China Books - Page 4

Culture Shock! China: A Survival Guide to Customs and Etiquette

Angela Eagan, Rebecca Weiner

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Read BEFORE you make a single travel arrangement 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 4 people found this review helpful.

Cultureshock covers most if not all the content of about 3 other books I've read on traveling to china. Had I read this first I would have not made some of my initial mistakes in arranging travel.

Editorial Review:

With over three million copies in print, CultureShock! is a bestselling series of culture and etiquette guides covering countless destinations around the world. For anyone at risk of culture shock, whether a tourist or a longterm resident, CultureShock! provides a sympathetic and fun-filled crash course on the do's and don'ts in foreign cultures. Fully updated and sporting a fresh new look, the revised editions of these books enlighten and inform through such topics as language, food and entertaining, social customs, festivals, relationships, and business tips. CultureShock! books are packed with useful details on transportation, taxes, finances, accommodation, health, food and drink, clothes, shopping, festivals, and much, much more.

The Island of Seven Cities: Where the Chinese Settled When They Discovered America

Paul Chiasson

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 21 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

In 2003, Paul Chiasson climbed a mountain he never explored on the island where he grew up. Cape Breton, one of the oldest points of exploration in the Americas, is littered with remnants of old settlements. The road he found that day was unique. Consistently wide and formerly bordered with stone walls, the road had been a major undertaking. For the next two years, he surveyed the history of Europeans in North America, and came to a stunning conclusion: The ruins he came upon did not belong to the Portuguese, French, or English and pre-dated John Cabot's "discovery" of the island in 1497. With aerial and site photographs, maps, drawings and his expertise in the history of architecture, Chiasson pieces together clues to one of the world's great mysteries. The Island of Seven Cities reveals the existence of a large Chinese colony that thrived on Canadian shores well before the European Age of Discovery and unveils the first tangible proof that the Chinese were in the New World before Columbus.

Foreign Babes in Beijing: Behind the Scenes of a New China

Rachel DeWoskin

List Price: $24.95 By: W. W. Norton & Company Amazon Marketplace: 47 new & used starting at $1.06

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 33 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Don't waste your time with this book 1 out of 5 stars.
2 of 5 people found this review helpful.

I spent many years in China. Trust me, the writer of this book was more or less COMPLETELY unknown there. Idiotically, I still read some of this book.

It's just a self-promoting waste of time and it feeds a million-and-one stereotypes.

Editorial Review:

Hoping To Improve Her Chinese and broaden her cultural horizons, Rachel DeWoskin went to work for an American PR firm in China. Before she knew it, she was not just exploring but making Chinese culture--as the sexy, aggressive, fearless Jexi, star of a wildly successful soap opera. A sort of Chinese counterpart to "Sex in the City" revolving around Chinese-Western culture clashes, the show was called "Foreign Babes in Beijing." Living the clashes in real life while playing out a parallel version onscreen, Rachel forms a group of friends with whom she witnesses the vast changes sweeping through China as the country pursues the new maxim that "to get rich is glorious." In only a few years, billboards, stylish bars and discos, international restaurants, fashion shows, divorce, foreign visitors, and cross-cultural love affairs transform the face of China's capital. Foreign Babes in Beijing is as astute and informative as it is witty, moving, and entertaining.

Dersu the Trapper (Recovered Classics) (Recovered Classics)

V. K. Arseniev

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Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Vladimir Klavdievich Arseniev (1872-1930) undertook twelve major scientific expeditions between 1902 and 1930 in the Siberian Far East, and authored some sixty works from the geographical, geological, botanical, and ethnographic data he amassed. Among these, Dersu the Trapper has earned a privileged place in Russian literature. In this Russian counterpart to The Journals of Lewis and Clark and the novels of James Fenimore Cooper, Arseniev combines the precise observations of a naturalist with an exciting narrative of real-life adventure.

Arseniev describes three explorations in the Ussurian taiga along the Sea of Japan above Vladivostok, beginning with his first encounter of the solitary aboriginal hunter named Dersu, a member of the Gold tribe, who thereafter becomes his guide. Each expedition is beset with hardship and danger: through blizzard and flood and assorted deprivations, these two men forge an exceptional friendship in their mutual respect for the immense grandeur of the wilderness. But the bridges across language, race and culture also have limitations, and the incursion of civilization exacts its toll. Dersu the Trapper is at once a witnessing of Russia's last frontier and a poignant memoir of rare cross-cultural understanding. Originally published in 1941, this English translation is reprinted in its entirety now for the first time. The hardcover editions is jacketed in a mylar wrap.

