 Best Sellers | | Home China A to Z: Everything You Need to Know to Understand Chinese Customs and Culture | |
|  | |  | | | China A to Z: Everything You Need to Know to Understand Chinese Customs and Culture | | | | | SKU:
ACOMMP2_book_usedverygood_0452288878 | | In Stock | | Availability:
Usually ships in 1 business days | | Only 5 left in stock, order soon! | | | | | | A practical and accessible guide to an ancient but rapidly changing culture
Perfect for business and armchair travelers alike, China A to Z explains the customs, culture, and etiquette essential for any trip or for anyone wanting to understand this complex country. In one hundred brief, reader-friendly chapters, alphabetized by subject, China A to Z introduces a general audience to contemporary Chinese society, as well as its venerable history. Discover:
? Why Chinese names are written in reverse order
? What to bring when visiting a Chinese household
? What the current relationship is between Japan and China
? Why you should wrap gifts in red or pink paper, and never send white flowers
With the 2008 Summer Olympics being held in Beijing, thousands of Chinese adoptions occurring each year, and China becoming the fourth most popular international destination, the need for information about this complex country is greater than ever.
| | | |
List Price:
| $16.00 | |
Our Price:
| $12.00
& eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25.
| |
You Save:
| $4.00 (25%)
|
| | |
|
| | Product Details | | Author: | May-lee Chai | | Paperback: | 304 pages | | Publisher: | Plume | | Publication Date: | September 25, 2007 | | Language: | English | | ISBN: | 0452288878 | | Product Length: | 7.94 inches | | Product Width: | 5.4 inches | | Product Height: | 0.66 inches | | Product Weight: | 0.56 pounds | | Package Length: | 7.9 inches | | Package Width: | 5.3 inches | | Package Height: | 0.8 inches | | Package Weight: | 0.55 pounds | | Average Customer Rating: |  based on 10 reviews |
| |
| | Customer Reviews | Average Customer Review: ( 10 customer reviews )
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
22 of 24 found the following review helpful:
 China 101: A Complete Cultural Introduction for Travelers, Arm-Chair Travelers, or Beginning Sinologists Nov 21, 2007
By Peter Porcupine
China is changing fast. Opening up to the West, morphing into an economic power house; ever so many foreigners continue journeying to this exotic and extraordinary destination rich in history, unique cultures, and remarkable sites. Multitudes of guidebooks published about the country today emphasize logistical details, facts, and figures, giving little heed to the nitty-gritty of culture and customs ever-so-important in a traditional society.
Fortunately, May-Lee & Winberg Chai have produced a book acquainting readers with the intricate details of culture, customs, and etiquette that most travel books scantily touch. Listings from A to Z introduce readers to everything about China from current customs, contemporary and pop culture, to geography that outsiders are most likely unfamiliar with. Instructions on how to address people, the meaning of different colors used by the Chinese, attitudes toward bargaining, how to respectfully visit a Chinese home, how to avoid eating unbearable critters, proper chopstick etiquette, and the Chinese concept of "face" are all among the valued wisdom to be found in this book.
Though some of the topics' practicalities and significance are questionable: The "Gay & Lesbian Culture" chapter is double the size of "The Great Wall" section. Not to mention any section that recounts the country's complex history falls short- the "History" timeline is only incidents where the Chinese have been victims in the past and I unfortunately wasn`t able to locate the whole history of the communist party which includes murdering over 30 million people, though the character of Chiang Kai-shek is repeatedly scorned and the entire account of the Civil War is often prevaricated altogether.
Nevertheless, the overall aim of the book- to provide insightful, crucial knowledge for foreigners is accomplished quite effectively. The cultural "Do's & Don'ts" alone make this the perfect companion to any China travel guide.
11 of 12 found the following review helpful:
 my students in Chinese did not like the book Nov 27, 2010
By Marie Laure Deshazer
"mldeshazer2"
This is my experience as a Chinese teacher, I suggested this book to my students and most of them thought that it was simple minded book! Besides, the book is filled with preconceived ideas about Chinese-western ideas. My students were disappointed and did not learn a lot about Chinese culture . If you are a Chinese student you have other books on amazon dealing with Chinese culture and history. My students are learning Chinese and I did not want them to be imbue with preconceived ideas about China and the western world. For instance, when the writer describes Chinese medicine, you will read the anti western comments such as the whites who were doctors came to california and took all the jobs of the CHinese(first you needed to have a licence, and secondly if you know the history and the research about Daoism( the qi enery, ying and yang medicine, the jesuits in China, you will learn that it is not true and it is a preconceived idea to believe the Chinese traditional method was superior in that time, there were a lot of exchanges between China and the western medicines, the emperors were happy to receive the small pox vaccination and were fascinated about the western medicines as well as the jesuits) Anyway, I was very embarrassed to have suggested this book( Chinese culture from A to Z) to my students. As a teacher I would recommend these books, i read them and tested them with my students. These books are neutral and devoid of preconceived ideas :
The books that my students recommended are as follows:
Chinese Language and Culture by Weijia Huang and Qun Ao
Encountering the Chinese, 2nd Edition: A Guide for Americans
Chinese Business Etiquette: A Guide to Protocol, Manners, and Culture in the People's Republic of China (A Revised and Updated Edition of "Dealing with the Chinese")
Chinese Culture (DVD - Dec 1, 2006)
Gateway To Chinese Culture(Paperback)
na (Eyewitness Travel Guides)(Vinyl Bound)
when you are a writer you think of the readers who learn Chinese and do not want to read the communist mind or all hatred towards the westerners in this book. This the report of my bitter students who did not like the book, so I will not recommend this book to any Chinese students or people who want to learn tolerance and the wonderful culture about China. Learn the wonderful culture with neutral and open minded books.
8 of 10 found the following review helpful:
a simple-minded book Apr 26, 2010
By a reviewer
A simple-minded book written by Cantonese speakers who don't know how to pronounce things in proper Mandarin. The authors are also blatantly pro-communist and present only a most caricatured account of the civil war.
3 of 4 found the following review helpful:
Not bad! Jan 07, 2010
By William Seeburger
"...Bill"
A nice overview...gives you some very helpful hints about dealing with people and situations there.
Covers a lot of places, items and cultural differences, but as might be expected, not at all in depth but certainly a good starting point to guide you to what you would wish to know more about.
4 of 6 found the following review helpful:
A great quick & dirty intro to China Nov 10, 2008
By Tess
This book is a series of very short essays (1-3 pages) on all things Chinese. It was a wonderful introduction for us as we prepared for a short trip to Beijing. It touches on history, popular culture, social customs, even who are the popular movie stars. It is a quick and easy read, and I recommend it particularly for someone who wants to have a general context for further investigation on China - read this first!
See all 10 customer reviews on Amazon.com
| |
| |
| |  | |  |
|
Recently Viewed | You may also like ... |
