Product Description
Beyond the Closed Door explains in clear layman's terms the evolution of Chinese Culture and how it has profoundly influenced the character of T'ai Chi Ch'uan. It does so by framing Chinese ideas in the context of Western thought, pointing out the differences as well as the similarities. Beyond the Closed Door is not a how-to book for someone wishing to learn T'ai Chi. Rather it is a study of T'ai Chi's cultural heritage that, at the same time, requires an explanation of the principles of this soft martial art. If you want to know why the Chinese developed their unique system of martial arts, why the Chinese meditate and we in the West pray, then this book is for you. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Use the Mind and not force to win
"Yin stores up essence and prepares it to be used; Yang serves as protector against external danger and must therefore be strong.If Yin is not equal to Yang, then the pulse becomes weak and sickly and cause madness.If Yang is not equal to conflict with each other and the circulation ceases within the nine orifices.For this reason the sages caused Yin and Yang to be in harmony."

As an internal exercise, Tai Chi through movement, meditation, and visualization seeks to open blockage of energy meridians bringing the body back into harmony.The Tai Chi practitioner my employee visualization by imaging that the Chi is a golden light, growing and expanding from his tan tien.Chi follows the movement of the mind.By focusing the mind on the Dan Tien chi radiates from the center.Energy flows up from earth through the feet and down through the crown of the head.Chi radiates out the palms, eyes, and feet and this is called the "small heavenly cycle".Eventually, the practitioner will direct his chi through meridians and eventually focus on a particular area or organ that requires healing.The practitioner can harmonize the chi throughout changing flows of each Tai Chi posture.The form moves the practitioner and he remains free of tension and focuses on relaxation. Chi has a heavy feel at times.The chi flows through the practitioner like a great river.

The Chen family kept the art Wang Tsung-yueh transferred a family secret.Between 1799-1872, Yang Lu-shan arrived and received Tai Chi training from the Chen family. Yang came from the North having mastered the hard style of Shao Lin boxing but was not satisfied with it.At first Yang was denied admittance to learn Chen Style Tai Chi.Legend has it that he remained in the village, working as a servant hoping to learn the Chen secret martial art. Yang watched through a hole in the fence, the Chen family practicing their martial art; he watched diligently and practice what he had watched.Yang was eventually caught and brought before Chen Chang Hsiang; the Chen leader wanted to see what Yang had learned before throwing him out; the Chen leader was so impressed that he allowed Yang to remain and learn the Chen Tai Chi; within a relatively short period of time Yang became the top student.

"Yang family modified their Tai Chi and introduced a style that stressed elements of health, physical fitness, and techniques of personal self-defense."The Yang style has a distinctive quality with its smooth, sinuous movements that flow like a great river.The Yang style is characterized with softness and relaxed principles.The softness made Yang Tai chi accessible to both the young and old. Most early martial art teachers tended to keep their art secret because anyone who gained a reputation as being a good fighter faced a constant barrage of challenges from other martial artist seeking to establish a reputation.

Yang reason to teach Tai Chi public based on patriotism and the martial art could be used against 19th century Western imperialism, "I have seen popular martial arts performers whose spirit and physique are in no way inferior to the so-called muscle men of the West."Tai Chi today is practiced by fourth of the world population.

Yang Lu-Shan skill was formable and in one story a Shao Lin monk approach Yang and offered his salutations and then suddenly, like a tiger, flew at Yang with his fist.Yang depressed his check and patted the monk's fist with his palm: "As if struck by a bolt of lightning, the monk was thrown behind a screen, his body still in the attitude of attacking with clenched fists."The monk apologized for his rudeness and begged to be trained by Yang Yang explained his bird in hand feat as follows: "If one practices Tai Chi for some time, the entire body becomes so light and sensitive that a feather weight cannot be added without setting it into motion and a fly cannot slight without the same effect."Tai Chi uses the mind and not force to defeat the opponent.When practicing don't let one ounce of force remain in the blood vessel, bones, and ligaments to tie yourself up.

