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In this brisk and accessible history, sinologist Thomas O. Hollmann
explains the development of the Chinese writing system and its
importance in literature, religion, art, and other aspects of
culture. Spanning the earliest epigraphs and oracle bones to
writing and texting on computers and mobile phones today, Chinese
Script is a wide-ranging and versatile introduction to the
complexity and beauty of written text and calligraphy in the
Chinese world. Hollmann delves into the origins of Chinese script
and its social and political meanings across millennia of history.
He recounts the social history of the writing system; written and
printed texts; and the use of writing materials such as paper,
silk, ink, brush, and printing techniques. The book sheds light on
the changing role of literacy and education; the politics of
orthographic reform; and the relationship of Chinese writing to
non-Han Chinese languages and cultures. Hollmann explains the
inherent complexity of Chinese script, demonstrating why written
Chinese expresses meaning differently than oral language and the
subtleties of the relationship between spoken word and written
text. He explores calligraphy as an art, the early letter press,
and other ways of visually representing Chinese languages. Chinese
Script also provides handy illustrations of the concepts discussed,
showing how ideographs function and ways to decipher them visually.
In this brisk and accessible history, sinologist Thomas O. Hollmann
explains the development of the Chinese writing system and its
importance in literature, religion, art, and other aspects of
culture. Spanning the earliest epigraphs and oracle bones to
writing and texting on computers and mobile phones today, Chinese
Script is a wide-ranging and versatile introduction to the
complexity and beauty of written text and calligraphy in the
Chinese world. Hollmann delves into the origins of Chinese script
and its social and political meanings across millennia of history.
He recounts the social history of the writing system; written and
printed texts; and the use of writing materials such as paper,
silk, ink, brush, and printing techniques. The book sheds light on
the changing role of literacy and education; the politics of
orthographic reform; and the relationship of Chinese writing to
non-Han Chinese languages and cultures. Hollmann explains the
inherent complexity of Chinese script, demonstrating why written
Chinese expresses meaning differently than oral language and the
subtleties of the relationship between spoken word and written
text. He explores calligraphy as an art, the early letter press,
and other ways of visually representing Chinese languages. Chinese
Script also provides handy illustrations of the concepts discussed,
showing how ideographs function and ways to decipher them visually.
Renowned sinologist Thomas O. H?llmann tracks the growth of food
culture in China from its earliest burial rituals to today's
Western fast food restaurants, mapping Chinese cuisine's
geographical variations and local customs, indigenous factors and
foreign influences, trade routes, and ethnic associations. H?llmann
details the food practices of major Chinese religions and the
significance of eating and drinking in rites of passage and popular
culture. He enriches his narrative with thirty of his favorite
recipes and a selection of photographs, posters, paintings,
sketches, and images of clay figurines and other objects excavated
from tombs.
H?llmann's award-winning history revisits the invention of
noodles, the role of butchers and cooks in Chinese politics,
debates over the origin of grape wines, and the causes of
modern-day food contamination. He discusses local crop production,
the use of herbs and spices, the relationship between Chinese food
and economics, the influence of Chinese philosophy, and traditional
dietary concepts and superstitions. Citing original Chinese
sources, H?llmann uncovers fascinating aspects of daily Chinese
life, constructing a multifaceted compendium that inspires a rich
appreciation of Chinese arts and culture.
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