Product Description
"The Shaolin Monastery" charts, for the first time in any language, the history of the Shaolin Temple and the evolution of its world-renowned martial arts. In this meticulously researched and eminently readable study, Meir Shahar considers the economic, political, and religious factors that led Shaolin monks to disregard the Buddhist prohibition against violence and instead create fighting techniques that by the twenty-first century have spread throughout the world. He reveals the intimate connection between monastic violence and the veneration of the violent divinities of Buddhism and analyzes the Shaolin association of martial discipline and the search for spiritual enlightenment. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Shaolin
Great book about the history of the Monastery. If you have an interest this subject and need a place to start this is the book to start with.

The Most Interesting Book on Shaolin I have Ever Read!!
If you are at all interested in Shaolin history, I cannot stress how much you will enjoy this book.It is by far the most relevant English language book ever published on the subject.Highly recommended.

An excellent historical resource
Unfortunately, quality academic work on subjects related to martial arts is in very short supply.With the appearance of Shahar's book, however, we have a first-rate addition to current scholarship.It is most welcome.

Having earned his doctorate at Harvard, Shahar currently teaches at Tel Aviv University in Israel.The Shaolin Monastery is his third book related to the intersection of Chinese history and religion, following Crazy Ji: Chinese Religion and Popular Culture (1998) and his work as co-editor of Unruly Gods: Divinity and Society in China (1996).In this most recent work, Shahar traces the history of the famous Shaolin Temple from the 6th century to the present day.With a remarkable grasp of the historical materials, he presents the early development and mythology surrounding the monastery's military exploits during the Tang Dynasty, its evolution during the Ming, disintegration through the Qing, and recent revival in the last fifty years.Along the way, historical misperceptions and legends are dealt with critically.In doing so, however, Shahar avoids the tendency of too many historians to giddily deconstruct popular beliefs with an iconoclasm that betrays a snooty elitism on the part of the researcher.Shahar prefers to uncover, explain, and clarify, not gleefully tear down.

This book should put an end to those arguing that Bodhidharma did indeed introduce physical exercise of any sort to Shaolin.As Shahar points out, the Shaolin monks did not even sell that story until the mid-Qing dynasty (c. 18th century).Likewise, he demonstrates that empty-handed fightings styles, both historical and contemporary, that claim to have originated at Shaolin are equally dubious.Anyone today claiming to practice martial arts with their roots in Shaolin - aside from modern wushu - will be hard pressed to do so after reading this book.

Shahar's historical research is, as mentioned above, first rate.However, readers who are looking for information on the nuts and bolts of Chinese martial arts will be sorely disappointed.There is almost no discussion of technique or principles of combat, leaving the reader wondering at times if Shahar has ever spent time training in martial arts himself.When Shahar quotes Cao Huandou, who criticizes those who "strain their muscles and expose their bones, waste their energy and use force," Shahar concludes, "Evidently, some artists considered the martial aspect of their technique secondary to the spiritual one."(171)Here, Shahar seems to equate straining with an emphasis on martial practice, as distinct from a more relaxed spiritual pursuit.This glaring ignorance of Chinese martial arts demonstrates Shahar's lack of understanding of the practice of these arts.

Additionally, while Shahar addresses issues that relate to the religious tension that exists when Buddhist monks train for and engage in violence, he provides no new insights or penetrating analysis.He has a clear grasp of the fundamentals of Buddhism and Taoism, but this is not the work of a scholar of religion.His surprise at a story of Buddhist monks being physically aggressive with each other was actually a surprise to me.He writes, "The violence and abuse [taking place between monks] recorded by Zhang Zhuo seem hardly fit for a Buddhist temple."(37)It would appear that Shahar has spent very little time reading of Chinese and Japanese Buddhists in the Ch'an/Zen tradition, for whom physical acts of striking, slapping, kicking, and other physical abuse is hardly out of the ordinary.

The comments above, however, should not be read as criticism.Shahar is an historian writing a history of the Shaolin Temple.In that task he has done an exemplary job.A book cannot be all things to all people, so potential readers should know what a book is, and what it is not.In the task he set out to accomplish, Shahar should be commended.

