Contents Briefing

The book "A Reader of Chinese civilization" is divided into thirteen chapters, i.e. Belief and Philosophy, Society and Strata, Metropolis and Architecture, Water Conservancy and Communications, Literature and Art, Academic Study and Education, Science, Technology and Craftsmanship, Medicine and Health-Preservation, Cooking and Diet, Utensils and Playthings, War-craft and Weapons, Territory and Natural Resources, Etiquettes and Folk Customs. Each chapter consists of several theme-based articles, giving full introduction to traditional Chinese civilization. The author of each article is a research expert on the related theme, including the first-rate scholars in China. The writing of the whole book is popular and intelligible, with linguistic description for ordinary readers. However, materials chosen are meticulous while argumentation is full. It is really a precious book introducing ABC of classic Chinese culture. Meanwhile, a number of quality pictures are attached to it. In other words, the cream of Chinese civilization is presented in the form of pictures and words.

Publisher Profile

Established in 1989, Yilin Press is a subsidiary company of Phoenix Publishing and Media Group,the largest and most powerful publishing group in China. An award-winning translation publisher in China, Yilin Press publishes over 800 titles every year, with the annual sales over 400 million RMB. Yilin Press has established an international reputation for its commitment to serving the general public, its editorial expertise, and dedication to the translation and publishing of world culture and...    more about

Author Profile

As professor and Ph.D. tutor of the Research Institute of Comparative Literature and Comparative Culture of Beijing University, he teaches and instructs "Comparative Aesthetics" and "International Sinology", with such works published as "The Study of Ugliness in the West" (1986), "Ukiyoe" (1996) and "Selected Works of Liu Dong" (1997), as well as a number of translated works published. In succession, he taught at such American institutions of higher learning as Elmer's Institute, Harvard-Yenching Society, State University of Connecticut, Stanford University and University of Heidelberg in Germany as a researcher or a guest professor. In addition, he works as the chief-editor of "Chinese Study Abroad" (Jiangsu People's Publishing House), the chief-editor of "Humanity and Society" concerning translated books (Yilin Publishing House), the chief-editor of "Academic Study in China" as a quarterly (Commercial Press) and the editor of over ten kinds of Chinese and foreign periodicals, while presiding over "Forum of Academic Study in China" of National Library.