Collins Chinese Language and Culture

by HarperCollins

The language and culture of China: over 3,000 years of history, more than a billion inhabitants, and a country that stretches from the tundra to the tropics. Surely it would take years of study to even scratch the surface of this subject. Wrong!

Collins Chinese Language and Culture is a sharp and informative introduction to the complex subject of China’s language, history, culture and customs. You’ll learn essential phrases, discover the origins of the Chinese writing system, and find out what constitutes a beautiful name in China. Alongside chapters on modern China’s historical roots or the importance of certain numbers in Chinese culture, there are lessons about Chinese etiquette, how to haggle your way down a street market, and what to do in a restaurant.

So whether as an accompaniment to studies or as a stand-alone guide, Collins Chinese Language and Culture gives you access to the life and language of this ancient empire and modern superpower in the making.

256 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 5, 2012

About the author

HarperCollins Publishers LLC is one of the Big Five English-language publishing companies. Founded 1989.

Reviews

[˚⊱ Avi ⊰˚ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly, this was a great little read! It goes over a lot of information that I would've never thought to research or things that I haven't been able to come across before, though I know I'm only starting out. It has snippets of the different aspects of the Chinese culture, mostly focusing on language, but also covering history, festivals, food, and etiquette. Even though it's almost 10 years old by the time I read it and it doesn't go into vast details in all subjects, I think it's still a worth while read. It's a great jumping off point for more research!

I think the following quote from the afterword summarizes it best, "The content covered in this modest little book offers only the briefest glimpses into China's vast cultural legacy."

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I recommend it to anyone who is interested in the Chinese language, history, and/or culture!

[Vitalik Gusev · Rating 3 out of 5]

Took a glimpse at Chinese culture and language. Pretty useful book to get a basic understanding of Chinese traditions and Chinese way of thinking. Although, book did not age well as time passes and China is rapidly stepping into the future. Chinese are living their lives in the digital world nowadays and traditions changing along the digitalisation are not covered in this book. As well as some of the described cultural traits being either followed by the older people only or completely regional