Slayer of martial arts myth
Here are some of the more interesting points covered, including the slaying of commonly held martial arts myth:

1) Although he is not sure when the monks began to learn how to wield weapons, Shahar states they were practicing the use of military weapons (sword, spear, bow, etc.) as early as the Tang Dynasty (618-907). The monks chosen to learn these skills protected the monastery from mountain bandits that regularly laid siege to the complex. However, these monks were not apart of the religiously devout vegetarian body that lived within the monastery proper. They lived in small clusters located outside of the monastery and regularly broke the Buddhist precepts against eating meat, drinking alcohol, and killing. They were allowed to do this because of their distance from the monastery and the protection they provided. The allowances for killing were also connected to their religious beliefs.

2) The martial monks worshiped a Buddhist guardian deity called "Vajrapani," one of the Buddha's body guards. Legends tell how he regularly killed demons and other evil creatures that threatened the Buddha or Buddhism in general. Hence, this was all the justification the military monks needed to kill. This deity was always portrayed in Indian art with a club, but the Chinese eventually changed it to a staff (contemporary stelae located on the Monastery grounds attests to this). Vajrapani figures in Shaolin legend as the progenitor of their legendary staff method. Hence, he was connected to Shaolin arts CENTURIES before Bodhidharma.

3) Chinese fiction had a great influence on Shaolin legends. For instance, the Monkey King from the tale Journey to the West influenced the aforementioned staff legend. The legend takes place during the Red Turban Rebellion of the Yuan Dynasty. Bandits lay siege to the monastery, but it is saved by a lowly kitchen worker wielding a long fire poker as a makeshift staff. He leaps into the oven and emerges as a monstrous giant big enough to stand astride both Mount Song and the imperial fort atop Mount Shaoshi (which are five miles apart). The bandits flee when they behold this staff-wielding titan. The Shaolin monks later realize that the kitchen worker was none other than Vajrapani in disguise. Shahar compares the worker's transformation in the stove with Sun's time in Laozi's crucible, their use of the staff, and the fact that Sun and his weapon can both grow to gigantic proportions

4) Empty-handed boxing did not develop at Shaolin until the late Ming Dynasty. Before then, they were only known for their staff and spear methods. Because the Ming Dynasty revered the "Three religions" (Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism) as one universal teaching, during this time, Shaolin also studied Taoist gymnastics (stretching and breathing exorcises). These exercises were eventually combined with fist arts (in and outside the monastery) to create a new form of cultivation consisting of gymnastics, religious rituals, and combative techniques.

5) Bodhidharma was not connected with Shaolin fighting arts until the 17th century. Prior to this, he was only considered the progenitor of Chan Buddhism. The first published source that mentions Bodhidharma in connection with Shaolin arts is the Sinew Changing Classic, which was written by a Taoist in 1624. This is the source for all current legends that state he taught monks exercises to strengthen their bodies. However, as originally conceived, these exercises ultimately ended in immortality. Practitioners of the 17th century "internal school," which predates the creation of Taiji, and eventually died out, combined the Wu Dang priest Zhang Sanfeng with a Taoist God (The Dark Warrior) to create a Taoist equivalent of Bodhidharma. Hence, Bodhi became the legendary progenitor of the "External" or "Northern school" and Zhang the "internal" or "Southern school."

6) Shaolin's fame from the Tang till today was derived solely from their expertise in choosing the correct side to fight for in struggles between warring factions. For instance, Shaolin fought for the New Tang emperor, guaranteeing their future for centuries. Had they fought for the other side, they would have been exterminated. During the Tang, Buddhism was targeted because of it's foreign origins. Monks were sent home to lay life (or killed) and their monasteries where destroyed. But Shaolin was allowed to stay open ONLY because of its help to the Tang founder. Shahar gives an example of the reverse (a bad political choice). The Shaolin Temple was burnt in 1928 because they chose a side and lost.

Extremely Insightful
The most authoratative and insightful book I've ever read on this topic. Extremely well-researched and documented, this book dispels many myths, answers many questions, and yet leaves room for further inquiry. Truly a gem! ... Read more

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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

Product Description
Drugs and Racism in the Old West

America's current "war on drugs" is not the nation's first. In the mid-nineteenth century, opium-smoking was decried as a major social and public health problem, especially in the West. Although China faced its own epidemic of opium addiction, only a very small minority of Chinese immigrants in America were actually involved in the opium business. It was in Anglo communities that the use of opium soon spread and this growing use was deemed a threat to the nation's entrepreneurial spirit and to its growing mportance as a world economic and military power.