Worth your time
This book is a good read if you are interested in the historical and cultural foundations of T'ai Chi.It suffers a little bit from bad editing (possibly done by a computer spellchecker?).The author shares his knowledge of T'ai Chi by way of explaining how deeply-held Chinese beliefs almost inevitably resulted in the art of playing T'ai Chi.I did not find it tedious at all.Most ofthe black and white figures were very helpful and well done, although one or two sequences (e.g. those showing a woman practicing "T'ai Chi Walking") were not as well explained as they might have been.This book would probably be less enjoyable for a reader who had no prior knowledge of T'ai Chi but regular Players will find it an interesting addition.

A bridge between the Classics and the West
Arieh Lev Breslow presents a very academic study of Tai Chi Chuan and itscultural and historical roots.He is quite thourough in his detective workinto the understanding of religious belief that influenced Tai Chi (in aninformation based manner), but so thourough that at a couple points itbecomes a dry read (Hence the three stars instead of five).Stick with itthough!After suffering through a couple sections of footnote afterfootnote Breslow brings it all back together in a manner that will excitethe mind and reach the spirit.He does well to explain quotes of the TaiChi Classics in modes that westerners will understand.

His observationsof how to perform Tai Chi Chuan in the second half of the book serve todemonstrate the expert understanding that he has for this art form.Thisbook is an excellent choice for anyone who really has interest in Chineseculture and an essential history for those who practice Tai Chi and arelooking to go deeper.

A great history of the development of T'ai Chi
Arieh Lev Breslow has been teaching T'ai Chi for over 20 years, the last 14 at the Jerusalem School of T'ai Chi Ch'uan, which he founded in Israel. In Beyond The Closed Door he provides us a well documented and fascinatingjourney through 4500 years of Chinese culture leading to the creation ofT'ai Chi Ch'uan. The amazing part is that he does it in less than 400pages, using clear layman's terms, keeping you interested with everychapter.

Beyond The Closed Door is not a "how to do T'ai Chi"text. The book is divided into four main sections. Breslow begins with anoverview of Chinese Culture showing the importance of the development ofthe concept of Yin and Yang. We are introduced to the familiar charactersof Confucius, Lao Tzu and Chang Tzu and their ideas and influences. Breslowshow us that many of the concepts of today's forms have roots deep withinancient Chinese culture.

From there we begin to understand thedevelopment of Chinese Religion and Philosophical thought. Influences ofConfucianism and Buddhism along with the rise and fall of many politicalregimes all contribute to and draw upon Taoism - resulting in all threebecoming the supporting legs of Chinese culture well into the 20th century.

The history of China is indeed a colorful one, full of traditions,science, religion, mystics and philosophy. But it is also one filled withviolence, warfare, political strife and the rise and destruction of manyempires. Breslow shows us in a clear and logical manner that thousands ofyears of this ebb and flow (dare I say Yin and Yang) of conflict gave riseto many well-developed concepts, past on master to student in the grandestof oral traditions. All of this history evolving finally, into the creationof T'ai Chi Ch'uan.

T'ai Chi is much more than the forms many practice.Beyond The Closed Door opens up the world behind the forms. "Tounderstand the origins and practice of T'ai Chi is to gain a profoundinsight into the culture from which it came." I found the book acaptivating, fascinating, and accessible exploration of the wonderful viewof the universe we know as T'ai Chi. I think you will enjoy it. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (1)

Applied Sun Tzu-Shih in practice
The chapter of Sun Tzu's Art of War which seems the most deep is the chapter on Shih-the potentiality of things like water, armies, etc. to go from calm to forceful based on the comamnder's actions.This book applies these principles of Shih to historical and contemporary chinese forign policy and military actions. A complex subject, read "The Propensity of Things" by Jullien first and then enjoy. There is a passing comment on wei qui (the game Go) as a proxy. ... Read more

Product Description
A multi-disciplinary exploration of China's first great classical novel, Three Kingdoms, and its influence on Chinese culture. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Rare Resource in English
"Three Kingdoms and Chinese Culture" is a rare resource on literary criticism and historical reference covering the novel "Three Kingdoms".English language resources outside of scholarly journals are rare for this topic.

