomes an economic power.

As anyone who has done business with the Chinese. You just cannot "Trust" anything they say.Hence, without Trust, Honesty, Truth, it is impossible to do business in the long-term.

For any nation to be modern, advanced civilized, it must be open to understand what is:right-wrong, good-bad, feudal-modern, truth-lies, real-fraud.

"The Ugly Chianman" is a great book and must-read.It will be a classic for now and the future.These books are good for bull-sessions.

It is not a Physics books about physical laws for all times and all places.Cultures evolve over times.Virtually all cultures can be looked at with the half-half prism.Half-good, half-bad.Just as there are many aspects of Western society that are bad, there are many that are bad or evil.

It the difference between adults and little children. The ability to tell the difference between right-wrong, true-false, good-bad, good-ugly, truth-lies, truth-fraud.

That's what this book is all about.It's a starting poing for China and the Chinese to discuss what is good-bad, good-ugly, true-false, right-wrong about this culture or any culture.

It has been a classic, past and future.This is must-read and must-buy of a major commentary about the Truth and nothing but the Truth.

A book that all "chinese" should read
I read the chinese version and being a "chinese" who lived in a non-chinese country for 13 years, I was not awared of all the "bad habits" of the chinese until I read this book.This reflects exactly the point of the book, that chinese, being "soaked" in the pool of bad habits, do not critically evaluate them and think they are perfectly normal.

As well as spitting and shouting loudly in the public, most (but not all) chinese confuse the difference between patriotism and nationalism - most chinese (especially chinese parents) dislike chinese to speak anything bad about the chinese, yet most of the time, the fundamental reason is that they believe "chinese should not criticise chinese".In that respect, I believe the author has taken a very important step to start disentangling the often self-contradictory and convoluted aspects of chinese culture.

This is a book that I believe all chinese should read, chinese who grew up in non-chinese territories should also read it if they are to "understand their roots".If chinese wants others to respect them, then it will take more than just sending a few rockets to the moon.

We are Waiting for the Better ...
I read the Chinese version of this book 'Ugly Chinaman...'. I think and I do agree that certain points that Bo Yang had raised were true; such as talking loud in public, spitting in public, all those obnoxious behaviors, etc.

I once saw a Western guy (quite young, twenty something may be) spit in public in Hong Kong. He probably thought this was a normal thing to do so he was just following the culture here.

It was quite true that we cared about ethics inside the house, but very selfish once stepped out, as well as we're concerned about moral values. Whereas, the Western culture was just the opposite, they cared about people outside the house, but very cold with family members, parents, etc.

However, we are changing; we try to take into consideration of both because with better education from schools and the outside world, we try to be more conscientious about people around us and things all over the world.We want our future generations to take the world as one, no racists, discrimination, and best ever selfless.

Bo Yang did raise the problems we had in the past. But I am sure he also agrees that people in China are changing for the better. I think he, or we, never thought that these days, the top guys in the communist party are willing to open the door for trades and other things; though there are still lots of room for improvement. May be another 50 to 100 years we will be more objective, more open-minded, more advanced, more willing to accept objections, different points of views, etc.

A Westerner's view
Reading this book is like eavesdropping on a family feud that is too interesting to turn away from, but also a little embarrassing.It would be easy to dismiss Bo Yang as a dyspeptic crank, if it were not for the 9 years he spent in prison for writing what he believed to be true.He was not writing for a Western audience, and he did not claim to present a fair or balanced view of Chinese culture.Let other writers praise the virtues of the culture--he wanted to challenge his countrymen to be better. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an ideal introduction to the Chinese language and culture for business people, students, and travelers. It sheds light on the character and personality of the Chinese by examining the meaning, historical significance, and use of more than 300 Chinese expressions. This practical guide will help readers anticipate Chinese behavior and avoid cultural faux pas. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

WE CAN LEARN CHINESE CHARACTERS AND CULTURE
I give five because it is an excellent tool for students to understand Chinese characters and culture. I really love the book to use and as a author of Chinese for everyone, I found it inspiring to teach my students the characters and the culture. Sometimes the style of this book is sarccastic but not condescending. Dr Mente is knowledgeable and well versed in his domain, and all of his books are interesting and inspiring. I give five..

Marie Laure de Shazer
author of Chinese for everyone ( found on Amazon), and educator.