The Opium Debate examines how the spread of opium-smoking fueled racism and created demands for the removal of the Chinese from American life. This study of the nineteenth-century drug-abuse crisis reveals the ways moral crusaders linked their antiopium rhetoric to already active demands for Chinese exclusion. Until this time, anti-Chinese propaganda had been dominated by protests against the economic and political impact of Chinese workers and the alleged role of Chinese women as prostitutes. The use of the drug by Anglos added another reason for demonizing Chinese immigrants.

Ahmad describes the disparities between Anglo-American perceptions of Chinese immigrants and the somber realities of these people's lives, especially the role that opium-smoking came to play in the Anglo-American community, mostly among middle- and upper-class women. The book offers a brilliant analysis of the evolution of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, plus important insights into the social history of the nineteenth-century West, the culture of American Victorianism, and the rhetoric of racism in American politics. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A fascinating and scholarly study
"The Opium Debate And Chinese Exclusion laws In The Nineteenth-Century American West" by Diana L. Ahmad (Associate Professor of History at the University of Missouri-Rolla) is the story of a mid-nineteenth century 'war on drugs' and immigration restriction policies carried out by governmental agencies. Professor Ahmad articulately explains how anti-Chinese propaganda and the spread of opium addiction led to exclusionary immigration laws and the attitude that the Chinese and the recreational use of opium associated with their communities were a danger to the national economy and middle-class Anglo-American domestic life. A fascinating and scholarly study that features extensive notation, an exhaustive bibliography, and a comprehensive index, "The Opium Debate" is as informed and informative as it is well organized and 'reader friendly'. This is an impressive and very highly recommended contribution to academic library 19th Century American History reference collections and reading lists.

Great story on an uncommon topic
Not being a historian, I have littlebackground in the history of the American West. I really enjoyed this book whichundertakes thestudy of the Chinese in the American West from a new angle and makes the storyboth informativeand interesting. The book is well researched and talks about a seldom discussed topic. We are made aware of the reasons for excluding an element of society, whether right or wrong.Drugs are not a recent phenomenon and it is fascinating to see how they played a role in our country's early history. This book is an easy and interesting read. ... Read more

Product Description
THE CHINESE CENTURY is a magnificent and moving photographic chronicle of the past tumultuous century of china's history. It brings together nearly 300 stunning photographs, most of them never before published outside China, and an authoritative and accessible text by Jonathan Spence and Annping Chin. Here are the last rulers of the waning empire and the revolutionaries who were to overthrow them; the warlords and capitalists who exploited the new order; the chaos of civil war and the brutality of the Japanese invasion and occupation; the Long March and the great famine; the triumph of the Red Army and the terrible cruelty and suffering of the Cultural Revolution; the depredations and downfalls of the Gang of Four; and the tragedy of Tiananmen Square. Alongside these often shocking scenes are glorious landscapes and teeming cities, intimate portraits of Chinese men and women, townspeople and peasants, artists, writers, film stars and the country's leaders, as they have rarely been seen in the West. THE CHINESE CENTURY's spectacular array of photographs bring to life, as never before, the hidden face of China. ... Read more

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This book is made up of two parts, the first devoted to general, historical and cultural background, and the second to the development of each subdiscipline that together comprise Chinese mathematics. The book is uniquely accessible, both as a topical reference work, and also as an overview that can be read and reread at many levels of sophistication by both sinologists and mathematicians alike.