Basically, this volume collects the essays presented in a Three Kingdoms conference held in China.In total there are eleven essays.Of particular note there are three essays that look at the novel through the lens of Chinese ethics.It is very interesting to read that many critics find that the main heroes of the novel are subversive in their insistence of putting brotherhood ahead of family.This counters the main premise of Confucianism which would put family ahead of friends.

Of additional interest are the two essays that cover the historical aspects of the novel.The only weak section is the one that covers the influence of the novel on contemporary culture.Two of the three are written on the impact the novel has on modern pop culture, but these essays are written (or poorly translated?) by authors who don't have a solid theme running through their essays, so these seem to ramble on with no point.However, the section is saved by the third essay on the direction of Three Kingdoms studies in China.This is a must-read for anyone who is doing research in the field.

Overall, this was a great read.I felt that 9 of the 11 essays were useful.Only 2 were not interesting.If you're a fan of the novel Three Kingdoms, this book will help you appreciate it even more. ... Read more

Product Description
This dictionary collects 20000 entries on 308 subjects related to people's daily life, including food, clothing, shelter and transportation-basic necessities of life, as well as social customs, Chinese culture, industry, agriculture, commerce, politics, law, etc. About 10000 illustrations are provided. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

No verbs, only nouns; outdated words

This book only contains nouns, no verbs. To a learner like me, it is equally important to know verbs to form sentences. However, I agree that there is good coverage of nouns.

If you are an absolute beginner in Chinese, this may not be the best book for you. Some of the words used in this dictionary are outdated - if you used them in a real conversation, Chinese speakers would laugh at you.

The book to have for intermediate learners of Chinese
This is a great dictionary when you are looking up something that may be hard to describe. All pictures are accompanied by an English word or description, simplified Chinese characters, and Pinyin (Romanized Chinese used as a pronunciation guide for those of use learning the Chinese languages).

This dictionary is very thorough covering virtually every aspect of Chinese culture and day to day items (dongxi) that you can imagine. Each section seems to be done by an expert in that field - I had a Chinese medical doctor check out the medical and human body section - she was very impressed.A Chinese friend with a Masters in Animal Physiology said the animal section was more than she expected and very accurate.From my militay background, I'd say the military hardware section is very thorough as well.If you want to describe a fruit or vegetable, nut or bolt, it's in there!

The writers of this dictionary have really done their homework.

This is the book that anyone at an intermediate level of studying Chinese should own.You will not be disappointed.

Hours of entertainment!
This picture dictionary of black & white line drawings has everything from traditional Chinese instruments to fire trucks to hotels to prisons and the public security bureau. You can look up astronomy terms and nuclear missles while you're at it. Learn how to say "space suit life support system" and "execution by gunfire," complete with illustrations showing exactly how it's done. A great gift for the student of Chinese or collector of cultural trivia. ... Read more

Product Description
The Hawai'i Reader in Traditional Chinese Culture is a collection of more than ninety primary sources of cultural significance from the Bronze Age to the turn of the twentieth century. Each selection, all but a few of which were translated specifically for this volume, is preceded by a brief introduction that (where pertinent) identifies its author, establishes the context, and raises important issues and questions. Together they take into account virtually every aspect of traditional culture, including sources from the non-Sinitic ethnic minorities. Moreover, they incorporate recently excavated materials that have revolutionized the study of Chinese thought, society, and literature, not only making the Reader as up-to-date as possible, but also presenting Chinese civilization more accurately than permitted by reliance on canonical texts alone.

