Portland Public Library

From moon cakes to Mao to modern China, an introduction to Chinese civilization, Zhu Fayuan, Wu Qixing, Xia Hanning, and Gao Han

eng

illustrations

index present

non fiction

From moon cakes to Mao to modern China

844728882

Zhu Fayuan, Wu Qixing, Xia Hanning, and Gao Han

an introduction to Chinese civilization

"To understand China, we need to step into the palace of her culture and explore her rich history. With this in mind, a group of scholars from China and America have put this book together as a primer on all things China, from art and science to religion and society. They attempt to offer a panoramic view of the totality of Chinese culture, using only the most representative material, to introduce to the West the most typical aspects of Chinese civilization and life."--Jacket

The origins of Chinese characters -- Chinese writing and Chinese language -- Chinese characters and calligraphy -- Using consistent character and roadway gauges -- Four treasures of the study -- The dialects -- Names -- Greeting styles -- Kinship appellation -- Chinese zodiac -- The traditional calendar- the agricultural calendar -- The twenty-four solar terms -- The spring festival -- The pure brightness day -- The dragon boat festival -- The mid-autumn festival -- The double yang festival -- The emperors Yan and Huang -- Da Yu controls the water -- Pangu creates the universe -- The Goddess Nuwa makes human beings -- Hou Yi shoots the suns -- The cowherd and the weaving maid -- Meng Jiangnu weeps down the great wall -- Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai -- The legend of the white snake -- The legend of Mu-lan -- The dragon -- The vicissitudes of the dynasties -- Minority ethnic groups -- Family ideology -- Marriage customs -- The four great inventions. Papermaking -- Printing technology -- Gunpowder -- Compass -- The abacus and calculation -- Post roads and relay stations -- The sedan chair -- Horse and carriage -- Yellow River culture -- The silk road -- The great wall -- The terracotta warriors -- The five sacred mountains -- Lakes -- Lao Tzu -- Chuang Tzu -- Confucius -- Mencius -- Mo Tzu -- Sun Tzu -- Han Fei Tzu -- The book of songs -- Poetry of the south -- Han Fu -- Han Yue Fu -- The records of the grand historian -- The book of Han -- the Yangtze River -- Tea -- Wine -- Food -- Han attire -- The story of the fan -- Folk arts and crafts -- Capital cities -- Palace architecture -- Temple architecture -- Money -- Medicine -- Chess -- Martial arts -- Folk theater -- Painting -- The great books -- Prose -- Tang poetry -- Song dynasty poetry -- Opera and theater -- The novel -- Gardens -- Residences -- Burial rites -- Go -- Primitive religion: the exorcising dance -- Beijing opera -- Kunqu opera -- Yu Opera -- Huangmei opera -- Yue opera -- The art of Dunhuang -- Jingdezhen porcelain -- Schooling -- The Imperial examination culture -- Collecting and archiving books and documents -- Confucianism -- Taoism -- Metaphysics -- Buddhism -- A dream of red mansions -- Water margin -- The romance of the three kingdoms -- Journey to the west -- The new culture movement -- Hu Shi -- Lu Xun -- Guo Moruo -- Mao Dun -- Ba Jin -- Lao She -- Cao Yu