Customer Reviews (1)

This is the book to read..
for anyone interested in the subject. The author treats both the
native tradition and the reception of Western mathematics with
the highest scholarship. One of the most significant themes is
the conflict between the combinatoric spirit of Chinese mathematics,
akin to modern group theory and algebra, and the synthetic
Euclidean system introduced by European missionaries.
The initial Chinese puzzlement at what seemed an artificially
contrived structure will amuse those who have endured traditional
geometry and those struggling with Chinese itself. ... Read more

Product Description
These translations of eighteen classical Chinese texts from the mid-ninth century (Tang dynasty) through the late nineteenth century (Qing dynasty) offer a comprehensive collection of primary sources focusing on gender issues in medieval and late imperial China. The book's title reflects the sometimes ironic relationship between Confucian viewpoints and women's visibility in Chinese historical documents. The texts, written by both men and women, show that Confucian values and scholarly practices produced a rich documentary record of women's lives.
Includes a brief guide for use by students and teachers ... Read more

Product Description
Liang Ssu-ch'eng (1901-1972) was a pioneer in the scientific study of Chinese architectural history. He virtually created this field in China, and most of its current practitioners are his students. The book, which he wrote in English for a Western public and originally intended to publish in the 1940s, provides a rare record and analysis of temples, pagodas, tombs, bridges, and imperial palaces that are China's architectural heritage. It is a record that could not be duplicated today because a number of the structures have since been altered or demolished.With his co-workers, Liang combed the countryside for ancient buildings which he photographed with his Leica camera and recorded in large, detailed architectural drawings of plans, elevations, and cross-sections. These drawings are a text in themselves. Bearing captions in Chinese and English, they teach fundamental lessons about the anatomy of Chinese structures.Liang's account covers the origin of Chinese architecture and its two surviving basic handbooks from the 12th and 18th centuries; architecture of the pre-Buddhist period; cave temples; buildings in wood traced through several periods of stylistic development from c. 850 to 1911; Buddhist pagodas (most of the surviving pagodas are masonry structures) from simple square plans to those that are multi-storied and eaved; and other masonry structures such as tombs, vaulted buildings, bridges; terraces; and gateways.For most of his life, Liang Ssu-ch'eng lived in China, but as a young man he received his architectural training at the University of Pennsylvania. Wilma and John K. Fairbank first met him in China in 1932. During his last visit to the United States, in 1947 as a Visiting Professor at Yale, Mrs. Fairbank agreed to edit his manuscript and to help him find an American publisher. However, a combination of political and personal circumstances, compounded by the loss of the original drawings and photographs (they were only rediscovered in 1980) made publication of this unusual project impossible until now. ... Read more

Product Description
Dense with winding paths, dominated by huge rock piles and buildings squeezed into small spaces, the characteristic Chinese garden is, for many foreigners, so unlike anything else as to be incomprehensible. Only on closer acquaintance does it offer up its mysteries; and such is the achievement of Maggie Keswick's celebrated classic that it affords us--adventurers, armchair travelers, and garden buffs alike--the intimate pleasures of the Chinese garden.

In these richly illustrated pages, Chinese gardens unfold as cosmic diagrams, revealing a profound and ancient view of the world and of humanity's place in it. First sensuous impressions give way to more cerebral delights, and forms conjure unending, increasingly esoteric and mystical layers of meaning for the initiate. Keswick conducts us through the art and architecture, the principles and techniques of Chinese gardens, showing us their long history as the background for a civilization--the settings for China's great poets and painters, the scenes of ribald parties and peaceful contemplation, political intrigues and family festivals.

Updated and expanded in this third edition, with an introduction by Alison Hardie, many new illustrations, and an updated list of gardens in China accessible to visitors, Keswick's engaging work remains unparalleled as an introduction to the Chinese garden. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Beautiful book
I bought this book for visual inspiration in my illustrating. I found the text pleasant to read and have been happy to learn about Chinese gardens. The visuals are stunning and of great variety. I hope the book is updated someday but this is a wonderful book for those interested in Chinese culture and gardening.

The right place to begin
I've been a garden designer in Portland Oregonfor twenty years and have spent over a year in China visiting gardens . This book is a very good place to begin if you want to understand , on a basic level, Chinese gardens . It is however, not the place to stop if you really seek to understand them . To do that you have to try to understand the culture and times which produced them. Fruitful Sites by Craig Clunas is the best work which I have found so far as it analyzes the gardens at Suzhou over the course of several dynasties. Chinese Classical Gardens of Suzhou (Hardcover)
by Tun-Chen Liu, Joseph C. Wang is also a very good book . It is a critique of most of the principal gardens in Suzhou and it punctures the illusion that every Chinese garden is equally great and every feature wonderful. And if you are actually going to travel to China to see gardensyou really should read both of Peter Valder's books . They will help you understand Chinese plants and to find gardens in many Chinese cities. I don't always agree with Valder's assessments . He is quite restrained at times . And if you are planning to travel to Suzhou consider visiting Tongli as well. I also consider the gardens of The Slender West Lake in Yangzhou and other gardens there to be equal to many of the gardens in Suzhou. And if you are going to go to China I recommend you start reading The Orientalist online and purchase Beijing by Peter Neville Hadley so that you will not be shocked when you travel China . It is by no means an easy process if you want to travel beyond some air-con rip-off tour.