The Chinese have a word for it
Timely response, product was received and was as advertised. Would deAL WITH THIS VENDOR AGAIN. :-)

Very nice concept, BUT . . .
I purchase a lot of books on Chinese culture and language--sometimes indiscriminately.Which is how I acquired this one.

What first grabbed my eye was the idea of a hundred or so tidy topics, under a 1- or 2-character phrase (like "An"(1)/Peace)--each discussed for about a page and a half.Perfect, I thought, for a few minutes reading, just before bedtime!What's more, the author provided Chinese characters and pinyin.

But then I started going through it:Yes, there's some good information in convenient little bundles--but not without plenty of editorial overhead (as described by other reviewers).And for a book that centers its concept so much on the "Chinese word," it utterly falls down: The pinyin carries no tone notation; the phonetic spelling is even less useful.And still more egregious, the Chinese words are not always accurately translated or displayed with the correct pinyin.

Free time is scarce.I bought this book for its mini-tutorials--but there's a hidden time-eater in ferreting out its inaccuracies.

arrogant, conceited, and condescending
The author may be knowledgeable about the topics in this book, but the text at times comes across as arrogant, conceited, and condescending.An example from the bottom of page 23: "But the Chinese way of `fuzzy' or ethnocentric thinking should not be regarded as a deficiency or handicap that makes it possible for people to take advantage of them.Their successes in the various sciences are proof of their ability to think and behave logically when they are free to do so."Needless to say I didn't read the next page or the rest of the book.However, I'm glad that I'm not the first reader to have this impression of this book.

Flawed - but interesting & useful read
The lack of pinyin is a serious flaw for Chinese learners; with pinyin you could look up the characters in the Wenlin dictionary.

Most of what I read rings true even though the author's perspective appears tainted. If you can read through that bias it can help you better understand the Chinese when you are on the ground there. ... Read more

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This book takes a look at Chinese art within a variety of contexts—archeological, cultural, historical, social, and ritual/religious. Organized both chronologically and thematically, it covers a full historical span and includes a wide range of media settings for art—from elite to popular. An emphasis on the dynamic processes that effect the history of Chinese art: social, economic, political competition, urbanization, markets and tastes, and quests for cultural authority, allows specific works of art to be discussed in extensive detail, while setting them within larger explanatory stories. A guide to Chinese art for individuals interested in one of the most abundantly artistic cultures in the history of the world.

Customer Reviews (2)

concise synopsis of 3500 years of art
If you need aconcise synopsis of 3500 years of art.. this is it! Mind you, it'snot 5 pages, and can't be used asa cheat sheet, but it gives an overview of the various art forms that characterizeChinese life.
It thoroughlyfulfilled my purpose.

A great survey on Chinese art!
This is a great book for a serious survey of Chinese art and also for common readers interested in Chinese art and culture. The first six chapters by Robert Thorp deal with the period between the Neolithic and the Tang, and the rest of four chapters by Richard Vinograd cover from the Song to the 20th century. Both scholars offer succint yet comprehensive historical and cultural backgrounds, and also the images are discussed in terms of important concepts and themes in Chinese art, rather than traditional categories of architecture, sculpture, painting, and decorative arts. This approach works effectively in avoiding any imposition of the art historical concepts derived from European tradition, and also enable readers to be fully engaged in the subject. When comparing with other survey books on Chinese art, it takes a middle path between the traditional style of _Arts of China_ by Michael Sullivan and an intense and provoking style of _Art in China_ by Craig Clunas. ... Read more

Product Description
It's essential to build a solid foundation for learners of any language asearly as possible! - THIS IS THE BOOK to help you build a solid foundationof Mandarin Chinese!

In the first several years of life, children learn a few words that become asolid groundwork for their language in life. Also children love stories,which are a very important part of language learning. Hence, in the process,the nature of children stories has shown us a successful way to build afoundation in order to learn the language successfully. For the same goal,this series of books are written in a special way that provides readers withthe easiest entry point into the Chinese language and also helps readersestablish a strong foundation through well-known fables and theirentertaining Chinese characters. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Fun and Informative
Mr. Song has written an informative book that helps people of any age learn Chinese.His bookcontains stories and anecdotes as well as helpful information about how and why Chinese letters are formed.He has an audio program on his author's site that lets the reader know how to pronounce and enunciate Chinese.I recommend this book.

Another Brilliant Educational Book
Yet Another Brilliant Educational Book from Sam Song.

One of the major obstacles of learning Mandarin is to learn and remember hundreds of Chinese characters.