Edited by three highly respected senior scholars, the chosen texts capture the complexity of the Chinese cultural mosaic, among them selections on such topics as agriculture, art and architecture, biography, Buddhism, Confucianism, courtly and daily life, culinary arts, Daoism, death and funerary rites, economics and commerce, education, folklore and popular religion, government, language, law, literature, medicine, military affairs and martial arts, music, politics, regional cultures, science, textiles and clothing, travel, and women. An attractive and unusual feature of the Reader is the inclusion of several maps and 117 color plates that complement the text and, with their extensive and informative captions, are themselves a valuable source of primary data.

Unique in the breadth of its coverage and in the variety of the texts it presents, the Hawai'i Reader in Traditional Chinese Culture is ideal for undergraduate courses on the history, culture, and society of premodern China. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Fantastic source material
It's some very nice translations of original Chinese texts with good intros to set the stage and give some background of what you're about to read.And each text is properly referenced so one can understand context better.A really quite fascinating look and Chinese history and culture though the ages in, more or less, their own words. ... Read more

Product Description
The impact of Chinese culture can be felt in all areas of business and management in China, from Chinese firms to Western companies. This edited volume integrates contributions from multiple disciplines and countries, including China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, France, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. More than merely a compendium of how-to-do-business-in-China tips, this book examines the influence of culture--specifically, Confucian values and Chinese traditions--on foreign direct investment, joint ventures, management styles and theories, and organizational behavior. ... Read more

Product Description
Chinese Culture and Christianity traces the origin, development, and growth of Chinese culture in relationship to Christianity. This comprehensive work will be of interest to students of sociology, philosophy, religion, political science, and anthropology. ... Read more

Product Description
This rich collection of writings—many translated especially for this volume and some available in English for the first time—provides a journey through the history of Chinese culture, tracing the Chinese understanding of women as elucidated in writings spanning more than two thousand years. From the earliest oracle bone inscriptions of the Pre-Qin period through the poems and stories of the Song Dynasty, these works shed light on Chinese images of women and their roles in society in terms of such topics as human nature, cosmology, gender, and virtue. ... Read more

Product Description
This book provides a fresh approach to the study of Chinese language, culture and society. It adopts the tools of cultural studies and applies them to a previously conservative discipline. It uses concepts of social semiotics to extend the ideas of language and reading, covering a range of cultural texts. The authors tackle areas such as grammar, language, gender, popular culture, film and the Chinese diaspora. The Politics of Chinese Language and Culture is an engaging, and alternative, means of studying contemporary China. It will help to break down the boundaries around the ideas and identities of East and West and provide a more relevant analysis of the Chinese and China. ... Read more

Product Description
This full-color illustrated book traces the history and development of tea from medicinal herb to the highest levels of artistic and aesthetic traditions in China. Chapters include the history of tea culture in dynastic China; tea in art and literature; culture of the teahouse; brewing and tasting, horticulture and nomenclature. An ideal volume for all readers. Great for museums, gift shops, cooking, travel, art, and general interest bookstores. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

a fine tea book
I like to read books while sipping tea. Nothing is better than a book on tea while sipping tea. Its hard to believe the other reviewer gave this book 1 star with the advice, buy another book intstead as if its an ultimatum. This is a great book, well done and very engaging while brewing a cup or two. My personal favorite books on tea beyond the primary sources in Chinese and Japanese are Wind in the Pines and Tea of the Sages, the Art of Sencha and this book is worthy to share a on the shelf with any English book on tea. Self-important scholars, aesthetes or "intellectuals" like the first reviewer do not seem to "taste" this authors flavor at all.