The Garden as the Source of History and Philosophy
While the attitudes and examples of Japanese gardens abound in books and in cities around the world, very little has been written or photographs of the unique concepts found in the Chinese gardens.Maggie Keswick repairs that paucity of information with this very beautifully designed, photographed and written monograph on the spirit of the subtle beauties that abound in the Chinese garden.

Keswick offers an in depth analysis of the history of gardens in China and even if the reader is not an avid horticulturist, just the amount of information about China alone is reason to read this book carefully.But in addition to the history and the architectural elements of these gardens here considered, there are many graceful photographs and accompanying illustrations that keep pace with the narrative while providing an encouragement to return to the book purely for the art of it.

Keswick has found the middle ground in creating a volume about the elements of the Chinese garden and a volume that stands strongly as simply an art book.Highly recommended for repeated readings.Grady Harp, April 05

It takes me back to my hometown
How great Chinese garden are!From north to south ,east to west,royal to normal,fancy to simple,you could see all of the best gardens in China.Especially two cities that must visit:Beijing,my hometown,and Suzhou,a wonderful small town built beside the river.The spirits of Chinese gardens were focused on how to combine nature and humanity together.The gardens in Suzhou absolutely rendered an ideal level without artificial fixing,you might called it "Eastern Venice".On the oher hand,Beijing seems much more luxurious since it used to be the capital of China for 5 dynasties.The best known garden named Summer Palace ,which settled in Western part of Beijing,belong to the royal family. A fire desaster ruined most valuable garden named Yuan Ming Yuan,if it still being there,Yuan Ming YUan might be the most gorgeous garden in the world.However we pitifully left a waste garden,morely a Country's shame.You luckily better read this book before you visit China.<>is a helpful tourguide take you a preview.

Acutely Perceptive, Informative,Profound
A superb study that is as engrossing as it is elegantly written and lavishly illustrated, and a sensitive inquiry into the aesthetics, the history and the philosophy that underpin an ancient and majestic civilization's view of mankinds's place within the cosmos. Both unique and profound.An essential work. ... Read more

Product Description
Master artist, teacher and scholar traces historical development of techniques and styles from 14th century B.C. to present; analyzes aesthetic concepts, criteria, and schools associated with specific aesthetic qualities; and provides comprehensive, in-depth guide to materials, technical principles and major brush strokes.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Discover Art in the Oriental Brush
Mr Kwo's book was my introduction into the use of the oriental brush and water based black ink. His book, read over time, brought me into my great appreciation for the skill of the brush. In this work the author describesthe use of the brush from a historic point of view. He also shows how brushtechnique and written language developed and explains to his westernreaders how to "see with oriental style", with the use of thebrush and ink as a tool, the oriental concept of space and lines. Though anartist using a simple brush and water-based ink creates a far differentscene than considered typical by western standards, the oriental use ofempty space, reserved for the viewers imagination to complete the scene, isvery refreshing. It sparked my interest into this subject and from there Iwent to japanese sumi-e. Thank you for your excellent book Mr. Kwo! ... Read more

Product Description
Since the publication of the first edition in 1998, Chinese History: A Manual has become an indispensible guide to researching the history of China.Updated through the end of 1999, the second edition discusses some 4,200 primary, secondary, and reference works, an increase of 1,300 titles over the first edition.The temporal coverage has been expanded to include the Republican period; sections on nonverbal salutations, weights and measures, money, and furniture have been added; the chapters on language, etymology, people, geography, chronology, warfare, leishu, food, and the Chinese world order have been thoroughly revised; and the subject index has been enlarged to include 1,500 technical terms. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A great starting place
I have a BA in History, but am by no means a professional historian. I used this book as a high level introduction to the major topics in Chinese history, and a "next step" guide for finding additional reading. It is a fantastic addition to anyone's library.