Learn Chinese characters in context is the first step and one of the most effective ways to learn and remember hundreds of Chinese characters. Sam Song's books in series are the few books in the world really help readers to learn Chinese characters in context.

I enjoyed reading this book and "The Fox and The Goat." I think they are wonderful books for everyone.

Highly recommended!

Learning Chinese Characters Doesn't Get Easier then This!
My interest in Mandarin (Man darin' ?) Chinese stems from my interest in learning and teaching languages. I have had discovered to my great delight that Mandarin is an extremely easy language to speak and hear, but writing it is another story. With its some 30-50,000 characters to master, it seems like a mission impossible. How can such an unwieldy language survive and thrive for thousands of years, is another mystery. Mr. Sam Song's assertion, that the Chinese characters are actually words, rather than building blocks thereof, was like a a divine revelation. It puts Chinese characters at par with their English counterparts. The word "Observe" has just as many strokes as does its Chinese equivalent. I wonder whether Mr. Song's simplified evolution of characters is historical, or imaginary. Either way it is helpful.

I read the book which included the stories (1) of two friends and the bear, and (2) of the Sun and the wind. Mr. Song treats each of these as independent books, and repeats some characters. The large types used are good for the untrained and tired eyes. The book feels quite light to hold, easy to read through, and is actually pleasant for the reader, physically and mentally. It is relatively inexpensive as well. Rather than intimidating the student, the book actually encourages one to read ahead with appetite. With this work, Mr. Song as if brings thousands of intimidating Terra Cotta Warriers to life as friendly human beings, and makes other books on Chinese characters easier to fathom. Thanks.

I really enjoyed reading this book
I am a beginner in Mandarin Chinese. I bought this book and Sam Song's other book, The Fox and the Goat.

While reading these books, I learned many interesting Chinese characters and listened to the stories many times. I really enjoyed reading these two books. I believe the best way to learn Chinese is to learn characters and words in context. I think these books are wonderful.

Hope on the horizon
After several false starts in my studies, these books seem to be just what I need to learn characters. The books are so simple, almost too simple, with virtually no commentary or discussion. And each volume contains the same very brief introduction. However, rather than giving the impression something's missing, it soon becomes apparent that any more detail would detract from the experience. Sam Song should be locked in a room until he's written 10 books like this, at least, and if he could publish another highly simplified, friendly series on grammar, that would be extremely useful, too.

The key here is that every lesson is reduced to its lowest common denominators, and it's a system that works. His methodology parallels my own (as a language teacher): simplify, and don't stop looking for ways to make seemingly strange ideas even easier to grasp. Perhaps, as he explains the evolution of a symbol, he could tell the reader why it lost its curves and was (sometimes) turned sideways. Knowing this would bridge the gap in the reader's mind between the original pictogram and the final form of the character.

Chinese is the future, and Song's attempt to help demystify its script is more than welcome. ... Read more

Product Description
Does the Gospel fulfill the deepest truths of the ancient, endlessly fascinating Chinese culture?When first published, David Marshall's micro-classic kicked up a small cloud of controversy, as evidenced in reviews below, some calling Marshall a "fundamentalist," others a "syncretist," and at least one critic complaining that his imagination runs away with him. No one who loves China and who is open to loving Jesus will want to miss this book, however.Marshall, who has written for orthodox (though not "fundamentalist") Christian publications like Christianity Today, First Things, and Books and Culture (mostly on China), shows a deep sensitivity both to the insights of the historical Christian tradition, and to Chinese religion, art, landscape, custom, and language.This second edition includes added material that goes far to answering some of the objections made to the first edition.Marshall adds several pages of evidence that in fact the ancient Chinese were aware of the Supreme God, including quotes from leading Christian and non-Christian scholars.He expands on his comparison between the Analects and the Gospels (based on research for his new book, Why the Jesus Seminar can't find Jesus, and Grandma Marshall Could), and updates the book in other ways. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Enchanted, enthralled and enlightened
As a Chinese Christian, I am grateful to David Marshall for sharing with us his passion for Christ and China, evident on every page that I read.I am humbled by the realisation that someone not from my own country has done such extensive research in Chinese language, culture, traditional teachings and philosophies to bring us this book.I am also amazed by the revelation that God's fingerprints on my country can be found over thousands of years of history if we care to look for them.