Zheng He: China and the Oceans in the Early Ming Dynasty, 1405-1433 (Library of World Biography Series)

Edward L. Dreyer

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Best study of the "Treasure Fleet" voyages by a wide margin 5 out of 5 stars.
33 of 35 people found this review helpful.

The table of contents, which I've reproduced at the end of this, gives a good idea of the book's coverage and organization. Dreyer is a professor of history at the University of Miami, where he teaches Asian history, Chinese history, and military history. His previous publications include studies of early Ming political history (based on his 1971 Harvard dissertation) and China's experience of war in the first half of the 20th century.

The author surveys the secondary literature and draws upon some earlier reconstructions which he finds credible and consistent, particularly in the matter of the voyages' itineraries. However, he relies on the primary sources (and a smattering of archeological evidence) in every respect. Indeed, at the end of the book he provides his own critical translations of the key primary sources.

He works through the background and issues in a methodical manner, carefully evaluating the evidence in light of his extensive knowledge of early Ming history. Naturally this does not make exciting beach reading, but Dreyer does a good job of making the exposition clear and straightforward. The glossary provides brief entries for all of the places and people mentioned, in the event one loses track.

The only lapses I could see seem to be in his knowledge of European history, where he repeats a few obsolete views: "[W]hat drew the Western powers into the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia in the first place was the wealth they could gain by controlling the seaborne trade of the region." (p. 8) "[B]roadside firing and line ahead tactics ... only began in European waters almost two centuries after Zheng He." (p. 56) These are minor issues of degree that do not materially affect the value of the book.

One very welcome surprise is Dreyer's judicious and well-informed evaluation of the design of the ships of the Treasure Fleets.

Dreyer does not address the speculations and assertions of Gavin Menzies regarding far-flung voyaging, except to remark dryly on pages 29-30 that they rest on an assumption that exploration was a major purpose of the voyages (an assumption Dreyer demolishes quite thoroughly) and on pages 182-3 that it is very unlikely that the ships could have gotten far along Menzies' track before coming to grief. Surely the Chinese, with their nautical knowledge and skills, would have gone about exploration in a very different manner, had they had the intent.

Throughout, the author is skeptical in the best sense, carefully examining and weighing the evidence on each point, unswayed by preconceptions. This leads him to many conclusions that diverge from those of previous authors, always convincingly. Unless and until new evidence appears (possibly from marine archeology) this is likely to remain the definitive treatment of this interesting and revealing facet of Chinese history.

One of the best services Dreyer performs is to cut through the layers of projection and romance that have been overlaid on these voyages in respect of their purpose, conduct, and consequences. He insists, with strong documentary support, that the purpose was "to enforce outward compliance with the forms of the Chinese tributary system by the show of an overwhelming armed force" [p. 163, and passim] as a means of bolstering the Yongle emperor's political position and perhaps self-esteem. Dreyer scotches the notion that these were voyages of discovery or exploration in the European sense, adventurous though they were in their own terms. He makes clear their astronomical expense and how they contributed to economic pressures on the empire, and stresses that there were very real practical reasons (in addition to the undoubted cultural and political ones) for the opposition to them expressed by many senior scholar-bureaucrats. And he shows that far from being peaceful and amicable diplomatic missions they involved heavy measures of coercive force. It certainly lay within China's power to have constructed an Asian maritime empire much as the Europeans later did, but not within China's powers of conception. It equally was open to the Chinese to have gone exploring at least as widely was the Europeans were to, but that also was unthinkable in Beijing. And no one in China could do such things without imperial command.

The book is modestly but well produced, with good binding and stock. There is one overall map, a diagram showing Dreyer's concept of the design of a "treasure ship," and a few relevant illustrations. Oddly the house style seems to eschew source notes, but it is usually possible to identify sources in the general notes at the back of the book. Overall, the publishers deserve thanks for a valuable and high-quality monograph issued at a reasonable price.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. The Enigma of Zheng He.

The Chinese Tributary System and the Purpose of Zheng He's Voyages.

Traditional Chinese Interpretations of Zheng He's Career.

Zheng He's Voyages and Western Imperial Expansion.

Zheng He's Voyages and the Course of Chinese History.

Historical Problems in the Interpretation of Zheng He's Career.

II. Zheng He's Early Life and His Patron Emperor Yongle.

The Fall of the Yuan and the Rise of Zhu Yuanzhang to 1368.

The Reign of Emperor Hongwu, 1368-1398.

Civil War, 1398-1402.

Yongle's Reign as Emperor, 1402-1424.

III. China and the Asian Maritime World in the Time of Zheng He.

The Purpose of Zheng He's Voyages.