Peerless Resource for Chinese Historiography
Wilkinson's 'Chinese History: A Manual' is an essential volume on the bookshelf of any serious Chinese historiographer or scholar of Chinese history. Since the publication of the first edition, this book has very much become a standard reference for Chinese history. Note, though, that this is not a textbook on Chinese history, although one can certainly learn a great deal about Chinese history from it. It serves better as a handbook on Chinese history, an informative reference one consults to discover resources for the study of divers aspects of Chinese history.

The first section provides an excellent introduction to Chinese history, and the methods of Chinese historiography. Topics such as language, geography, demography, chronology, statistics, etc., are introduced, and reference works such as dictionaries and encyclopaedias are discussed in some detail. This section provides much of the groundwork necessary for study of Chinese history.

The remainder of the book is devoted to the description of the primary and secondary sources of historical documents, categorising them by genre, era and topic. Some 4,300 sources and references are described, from pre-Qin periods to the modern era, making the book an excellent first-port-of-call for identifying historical texts and documents. Wilkinson's work is especially helpful because the resources are not merely presented as lists, but their context is described, and often, some evaluation of the quality, worth, reliability, ubiquity, etc., is presented. Difficulties and obstacles encountered in research are mentioned, and solutions are often suggested.

This is a revised version of the 1998 edition, enlarged to include republican period. An already excellent manual was improved upon, and there is little I can say to criticise this edition. The book is physically well bound and the print is clear and of a good size: no magnifying glass is necessary. One particularly laudable feature of this book is that where English is employed for terms particular to Chinese culture or history, the Chinese term is given throughout, and the name of texts and sources are always given in Chinese. Moreover, romanisation is generally accompanied by Chinese characters, elminating the often frustrating guesswork involved in trying to figure out the characters corresponding to a romanised phrase. My only complaint is that, although Pinyin romanisation is used consistently, the tone marks are generally omitted.

In short, then, I have nothing but praise for Wilkinson's work. It is an indispensible guide to the study of Chinese historiography, and constitutes an excellent resource for anyone at all interested in Chinese history. Although written as a handbook for research, I have found the book suited to casual browse, and I often use it as a coffee-book table: I open it to a random page, and, more often than not, I find something that strikes my fancy and piques my interest. All in all, this book is a valuable resource seldom to be met with elsewhere.

An invaluable guide to all aspects of traditional China
This is an annotated resarch guide and bibliography, as described by the publisher, but has much more: introductions to the sources available for the writing of traditional Chinese history (up to 1911); shrewd evaluations of reference and research tools involved; explanation of how the study ofthe field developed; brief summaries of the state of research on a widevariety of topics, including:origins of Chinese characters, history ofChinese food, how to handle dates and chronology; how to find out whereplaces are and who people are... well, you get the idea. The MANUAL isuseful not only for primary research, but also for finding articles andsecondary references on many topics (my own bibliography, CHINA (Clio:World Bibliography Series, 1997) lists mainly books). The term"Manual" in Wilkinson's title really describes it, i.e. somethingwhich must be "at hand" for anyone working in Chinese history,and a "must" for libraries. ... Read more

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China has one of the longest continuous literary traditions in the world. From the beginnings of the Chinese written language to the lively world of internet literature, these two volumes tell the story of Chinese writing, both as an instrument of the state and as a medium for culture outside the state. The chapters, organized chronologically, treat not only poetry, drama, and fiction, but also historical writing and other prose forms. Written by internationally recognized experts in the field, the History frequently challenges current scholarship, from taking recent archeological discoveries into consideration to understanding Chinese modernity not as a sudden rupture with the past but as part of a longer process. The History offers both an integrated narrative, situating literature in its larger cultural context, and an overview of the key developments of the past millennia accessible to non-specialist readers as well as scholars and students of Chinese. ... Read more