I do think though, that someone who may not know China too well or who may not have a great interest in Chinese culture may find this book confusing and hard to understand. On the other hand, Chinese people who have negative feelings towards Christianity because of its association with imperialism, colonialism and Western superiority may find this book an eye-opener if they are open-minded enough to check it out.I wonder if there is a Chinese translation available for those who cannot read English?

After reading this book, one may ask: if God has been watching over China all along, even inspiring Confucius to write words of wisdom that have woven the moral fibre of most Chinese households, why was Christianity kept outside of China's door throughout the centuries?

Looking at the miracles and conversions taking place in China today, one can see that 'the fields are now ripe for harvest'.State-sanctioned churches are packed every Sunday with locals responding to ongoing prayers praising God with loud 'Amens'.Underground churches thrive.Miraculous healing in the name of Jesus takes place in many rural areas.There is indeed a longing and hunger for that Supreme Being that China has been aware and in awe of, but was too lost and sinful to go near to throughout history.

It seems to please God that some of the faithful servants that came from abroad, who give or have given their lives to or for China in the past 2 centuries or so should be the ones to bring millions of Chinese people into the Kingdom of God through Jesus the door.In His eyes, there is no distinction between East and West; He loves us just the same and wants us to love each other the way He does.It must please Him enormously to see us breaking racial and cultural 'walls' to share the love of Christ.Some Christian scholars have predicted that Chinese brothers and sisters will be the ones taking the gospel back to Jerusalem, where it all began, so that Israel's true redemption will be complete!

Can Mr Marshall consider writing a book to shed some light on that?

Read Romans 2:11-16
I recommend reading Eternity in Their Hearts by Don Richardson and GODS PROMISE TO THE CHINESE by Ethal Nelson first then this book will be much clearer.The book is a bit disjointed at times but its message is loud and clear and for all those cookie cutter generic christians who want to homogenize and pastuerize Christs message be careful of your foolish pride I recommend reading ROMANS 2:11-16
I have been to China a number of times and all that I can say is Confucius & Lao Tzu where definitely on the right track and that is well reflected in the Chinese people.

ROMANS 2:14 (for when Gentiles that have not the law do by nature the things of the law, these, not having the law, are the law unto themselves
15 in that they show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness therewith, and their thoughts one with another accusing or else excusing them
16 in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men, according to my gospel, by Jesus Christ. AMENNNNNNNNNNNNNNN to that!!!!

Disappointing
I have to say that I found David Marshall's book a very difficult read indeed. His logic is confusing and hard to follow; and I found the "evidence" for his arguments unconvincing.Quite often I was left wondering where he got a quote, as the referencing was inconsistent and often, non-existent. My main question throughout reading this book was "Where was his editor?" The fact that this book was even printed, considering the amount of spelling, grammatical, and syntactical errors, is astounding! Disappointing.

A response.
Skeptics below call the author of this book (myself) a "fundamentalist," and complain of "blatant bigotry" and
"wholesale distortion of reality."A Christian, on the other hand, warns of "syncretism." As thrilling as it is to be shot at from both sides at once, some response seems in order.

One critic, reading the first edition, comments, "The concept of Heaven or God in Chinese intellectual history has always connoted the totalistic relationship of the universe . . . rather than the Christian concept of a personal, monotheistic deity."I am grateful for the challenge.The new edition includes quotes from leading China scholars, both Christians and skeptics, Chinese and Western, along with quotes from Chinese philosophers, popular proverbs, and the ancient classics.All show that the Chinese (including such great leaders as Confucius, Mencius, and the Kang Xi emperor) were often aware of a Supreme Being who was clearly personal.I also suggest that anyone who doubts that the Chinese once had a concept of a personal God, read China's earliest books, the Book of History and the Book of Odes, carefully observing how the authors speak of "Heaven" or "God," as most translations render "Tian" and "Shangdi."

Another skeptic says my idea that Jesus "exists" in the Temple of Heaven, built (he thinks) before Christianity took root in Europe, makes no sense.It sure doesn't, put that way!The Beijing Temple of Heaven was built in 1421, long after Christianity came to most of Europe.My point is rather that Chinese emperors worshipped God at the Temple of Heaven, (a custom that goes back thousands of years), and that the symbolism and purpose of the building and the ceremony held in it point in a remarkable way to the sacrifice Jesus made for mankind on the cross.

The complaint that I am not Chinese, and therefore can know nothing about China, is silly.The strength of an argument does not depend on the racial background of the person making it.If I have made mistakes, I welcome informed correction.