Buy Blofeld instead
The writer's English is better than my Chinese.Unfortunately, the editor's English is not very good, and this author has been poorly served (I think)in both line editing (grammar and style) and whatever kind of editing would have made the prose flow and actually convey information. It reads like a term paper by a not terribly bright high school student, who has not tried to synthesize the information found in various articles on the Internet.Admittedly Tea and Chinese Culture is a big subject, and even discussing Chinese culture is perhaps as bogus as discussing 'European culture.' There have been a lot of cultures over a long period of time.They are not served by flat sentences like "Sichuan teahouses played an important role in spreading information. The local people went to teahouses not only to drink tea, but also to exchange information.The most important function of the teahouses was that people could chat with each other there (p 73)." And on. And on.

The layout, binding, and typeface are nice, but too many of the illustrations have feathered edges for my taste. When the author refers to an important painting or teapot (p 59), it would have been nice to see either of them. The illustrations that appear are not always related to the text.

Reading this book irritated me. It's not good enough to have even a veneer of scholarship and notentertaining enough for a coffeetable.The sadly OOP book, The Chinese Art of Tea by John Blofeld, is better even at three times the price. ... Read more

Product Description
During Suharto's New Order (1966-1998), the ethnic Chinese expanded the nation's economy (and their own wealth), but, paradoxically, were marginalised and discriminated against in all social spheres: culture, language, politics, entrance to state-owned universities, and public service and public employment. Following the fall of Suharto, and the anti-Chinese riots in May 1998, Indonesia underwent a process of 'Reformasi' and democratisation, whereby for the first time in several decades Chinese culture became more visible. Many ethnic Chinese took advantage of the new democratic space to establish political parties, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and action groups to fight for the abolition of discriminatory laws, defend their rights and promote solidarity between ethnic groups in Indonesia. They utilised the 'Reformasi' atmosphere to promote pluralism and multiculturalism, and to liberate their long-suppressed identity and cultural heritage.This book sets out to unpack the complex meanings of 'Chineseness' in post-1998 Indonesia, including the ways in which the policy of multiculturalism enabled such a 'resurgence', the forces that shaped it and the possibilities for 'resinicisation'.The author examines how ethnic Chinese self-identify, and investigates how the pribumi 'Other' has contributed to identifying the ethnic boundary in terms of 'race' and class. A unique aspect of the study is its discussion of the complexities of cultural crossing, borrowing and mixing experience of Chinese-Indonesians through localisation and globalisation. ... Read more

Product Description

Examining the major academic and policy debates over China’s rise and related policy issues, this book looks into the motivations and intentions of a rising China.

Product Description

For close to two hundred years, the ideas of Shakespeare have inspired incredible work in the literature, fiction, theater, and cinema of China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. From the novels of Lao She and Lin Shu to Lu Xun's search for a Chinese "Shakespeare," and from Feng Xiaogang's martial arts films to labor camp memoirs, Soviet-Chinese theater, Chinese opera in Europe, and silent film, Shakespeare has been put to work in unexpected places, yielding a rich trove of transnational imagery and paradoxical citations in popular and political culture.

Chinese Shakespeares is the first book to concentrate on both Shakespearean performance and Shakespeare's appearance in Sinophone culture and their ambiguous relationship to the postcolonial question. Substantiated by case studies of major cultural events and texts from the first Opium War in 1839 to our times,Chinese Shakespeares theorizes competing visions of "China" and "Shakespeare" in the global cultural marketplace and challenges the logic of fidelity-based criticism and the myth of cultural exclusivity. In his critique of the locality and ideological investments of authenticity in nationalism, modernity, Marxism, and personal identities, Huang reveals the truly transformative power of Chinese Shakespeares.

Customer Reviews (3)

A groundbreaking study of Shakespeare in Asia
This is a groundbreaking study of Shakespeare and Chinese performance. In the twenty-first century, localization and globalization obliges us to reexamine European heritage in a different context. Alexander Huang reassesses the history of Shakespeare in China, exploring the process and significant moments of cultural exchanges. He carefully constructs the diverse narratives of reinterpretation of Shakespeare under Chinese politics of culture in Chinese localities. I find this book not only informative but also inspiring for my research. Huang observes an evolution of cultural interactions in a chronological order. This scholarly work helps me to better understand the historical experience of performers, rewriters and audiences. I admire Huang's conscientious effort and incredible patience in sorting out diverse historical documents in this book. This study makes many fascinating arguments which have enabled me to give up my prejudice and to look at cross-cultural performance with open mind.