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Joseph de Premare came to China from France in 1698 and worked as a missionary in Jiangxi until 1724 when he was banished to Canton by the Chinese government. While in exile at Canton, he composed the "Notitia Linguae Sinicae" a treatise on the structure of the Chinese language which formed the basis of academic sinology in Europe for more than a century, and was reprinted as late as 1893. In this study, Knud Lundbaek provides a comprehensive picture of Premare's philological and theological ideas, prominent among which was the concept of "figurism". The book also describes the intellectual milieu in which de Premare moved, including other famous figurist Jesuit scholars such as Joachim Bouvet and Jean-Francois Foucquet. This biography is a contribution to the history of European sinology as well as to the study of China's relations with the West. ... Read more

Product Description
This book documents a systematic investigation into various aspects of policing in the Peoples Republic of China, including its scholarship, idea, origin, history, education, culture, reform, and theory. It approaches the study of Chinese policing from an indigenous perspective, informed by local empirical data. In proposing an innovative theory of community policing entitled Police Power as a Social Resource Theory, the book seeks to look at crime as a personal problem, and police as a social resource, from the perspective of the people and not the state. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Advance Reviews
"Altogether, Chinese Policing: History and Reform is a major contribution to the field of comparative criminology as well as a unique analysis of the connections between Chinese culture and contemporary policing."
(Distinguished Professor DavidBayley, School of Criminal Justice, State University of New York, Albany)

"Kam C. Wong's book integrates the comparative knowledge of policing with a detailed and immensely erudite analysis of the police in China, in the past and now. Drawing on his (...) extensive and intimate knowledge of Chinese history, culture, philosophy, ideology, and recent economic, political and legal changes, he presents a masterful synthesis of the forces that have shaped the policing systems of China over time. His main argument is that existing descriptions of the Chinese police severely underestimate the complexity and variety of policing that is done in China, [and that Chinese] (...) policing systems (...) can only be understood and correctly interpreted through the lens of Chinese culture and ideology."
(Otwin Marenin, Department of Political Science and Criminal Justice, Washington State University)

"This detailed study of the history and evolution of policing in China lays the basis for comparative research, sheds light on the challenges and prospects of maintaining law and order in such a huge and rapidly developing country as China, and provides policy-makers important insights for a much needed, more effective, reform agenda."
(Randall Peerenboom, Professor of Law, La Trobe University; Associate Fellow, Oxford University Centre for Socio-Legal Studies)

"A unique window on the cultural and political foundations of contemporary Chinese policing [and] an important contribution to comparative criminology."
(Distinguished Professor Peter Grabosky, Australian National University)

"This book provides an important contribution to our understanding of historical and contemporary Chinese policing. Of particular interest is the author's theory of 'Police Power as a Social Resource' which, drawing upon Chinese theory and practice, challenges us to think beyond the conventional 'Anglo-American' (police-led) models of community policing which have dominated so much contemporary debate."
(Professor Les Johnston, University of Portsmouth, United Kingdom) ... Read more

Product Description
Due to its complex writing system, Chinese is one of the most difficult languages in the world. Full literacy of Chinese requires a working knowledge of three to four thousand Chinese characters and breaking into reading Chinese literature is a daunting task.

Capturing Chinese Short Stories from Lu Xun's Nahan is a comprehensive tool to help students of Chinese read Chinese literature in its original form. Footnotes highlight the more difficult vocabulary and pinyin is provided for the entire text. There is no need to constantly consult a dictionary or look up difficult characters by radical. Historical events, people and places are explained throughout and illustrations recreate the scenes.

Please note, the text used in this book is in simplified characters.

Free audio files of Lu Xun's Nahan are also included with the purchase of this book and are available for download from the publisher's website.The audio files include both a woman and male speaker. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Finally an interesting way to learn chinese
Capturing Chinese is a book that has finally filled a void that has existed for so long.As a native English speaker who has studied Chinese for a few years, both in china and the states, I have always found Chinese textbooks to be boring and monotonous.However, since I am not quite at the advanced level to read Chinese literature, I have been unable to read interesting text without constantly flipping through a Chinese-English dictionary.Capturing Chinese does the work for you!The footnotes save you time while adding to your Chinese vocabulary.The reader is able to study Chinese while reading fantastic literature.

nice advanced text, but could be better edited
At the advanced level I'm skeptical of holding on to pinyin as a crutch. And if the pinyin had to be included, why couldn't it have been on opposing pages rather than underneath the Chinese text paragraph by paragraph? (Where it is more distracting than helpful). I think this is a serious editing mistake and hopefully will be corrected if any future editions like this are to be published. That said, I am happy for the glossary because Lu Xun tends to use an abundance of colloquialisms, and he is too important a writer not to be able to pick up on his subleties. A nice advanced level text.