Patterns of Trade in the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea.

The Malay-Indonesian World in the Hongwu Era.

Southern India and Ceylon in the Time of Zheng He.

IV. Sailing to India: Zheng He's First, Second and Third Voyages.

The First Voyage, 1405-1407.

The Second Voyage, 1407-1409.

The Third Voyage, 1409-1411.

V. Sailing to Africa: Zheng He's Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Voyages.

The Fourth Voyage, 1412/14-1415.

The Fifth Voyage, 1417-1419.

The Sixth Voyage, 1421-1422.

The Last Years of the Yongle Reign, 1422-1424.

VI. The Ships and Men of Zheng He's Fleets.

Dimensions and Displacements of the Treasure Ships.

Masts and Sails.

Shipbuilding Notices in the Taizong Shilu.

Shipbuilding Costs.

Numbers of Ships in Each of the Voyages.

Personnel.

VII. Zheng He's Career after 1424 and His Final Voyage.

Ming China in the Hongxi (1424-25) and Xuande (1425-35) Reigns.

Zheng He's Career from 1424 to 1430.

Zheng He's Inscriptions at Liujiagang and Changle.

Zheng He's Seventh and Final Voyage, 1431-1433.

VIII. The Legacy of Zheng He.

Appendix. Translations of Primary Sources.

Zheng He's Biography in Mingshi 304.2b-4b.

Zheng He's 1431 Inscriptions.

Glossary.

Note on Sources.

Index.

Editorial Review:

This new biography, part of Longman's World Biography series, of the Chinese explorer Zheng He sheds new light on one of the most important “what if” questions of early modern history: why a technically advanced China did not follow the same path of development as the major European powers. 

 

Written by China scholar Edward L. Dreyer, Zheng He outlines what is known of the eunuch Zheng He’s life and describes and analyzes the early 15^th century voyages on the basis of the Chinese evidence.  Locating the voyages  firmly within the context of early Ming history,itaddresses the political motives of Zheng He’s voyages and how they affected China’s exclusive attitude to the outside world in subsequent centuries.

Mandarin: Lonely Planet Phrasebook

Anthony Garnaut, Lonely Planet Phrasebooks

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 31 Average rating: 2.0 of 5

Um, it totally uses pinyin 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I have no idea what most of these reviewers are talking about. This phrasebook absolutely uses pinyin (although it's possible that previous editions did not). This book was without question the most useful thing I had when I lived in China (for six months). Not only does it have excellent sections on grammar, etiquette, and non-verbal communication (which really you will use a lot more than anything else), but it covers basically everything you will need to survive in China. It also has every phrase written in pinyin, for you, and Chinese so if you fail to pronounce it correctly anyway you can always show the book to the person you are trying to talk to. That feature can be used even if you go to Hong Kong or somewhere else where they speak a dialect other than Mandarin.

Editorial Review:

Be a part of the world's most widely spoken language with this essential language tool for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Includes Pinyin phonetic system to help travelers translate Chinese characters into English, pronunciation guide, extensive two-way dictionary, user-friendly sentence builder, and cultural tips.

Frommer's Hong Kong (Frommer's Complete)

Beth Reiber

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 11 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Defending this guide and a call to be nice 4 out of 5 stars.
3 of 4 people found this review helpful.

One of the reviews below declares that the author of the Frommer's guide to Hong Kong should burn in a hell for guidebook writers. I don't find this funny. In fact, I find this to be a pretty mean thing to say, and I doubt the author of that review would say such a thing to Ms. Reiber in person. The author of that review should be ashamed of himself, and apologize here in a follow-up to his original review.

I am very familiar with the guidebook scene to Hong Kong, though I've never met Ms. Reiber, and I happen to think that her guide is one of the better ones out there. Her book has an honest and thoughtful tone; it also offers some of the more astute observations about Hong Kong to be found in the current crop of guidebooks. If there is a weakness to her guidebook, it is that it does not cover the more far-flung regions of Hong Kong--Tap Mun, Tai Mo Shan, and so on. But in a way this omission reflects well on Reiber and her book. Most guides to Hong Kong cover places like Tap Mun or Tung Lung Chau, but they provide such sketchy information that I doubt the author ever went there. Of course, authors never admit this. Reiber, on the other hand, has the integrity to only include in her guidebooks the places in Hong Kong that she has actually visited. In any case, Reiber's book covers all the locations that 99% of all visitors to Hong Kong go to. If you are that 1% of travelers who want to hike in the more remote areas of the New Territories or explore some of the more hard to get to islands, this is not the book for you. Otherwise, I can certainly recommend this guide.

