The Spirit of the Chinese Character: Gifts from the Heart - Hardcover

Barbara Aria

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 081180142X ISBN 13: 9780811801423

Publisher: Chronicle Books, 1992

Synopsis

From the fluid strokes in the characters denoting "grace," "enlightenment," and "tranquility" to the complex meanings inherent in the words for "honor," "love," and "wisdom," the richness and depth of the Chinese language come alive in this compact, elegant volume of 40 beautifully rendered ideograms. Every character is accompanied by a simple chart showing its physical composition, stroke by stroke, as well as an informative text describing the myriad linguistic components from which its meaning is derived.

As a result, the reader can grasp each character's significance and connection to centuries of Chinese philosophy and, ultimately, gain an understanding of the language beyond a mere familiarity with linguistic symbols. Complete with two-color printed end-papers and a charming full-color bookmark, The Spirit of the Chinese Character makes a lovely gift or keepsake volume, sure to inspire a fascination with the complexity of an incomparably beautiful and evocative language.

About this title

About the Author:

Barbara Aria -- whose previous works include a companion book, The Nature of the Chinese Character -- is a native of England and now lives in New York City.

About this edition

• Publisher: Chronicle Books
• Publication date: 1992
• ISBN 10: 081180142X
• ISBN 13: 9780811801423
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 4
• Number of pages: 96