(Oh, and a side note to Amazon: In your description of books using Chinese text, please include in your description whether the text is traditional or simplified. I was going to buy another book by Lu Xun, but when I went to Powell's (fortunately I live in Portland) to check it out, I discovered that the characters were in traditional script and so, for me, essentially useless. If you don't know what this means, it's easy enough to find someone who does. And for any reader of Chinese, this information is essential.)

Yes, the text in this book is simplified.

Great Reading
Instead of reading literature in translation, it is better to read it in its original language."Capturing Chinese" is one of the best book for such for Chinese literature.The explanation of the vocab are very useful in helping me understand the story; while at the same time, reinforce my Chinese learning.I would recommend to anyone who is an immediate level Chinese learner and wants to have a deeper understanding of Chinese literature.

A big help
Nothing compares to reading a text in its original language.This book makes Lu Xun's Nahan truly accessible to students of the Chinese language.

Learn Chinese/Mandarin While Reading Stories by a Master
This book is very valuable for students (at intermediate/advanced level) learning the Chinese language.The book contains short stories from Lu Xun, one of the most influential writer in modern China, and considered by many as the father of modern Chinese literature.Lu Xun's stories are fascinating and poignant, many times reminiscent of Kafka.In this book, each story is printed in the original Chinese along with Mandarin pinyin (pronunciations) in separate paragraphs.The more difficult vocabulary is explained in footnotes.However, the footnotes provide more than just the meaning of the words - in many instances detailed and interesting historical and cultural explanations are given.Additionally, before each story, there is an enlightening introduction about the story, with discussions of the events of the time, which really put the stories in context.The illustrations throughout the book are really well-done - I think they very much capture the spirits of the stories.

I would recommend this book for anyone who wants to learn the Chinese language/culture, to learn to speak Mandarin, or even for someone who already knows Chinese and is looking to read or to revisit the fascinating stories by a great modern Chinese master. ... Read more

Product Description
This book is one of the bilingual series to help you enjoy contemporary Chinese literature and other writings in their authentic, unadulterated flavor and to understand the Chinese society, culture, history, and the contemporary life of the Chinese people as you learn the language and hone your reading skills.The bilingual Tales from Five Thousand Years of Chinese History (II) starts from the unification of China by Qin Shihuang, and culminates in the Yellow Turban Uprising during the last years of the Eastern Han Dynasty. ... Read more

Product Description
History of Chinese Daoism- Volume I employs a historical-descriptive method to trace the evolution of Chinese Daoism. This study assumes that Daoism as a religion is atavistic in the Chinese soil; it assimilated the myths and legends of ancient China and has continued to do so in its history. The relationship between Daoism and the state is also explored in depth. This study focuses on how Daoism functioned in the popular level of society, as well as in the elite level. In terms of history, this book begins with the founding of Daoism as a religion in the Han dynasty-second century, C.E. However, the bulk of the book deals with Daoist activities in the period of Political Disunion (371-581) when China was divided between North and South. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a collection of essays by one of the leading scholars of Chinese history, Patricia Buckley.In the essays she has selected for this fascinating volume, Professor Ebrey explores features of the Chinese family, gender and kinship systems as practices and ideas intimately connected to history and therefore subject to change over time.The essays cover topics ranging from dowries and the sale of women into forced concubinary, to the excesses of the imperial harem, excruciating pain of footbinding, and Confucian ideas of womanly virtue.
Patricia Ebrey places these sociological analyses of women within the family in an historical context, analysing the development of the wider kinship system.Her work provides an overview of the early modern period, with a specific focus on the Song period (920-1276), a time of marked social and cultural change, and considered to be the beginning of the modern period in Chinese history.
With its wide-ranging examination of issues relating to women and the family, this book will be essential reading to scholars of Chinese history and gender studies. ... Read more