Essential passages from a classic Chinese history, organized topically, introduced, and annotatedZuo Tradition, China’s first great work of history, was completed by about 300 BCE and recounts events during a period of disunity from 722 to 468 BCE. The text, which plays a foundational role in Chinese culture, has been newly translated into English by Stephen Durrant, Wai-yee Li, and David Schaberg in an unabridged, bilingual, three-volume set.This ...

Sima Qian (first century BCE), the author of Record of the Historian (Shiji), is China’s earliest and best-known historian, and his “Letter to Ren An” is the most famous letter in Chinese history. In the letter, Sima Qian explains his decision to finish his life’s work, the first comprehensive history of China, instead of honorably committing suicide following his castration for “deceiving the emperor.” In the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, some scholars have queried the au...

What makes a good Chinese name and how does the name shape destinies and character? How do you ensure that the name is meaningful, elegant and auspicious at the same time?This book provides all the knowledge you need for devising a good Chinese name for your child.This book covers:- Creative Methods For Naming: Number of Strokes Theory, Chinese Horoscope, The Five Elements, The Eight Characters Theory, The Chinese Zodiac Theory, Chinese Idioms, Chinese Symbols and ma...

Two master strategists delve into the essential priciples of Sun Tzu's The Art of War, revealing what they teach us about leadership, success, and moreComposed by two prominent statesmen-generals of classical China, this book develops the strategies of Sun Tzu's classic, The Art of War, into a complete handbook of organization and leadership. The great leaders of ancient China who were trained in Sun Tzu's principles understood how war is waged su...

This is one of the most diverse yet accessible collections of Chinese strategies yet assembled. Brief in form, yet endless in wisdom, these fundamental rules of military engagement are easily adapted to the modern office, sports team, or everyday task.Taken from sources ranging from Lao Zi to Miyamoto Musashi, Stefan H. Verstappen has assembled a fascinating and impressive selection of historical and anecdotal evidence in support of this classic doctrine of strategy and one of the ...

Here is an introduction to the magical and mystical realm of Taoism through biographical and historical sketches of Taoist adepts over two thousand years. This panoramic view of the many faces of Taoism and its intimate connection with Chinese culture and society includes intriguing accounts of the Taoist secret societies that carried out mystical exercises and powerful consciousness-altering techniques, including sensory deprivation, incantation, visualization, and concentration.T...

In this poignant memoir the New York Times bestselling author of Falling Leaves, Adeline Yen Mah, provides a fascinating window into the history and cultural soul of China. Combining personal reflections, rich historical insights, and proverbs handed down to her by her grandfather, Yen Mah shares the wealth of Chinese civilization with Western readers. Exploring the history behind the proverbs, she delves into the lives of the first and second emperors and the two rebel w...

'The following year Qin unified all under Heaven and the title of August Emperor was immediately adopted.' The short-lived Qin dynasty unified China in 221 BC and created an imperial legacy that lasted until 1911. The extraordinary story of the First Emperor, founder of the dynasty, is told in the Historical Records of Sima Qian, the Grand Historiographer and the most famous Chinese historian. He describes the Emperor's birth and the assassination attempt on his l...

A new, definitive translation of thequintessential Korean classic: the Robin Hood story of a magical boy who joins a group of robber bandits and becomes a king*Selected as a Best Book of the Year by NPR and The Washington Post*The Story of Hong Gildong is arguably the single most important work of classic Korean fiction. A fantastic story of adventure, it has been adapted into countless movies, television shows, novels, and comics...

Compiled during the Warring States period of 475-221 B.C.E., The Art of War has had an enormous impact on the development of Chinese military strategy over the past two thousand years and occupies an important place in East Asian intellectual history. It is the first known attempt to formulate a rational basis for the planning and conduct of military operations, and while numerous editions of the work exist, Victor Mair's translation is the first to remain true to the original str...

Trenchant, sophisticated, and cynical, Han Feizi has been read in every age and is still of interest today when people are more than ever concerned with the nature and use of power. Han Feizi (280?-233 B.C.), a prince of Han, was a representative of the Fa-chia, or Legalist, school of philosophy and produced the final and most readable exposition of its theories. His handbook for the ruler deals with the problems of strengthening and preserving the state, the way of the ruler, the use of p...

In the global world of the twenty-first century, martial arts are practised for self-defense and sporting purposes only. However, for thousands of years, they were a central feature of military practice in China and essential for the smooth functioning of society. This book, which opens with an intriguing account of the very first female martial artist, charts the history of combat and fighting techniques in China from the Bronze Age to the present. This broad panorama affords fascinating ...