The Christian who accuses me of syncretism enjoys criticizing my book so much, she does it twice.In some confusion, however.No, I do NOT claim a Han astronomer was one of the wise men who visited Jesus.I tell a story for the purpose of illustration; thus begin that section with the word "suppose."I do NOT surmise that the tourists who were murdered in the park were denied beds in the same hotel as me.I do NOT suggest that Jesus is a Guan Yin myth; my point is exactly the opposite.The Gospel story is not a myth at all.

True, Lee Strobel gives a more thorough argument for the historicity of the Gospels than I do here.I argue for the Gospels by analogy to the Analects of Confucius in one chapter, while Strobel summarizes traditional Western arguments in a series of books.Certainly, if you want the summation rather than a new approach to the same subject, go to Strobel -- or better yet, Gary Habermas or N. T. Wright.(Or my new book, Why the Jesus Seminar can't find Jesus, and Grandma Marshall Could.)As for the critic's idea that all non-Christian religions lack a concept of grace, and that this is why many Chinese are open to the Gospel right now -- don't expect actual research to confirm this particular evangelical cliché. In fact, thoughtful 19th Century evangelicals like Reichelt and Farquhar already found intimations of grace in Mahayana Buddhism -- as early Christians found them in Plato and Virgil.

On one point I do agree with the critic: Eternity in Their Hearts is a great book.Don Richardson has been a mentor and friend for many years, and I enthusiastically recommend his insightful writings.(As he recommends this book, and in fact has bought several hundred copies over the years.)

The common thread among those who dislike my book seems to be a lack of sympathy for one or the other of its subjects, Jesus and China.Those who enjoy it (and thank you for your comments!), seem to be those who are open to falling in love with both.I am surprised that none of my critics points to any genuine error in the first edition of the book.With help from readers, I found several, mostly minor, and corrected them for the second edition.(Which is also about 20% longer.)My claim that Jesus fulfills the deepest truths in Chinese culture deserves thoughtful and passionate debate.While I welcome correction when due, I hope future critical reviewers will offer more careful, and therefore helpful, critiques.

Nice apologetic for the Gospel, disjointed presentation
David Marshall seems to be stretching at every shred to tie traditional Chinese culture together with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.For example, there are holy mountains in China, there are holy mountains in the Bible.There are four golden pillars in the Temple of Heaven in China, there are four Gospels.Confucious had disciples and wrote proverbs, Jesus had disciples, talked in parables and the Bible has proverbs.Chinese paint things red, red is the color of redemption symbolized by the sprinkling of blood in the Jewish temple.Chinese have Guan Yin, the goddess of mercy, Jesus is merciful, could Jesus be a Guan Yin myth?The Chinese word "fu" for good fortune has a character for divine on the left, followed by "one" "mouth" and "field", so this must mean God put Adam in the Garden of Eden.A Han astronomer describes the conjoining of Jupiter and Saturn and decides to travel west on the Silk Road, hmmmm.... he must have been one of the wise men who came to Jerusalem "from the east".Confucius described an ideal man, "Sheng Ren", perhaps he was looking for Jesus?The Emperor of China is called the "Son of Heaven", maybe he was foreshadowing Jesus.

It's nice that Mr. Marshall sees Jesus everywhere, but his presentation is not convincing.The highlight of the book is a discussion on the authenticity of the Gospel.He claims to defend the Gospel with the "help of a few fairy tales, a calendar, and the Analects of Confucius".However he does not properly relate the evidence other than that the Gospels are not like any other literary genre, that the earliest of the Gospels was written a scant 30-40 years after Christ, whereas the earliest copy of the Analects were 750 years after Confucius.The apologetic is accurate, but Lee Strobel does a much more thorough job in "The Case for Christ", whereas Mr. Marshall is only interested in tying in as much "Chinese-ness" into it as he can.

Other portions of this book read like a travelogue, such as when an old lady guard refused to let the author into a provincial building and three tourists from Manchuria were killed in a park and since the author had trouble obtaining a room because he was a foreigner, he surmises that the Manchurian tourists were similarly denied beds at the hostel.There is also a section on the development of Buddhism, and the Chinese adaptation to it, as well as some thoughts on the cultural revolution and Communism, with anecdotes.Interspersed throughout are his thoughts and observations about Chinese culture and the people he met on his travels.