Setting a new direction for performance studies
Chinese Shakespeares is a fascinating study of Chinese and Western conceptions of Shakespeare and China. The book is well suited for students, researchers or anyone who is interested in Shakespeare's works and Chinese culture. The author goes beyond the tired notions of the original and the derivative, and takes a crucial step toward the reinvention of interpretative energy in cross-cultural studies. A wide range of genres such as fiction, translation, film, and theater are used to explore questions concerning locality, visual culture, authenticity, racial identity and cultural ownership. The select chronology at the end of the book is particularly useful to readers who would like to draw connections between the performances of local and worldwide Shakespeare, and the historical events.

Enlightening Workon China, Shakespeare, and the Movement of Culture
I really enjoyed Alexander Huang's Chinese Shakespeares: Two Centuries of Cultural Exchange. This work is an exciting read not only for students of Comparative Literature but also anyone interested in China, English colonial legacy in the East, and the movement, appropriation and transformations of ideas, concepts, and culture. The author explores the form the rewriting and theatrical performances of William Shakespeare's plays take in China. What does Shakespeare look like in China and from a Chinese perspective, and what does his prevalent presence in the East signfy in terms of national culture?What does Shakespeare have to do with China and are Chinese Shakespeares authentically Chinese or even true to Shakespeare? One important note that I have taken from this study stresses that that appropriation, specifically that of Shakepeare in China, is a dailogue which takes from and gives to both sides; that Shakespeare has not only given to China but also Chinese performances (modified or otherwise) of the plays enrich Shakespare. However it isn't always seen as such and the result is the marginalization of non-Anglophone Shakespeares in the West. But this is only the tip of the iceberg, pick up this book for a more indepth analysis of the captivating yet historically misunderstood space between China and the West via Shakespeare. ... Read more

Product Description
China is the first country to grow, produce and drink tea. Over the long history of drinking tea, a special Chinese tea culture came into being. Tea is indispensable in the life of the Chinese people. It is not simply a type of drink, but a transmitter of culture, representing the philosophy, aesthetic views and way of life of the Chinese people, from which the spiritual world of the Chinese people can be discerned. This book relates the rich knowledge about Chinese tea and Chinese tea culture in terms of the origin of tea, its history, the methods and customs of drinking tea and tea drinking vessels. It explains the Chinese tea ceremony in depth and with an easy-to-understand approach and introduces the colorful teahouse culture, legends about tea, and the literature and art closely connected with tea. ... Read more

Product Description
During a crucial period from the 1860s to about 1980, Chinese painting was transformed into a modern expression of its classical heritage. This book draws on a selection of modern Chinese paintings from the Robert H. Ellsworth Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in order to explore this period, discussing issues of modernity and creativity in late-nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century Chinese painting.

Wen C. Fong deals with both traditionalist and modernizing Chinese masters from the comparative perspective of East and West, traditional and modern. He begins by examining the last traditional "revival," the epigraphic school of painting, and the rise of a populist art in the cosmopolitan city of Shanghai. Next he focuses on painters who absorbed the lessons of Western realism, in particular one artist who followed the Ecole des Beaux Arts and one who adapted the model of the Japanese Nihonga painters, and on three great traditionalist masters, two of whom were professional populist painters. Finally he explores Chinese painting from about 1950 to 1980 by the second generation of artists and teachers in the national academies who, having been trained by traditionalist and Western-style teachers, developed their own schools of influence in their search for a new synthesis of Chinese and Western methods. ... Read more

