Customer Reviews (1)

Social/Political History of Cao Dai
In this book, Jane Werner looks at economic, social and political causes for the rise of the Cao Dai religion in 1920s Vietnam, and continues analyzing these factors through its history into the 1970s, especially at its relations with the French and the Vietnamese communists. She barely mentions its ritual, doctrine or art, and attempts no psychological or spiritual analysis. So it probably isn't a good introduction to Cao Dai, but it's good for people with only a little familiarity or interest. Of course there isn't a good introduction to the religious aspects of Cao Dai, but this is a very good coverage of its history.

Includes appendices with some maps, statistics and b/w photos; the maps might be really helpful for someone unfamiliar with S Vietnam's geography.

If you have trouble finding this book, contact Yale University's Southeast Asia Studies Department, who published it. They will at least be able to send you a photocopy. (I think I bought one of their last prints of this book!)

Yale University Southeast Asia Studies
Box 13A
New Haven CT06520 ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

All Aspects of Martial Arts Here!
This book is more than simply a martial arts manual that shows the moves, the positions and the strikes. It is also a history of martial arts--sort of a thumbnail sketch of what there is around the world--and how it developed in Vietnam.The author goes into the political climate that created conditions in which Cao Dai would come to exist in the first place and how it has evolved. Plus the excellent illustrations, done by the authorand they are easy to understand.There's no substitute for a live teacher, but if you already have some background or if there is no dojo around, this isn't bad.And I don't know what you mean about it being hard to come by.Loompanics 8003802230 has plenty of stock--or go to their site.

Fantastic instructional
Perhaps the finest English language instructional on Vietnamese martial arts ever published. The book has detailed (yet easy to follow) text along with numerous illustrated diagrams. Published in a limited printing, this book has already become quite a scarce martial arts collectible. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

An unusual syncretic religion well explained
Dr. Bui is the first Vietnamese-American to try to explain the tenets of his new syncretistic religion to the wider English reading public, and he was written this along with an American disciple, Ngasha Beck.Their account is clear and sets out may aspects of this spiritist religion, born in French Indochina in 1926 and brought to the United States by Vietnamese refugees forced to flee their homeland after 1975.Caodaism preached gender equality, racial harmony and religious tolerance in the early 20th century, and the religion has had a long history of persecution by the French, the Diem government and the present communist regime.Its disciples have endured exile, re-education camps, government censorship and many restrictions, but have courageously rebuilt their religion in a new land.Much of Caodaist philosophy is reminiscent of other more recent efforts to blend Buddhism and Christianity (like Thich Nhat Hahn), and many of its teachings (reincarnation, meditation, self-correction and vegetarianism) are now familiar parts of New Age spirituality.But Vietnam's tragic history has put in a unique place to offer lessons in peace to the world, and until now these lessons were not available to the general public.

New Book on Fascinating Religion!
This beautiful book provides a wide background on the basic ideas of the religion of CaoDai, including meditation techniques and spiritual practices, from CaoDai Overseas representatives Hum D. Bui and Ngasha Beck. This is an excellent first book of this pacifist religion founded in acountry known, unfortunately, for its own struggles against violence andhate.Truly inspiring, and a contribution to world reconciliation andpeace! ... Read more

Book Description
This digital document is a journal article from Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Part C, published by Elsevier in 2007. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Description:
The enhanced expression of heat shock proteins (HSPs) can be detected in response to high temperatures, as well as to many kinds of stressors, including pollutants. Partial cDNA sequences encoding HSP30, HSP70, HSP90 beta, and heat shock cognate (HSC) 70, and full-length cDNA sequences encoding HSP27, HSP47 and HSP60 were cloned from goldfish (Carassius auratus). The expression of these genes was investigated in goldfish inhabiting Gaobeidian Lake in Beijing, China. The water of this lake is moderately polluted and has a higher temperature due to the water being used as a coolant in the nearby thermal power plant. All HSP sequences tested were highly conserved compared with their corresponding genes in other species. A significant up-regulation in HSP30 and HSP70 transcripts was exhibited in goldfish collected in winter in Gaobeidian Lake. The up-regulation in HSP27 and HSP90 beta transcript, as well as HSP30, was observed on the day of collection in summer. The up-regulation of these HSPs suggested that fish under these specific environmental conditions were experiencing a complex stress process. The expression of HSP30 was found to be more prominent among the fishes in Gaobeidian Lake than at the cleaner reference site (Huairou Reservoir). In the latter case, the HSP30 expression was almost non-detectable, suggesting the possibility of using it as a biomarker for complex environmental pollution. ... Read more