A semi-entertaining read, with a good apologetic for the Gospel, woven with the presentation of why sinners need Jesus, but overall a stretch in association of Jewish and Biblical archetypes with Chinese traditional culture and language coincidences. ... Read more

Product Description
Concise and comprehensive introduction to the Daoist religion, thematically divided into four parts: Ancient Thought, Religious Communities, Spiritual Practices, Modernity.The book offers an integrated vision of the tradition in its historical and cultural context, also placing it into a larger framework of comparative religion.Contains many original sources and useful references for further reading. Great for students, practitioners, and general audiences. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A Wonderful Overview
Livia Kohn's book is both a wonderful survey of Daoist philosophy but also an engaging cultural history.

Best Introduction to Daoism
Livia Kohn has taught Daoism to college students for over 15 years, and she just edited the Daoism Handbook (which you can buy for a whopping $245!). She's one of the world's experts on Daoism, and for the first time she's put together an extraordinarily readable introduction to one of the world's most fascinating and least understood religions.

Unlike many books on Daoism this book covers the whole history from ancient wisdom traditions, through medieval religious communities, to contemporary spiritual practices such as Qigong and Falun gong. Nowhere else are you going to get as comprehensive, and as readable an introduction.

It's not just dry history because the author makes connections to broader issues in Chinese culture and also to issues in comparative religions such as mysticism, modernity, identity and community. It's a great book and great value too. ... Read more

Product Description
It's essential to build a solid foundation for learners of any language asearly as possible! - THIS IS THE BOOK to help you build a solid foundationof Mandarin Chinese!

In the first several years of life, children learn a few words that become asolid groundwork for their language in life. Also children love stories,which are a very important part of language learning. Hence, in the process,the nature of children stories has shown us a successful way to build afoundation in order to learn the language successfully. For the same goal,this series of books are written in a special way that provides readers withthe easiest entry point into the Chinese language and also helps readersestablish a strong foundation through well-known fables and theirentertaining Chinese characters. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

If you are interested in learning or sampling a bit of Mandarin Chinese you're going to LOVE this turorial!
Perhaps you'd like to venture into learning another language, but don't want to spend a lot of money on a language course or lengthy books you may never use.If you want to simply "sample" a bit of Mandarin Chinese and get a glimpse into several aspects of learning another language perhaps this is a book you might care to consider.Hidden inside these pages is a wealth of information for the beginner.On the author's site one can download and print Chinese character practice sheets, an essential and much welcome aid to the person who tends to be more interested in learning to specifically write.The approach this author uses is to learn contextually through the tale, "Two Men and the Bear."

In the introductory pages, suggestions are made on how to formulate the characters, generalized "rules" of writing, there is a brief discussion about traditional and simplified Chinese, and Pinyin, the "Romanized system used to represent the pronunciation of Chinese characters."There are numerous audio files that can be downloaded where you can hear each tone used in this story and you can "listen to the pronunciation of Chinese, character by character, phrase by phrase, sentence by sentence" until you are able to read aloud the complete tale.The instruction of the written symbols is step-by-step and the visuals and hints that the author gives are very comprehensive.Note that I did not say the word "easy" because how well you succeed in this book depends on you, the reader.

This book is primarily written in simplified Chinese, but mention is made when the characters differ from the traditional.The author guides the reader by logically and visually outlining how to create each character or "word."For example an introductory sentence to the character "tree" asks, "How do we construct a character that means `tree' in Chinese?Let's look at a sketch of a tree first!"The author then gives a visual, a progression, features of the character, a numbered and detailed sketch of the written symbol (this is somewhat map-like on one level).A chart then shows the phrase "climb a tree" and "climb onto a tree" in English, traditional Chinese and simplified Chinese.In the back of the book there is the entire tale in each written form, a very comprehensive pronunciation reference.

When I first started working my way through this book, not so much to actually learn the symbols, but rather to understand which direction the author was taking, I was surprised at how well the author was able to instruct and convey just how the Chinese language is constructed.He urged at least three handwritten attempts for each stroke and/or character and a careful read convinced me that anyone who wanted to try his method would not only be successful but have a lot of fun.Fluency in Chinese will not be provided here, but the beginner will learn a lot and will be very satisfied with himself upon completion of this material.I had some questions for the author (his email is in the book).He was extremely gracious, answered my questions and even took the time to talk to me in a chat.It can't get any better than that.I'd say if you are interested in an introductory book about Mandarin Chinese and want to have some fun, this would be a great choice!