Product Description
Carefully selected Chinese words and phrases take you on a wondrous journey through Chinese history and through the lives and customs of its people. The meaning of 23 phrases (46 characters) are included in this beautifully illustrated book that explores the richness of the Chinese culture. Each phrase is introduced by a written image and an explanation of the spoken Mandarin language, as well as a picture representing the concept. Some of these Chinese words have been borrowed and shared by other people. You may be surprised to find a little trace of Chinese in you! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Better for adults
This is a great book to learn more about Chinese cultures. Adults would find it more interesting than children. The text and concepts are sometimes higher than your average primary age child. The pictures are artistic, but not exactly kid appeal. Good resource for learning; it doesn't get picked up for leisure reading by kids. I have this book in my school library collection.

D is for Doufu:An Alphabet Book of Chinese Culture
This book came to me quickly.Has beautiful paintings and interesting things about the culture.Worth my purchasing. Thanks!

Not quite what I expected...
I expected a Read-aloud book for use in the classroom but this book is more for individual use as a resource for the Mandarin language.If I had a classroom set it would be great to let the students explore and then assign each a word and character to teach to the rest of the class.I would have preferred the pronunciation to be included with the word on each page.On the other hand, as a teaching resource the book is a good source of background information for me since I have little or no knowledge about the Chinese language.It has a succinct explanation of the sounds and tonality used in Mandarin and also explains the composition of the characters for specific words.For example, the character for "love" contains the characters BREATH, HEART, and MOVEMENT: "Love breathes life into the heart and brings grace to the body".The illustrations are beautiful and the text very informative.Although I will not end up using this book as I intended when I ordered it I still feel it will have value to me for teaching and learning about China.

A visual treat!
When I first leafed through this book I could not put it down because it is such a rich visual treat. Each page contains a luminous collage of paintings, calligraphy and graphics through which we are introduced to some of the many artifacts and traditions of the Chinese culture. Some words such as "gong fu," "feng shui," and "doufu" are already quite familiar to westerners. Less familiar but equally important are words such as "hong bao" (lucky red envelopes which all children receive for Chinese New Year), "qi pao" (the elegant high collared dresses worn by Chinese women),"shi er sheng xiao" (12 animals of the Chinese zodiac), "tu zhang" (hand carved seals bearing a person's name) and "xiao shun" (the words for filial piety, much emphasized in the teachings of Confucius).The pages are large and the graphics bold, making it a suitable book for sharing with a class. This is a book which visual artists, scholars, teachers and children alike will surely appreciate.

Excellent book!
I hope that others will discover this book too.I am going to share it with my ESOL students for Chinese New Year.I am learning a lot from the book.I really enjoy trying to pronounce the words.My Chinese-Vietnamese students can probably assist me with the correct pronunciation and tones, now that I have some idea. ... Read more

Product Description

The rare and endangered Chinese alligator has long held a prominent place in Chinese culture and mythology. Here John Thorbjarnarson and Xiaoming Wang, who have been at the forefront of efforts to conserve these remarkable creatures, provide comprehensive details about the biology, behavior, history, and cultural and conservation significance of the animal thought to be the basis of the Chinese dragon legend.

Though more than 10,000 Chinese alligators live in zoos and breeding facilities, just a few hundred still exist in the wild. Much of their natural habitat has been lost to human development, leaving wild Chinese alligators clinging to small areas where the Yangtze River meets the Pacific Ocean. Thorbjarnarson and Wang recount how and why the species declined to the point where it is perhaps the most threatened of all crocodilians, discuss ongoing conservation works, and project what the future is likely to bring for the Chinese alligator. Their scientific synthesis sits in stark contrast to the alligators' unique relationship with Chinese culture, where folklore views it as a water deity related to dragons.

Illustrated throughout and featuring the most up-to-date biological information available, this volume is a complete overview of the Chinese alligator, a conservation and cultural icon.