Editorial Review:

Frommer's. The best trips start here.

Experience a place the way the locals do. Enjoy the best it has to offer.
* Including excursions to the New Territories, the most accessible outlying islands, and Macau.
* Outspoken opinions on what's worth your time and what's not.
* Exact prices, so you can plan the perfect trip whatever your budget.
* Off-the-beaten-path experiences and undiscovered gems, plus new takes on top attractions.

Find great deals and book your trip at Frommers.com

Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guides: Hong Kong (Eyewitness Travel Top 10)

DK Publishing

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Bad attitude ruins the book 3 out of 5 stars.
7 of 12 people found this review helpful.

This book would have gotten 4 or 4.5 stars, if not for the negative attitude that the writers display when writing about Hong Kong's various attractions. "Act impressed"? Gee, thanks for that advice. How Lonely Planet. It's a nice book, unfortunately ruined by the tone, which sounds like it was written by a bunch of bored expats who mainly sit around in bars and binge drink. If you want to buy this, then be prepared for the bad vibes this book gives off, and please do not let it ruin a wonderful experience in Hong Kong.

Editorial Review:

A better value than all the competition, these pocket travel guides offer travelers the insight of local experts to easily plan the perfect trip.

Take the work out of planning any trip with DK's Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guides. Branded with DK's trusted and familiar "Eyewitness" style, these compact guides make finding the best every destination has to offer easier than ever before! Perfect for business travel and vacation, searching for the finest cuisine or the least expensive places to eat, the most luxurious hotels or the best deals on places to stay, the best family destination or the hottest nightspot, Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guides provide current, useful information based on the insight of local experts to find the best of everything that each destination has to offer.

Moon Handbooks: South Korea (2nd Ed.)

Robert Nilsen

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 35 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Moon Handbooks South Korea 3 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I bought this book before a one-week trip to the university of Pohang, Korea. I was hoping to find an introduction to the country and its culture, and also some information about sightseeing in Seoul and near Pohang.

I found the background information about South Korea a bit lacking. The book begins with a historic overview of Korea and South Korea, which is probably the traditional way of beginning a travel guide, but which is not the most interesting part. There are small pieces of information about South Korean culture here, but this doesn't always agree with what I observe on the roads (e.g. about clothing -- the book sounded as if Korea was very conservative, but people dress almost in Western style), and is also incomplete (e.g. no information about whether and when and what kind of tips to give).

There is no large map of Korea describing which cities are described in what part of the book, so I had to look through all chapters to find Pohang on the maps which begin each chapter.

I didn't find the book very useful. Browsing the web, looking e.g. at the CIA facts and Wikipedia entry about Korea, was almost as informative as this book.

Editorial Review:

A second revised edition of the guide to the paradoxically ancient and modern country of South Korea. Providing historical and cultural background information, accommodation, restaurant and attractions information and maps along with a phrase-book with pronunciation charts and Han'gul renderings of place names.

Silk Road: Monks, Warriors & Merchants

Luce Boulnois

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Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

how silk came west 5 out of 5 stars.
33 of 33 people found this review helpful.

This book is a fantastic cultural adventure and should be read by anyone interested in cross-cultural relationships. More than a topographical description of the silk road, it is a gallop though history explaining paths taken by silk to get to Europe. It starts in prehistoric china and ends with the Karakorum highway, synthetizing in twenty chapters the reasons for the often difficult diffusion of luxury products from the Far East. The author, that evidently knows well chinese history and mentality, takes us by hand into the ancient cinese political issues as to foreign commerce, the fundamental role played by Iranians, byzantines and arabs during the Middle Ages up to the wary reciprocal opening of European and Cinese worlds due to brave and curious travelers. So we meet princesses, monks and merchants and get to know their fascinanting stories. One point of force of the book is the meticulous and modern analysis of these travel tales, so we have a critical perspective of what has come down in history and makes up our cultural background. Marco Polo get's revisited and also less well known ancient and modern travelers are cited.
Boulnois loves silk (her detailed description of materials of the old world and how they were made is enlightening)and its history, so she brings us to her country, France, and to the evolution of the silk industry in the XIX and XX century. And this somehow closes the circle of the story of this precious tissue that reached its apogeum in the last century.
The book however is much more than this and carries a great amount of information. It could be described actually as a textbook on the history of silk. It is well written even if not too easy to read, and sometimes it is a little repetitive.
I enjoyed it very much and feel enriched by its reading.

Editorial Review:

The Silk Road conjures up images of romance and mystery. This illustrated history of the trade connections that linked the Mediterranean world with China is a must for those interested in the Silk Road as a travel destination and for those who love adventure.