Book received courtesy of the author in exchange for an honest review.

More to Learn and Enjoy in Volume 2
In Sam Song's continuing series of ADVENTURES IN MANDARIN CHINESE Volume 2 much the same information in his Volume 1 applies, but the careful student reader notes a few changes. Song is very serious about guiding the reader through the 'mysteries' of learning Chinese characters, but he also seems bent on seducing the reader into the pleasures of finally recognizing words and phrases from the artful calligraphy that sustains Chinese characters.

This volume appeals more to the ability to pronounce each learned character to a greater degree than his previous volumes. There are also charts in this book to mark the readers progress in remembering the strokes that comprise the characters.This is again a very user-friendly method of learning some basic Chinese and with each new volume Song advances his technique of communication and his teaching skills.Grady Harp, May 09 ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Tracing Back Chinese History Through Food
A very interesting and entertaining book tracing back Chinese history through food. It does not only show you the information about the subject but also picture us the way Chinese people ate in the old days. My favorite part is about food in Han dynasty when the author vividly described the way Han people preparing their food through the Han Dynasty carved stone plaques. ... Read more

Product Description
It's essential to build a solid foundation for learners of any language asearly as possible! - THIS IS THE BOOK to help you build a solid foundationof Mandarin Chinese!

In the first several years of life, children learn a few words that become asolid groundwork for their language in life. Also children love stories,which are a very important part of language learning. Hence, in the process,the nature of children stories has shown us a successful way to build afoundation in order to learn the language successfully. For the same goal,this series of books are written in a special way that provides readers withthe easiest entry point into the Chinese language and also helps readersestablish a strong foundation through well-known fables and theirentertaining Chinese characters. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Continuing Sam Song's Enviable Course
In Volume 3 of Sam Song's ADVENTURES IN MANDARIN CHINESE: The Wind and the Sun the tools for learning the Eastern character driven languages for the Western reader is complemented with the increased use of explanation of character derivation.Though this volume uses the same techniques as the previous two volumes, in Volume 3 Song encourages pronunciation skills development and also reminds the reader that there are free audio files that allow a more assured progress with learning to speak as well as to read Chinese.It may be a small point, but Song is committed to his student audience and this volume is especially interesting as we observe his obvious joy of introducing a new language and a revelation of history that is making him a finer teacher with each now book he publishes.The reason for the title choices of these volumes becomes more apparent: these are indeed `Adventures'! Grady Harp, May 09

Good Attempt - More Emphasis on Traditional Chinese Characters Would be Better
I did enjoy reading this book and I did learn a lot about the traditional Chinese characters - that said I only gave this book 3 stars because of the following:

1) Sam Song provides nice stories to show the reader how to understand (e.g. the reasons behind) the Chinese characters. To do this he must start with the traditional characters (the ones that have been used by the Chinese people, in some form, for thousands of years and the ones still used today in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and most overseas Chinese communities) and then he presents the simplified characters as well (the ones used in the PRC). At the bottom of many pages throughout the book Sam Song presents, in Chinese characters, what you have learned up to that point in the story, but he only does so in simplified characters. However, the point of the book is to give the reader an appreciation of Chinese culture and characters, so you would think Sam Song would emphasize the traditional characters and not the more recent unnatural simplified characters developed by the government of the PRC starting in the mid-1950's. But once you have learned all the characters you need to read the story in Chinese, the author does present the story in both simplified and traditional characters.

2) You should buy "Learning Chinese The Easy Way: Read & Understand The Symbols of ChineseCulture" instead since it contains BOTH the "Two Men and the Bear" and "The Wind and the Sun" and it only costs $15.

Amazing book!
This book is entertaining and a fun read!
It shows we could learn mandarin Chinese and enjoy reading excellent stories the same time.
This book is an amazing book. ... Read more

Product Description
This unique book is a collection of essays on Chinese food and culture by some of China¡¦s most well-known writers and cultural critics. Included are essays by Lin Yutang, Wang Meng, and others, which run the gamut from some of the greatest delicacies in history to everyday roadside snacks cherished since childhood; the meaning of food to the Chinese, its preparation, enjoyment, and its role as the essence of life. The myriad variety of Chinese food and all its cultural components are represented, resulting in a revealing and enlightening appraisal of what truly lies at the heart of Chinese food and its culture. ... Read more