Importance of Understanding

by Lin Yutang

Hardcover book.

Genres: Philosophy

494 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1960

About the author

Prolific writer of a wide variety of works in Chinese 林语堂 and English; in the 1930s he founded several Chinese magazines specializing in social satire and Western-style journalism.

Lin, the son of a Chinese Presbyterian minister, was educated for the ministry but renounced Christianity in his early 20s and became a professor of English. He traveled to the United States and Europe for advanced study; on his return to China, he taught, edited several English-language journals, and contributed essays to Chinese literary magazines.

In 1932 Lin established the Lunyu banyuekan (“Analects Fortnightly”), a type of Western-style satirical magazine totally new to China at that time. It was highly successful, and he soon introduced two more publications. In 1935 Lin published the first of his many English-language books, My Country and My People. It was widely translated and for years was regarded as a standard text on China. The following year he moved to New York City to meet the popular demand for his historical accounts and novels. In 1939 he published his renowned English novel Moment in Peking. The Wisdom of China and India appeared in 1942.

Although he returned to China briefly in 1943 and again in 1954, Lin both times became involved in disputes stemming from his stand in favour of literature as self-expression rather than as propaganda and social education. In addition to writing books on Chinese history and philosophy, he made highly acclaimed English translations of Chinese literary masterpieces, such as Famous Chinese Short Stories Retold (1952).

Reviews

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

A resource. These are Lin Yutang's fables, proverbs, analects, maxims, epigrams, notes on courtesy, manners, style, and learning. "You cannot do a thing without four persons knowing. Heaven knows, earth knows, you know, and I know." There are also excerpts and cuttings from the wisdom literatures, all translated by Lin Yutang.

[Angelo Montinovo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Selezione abbastanza caotica, tuttavia nasconde delle perle niente male. Forse la parte più interessante è l’introduzione ad ogni singolo letterato. Vale comunque la pena leggerlo se interessato alla letteratura cinese.

[Sue Dounim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Years ago I read "The Importance of Living" and one or two other of his books; I still have two of them in my library. They are hardbacks but terribly cheaply printed.
I think you can get a sense for how Lin Yutang was regarded 60 and more years ago: my "Importance of Living" is a 37th printing hardcover and not even his most famous book.
These are books that seem to be ageless: they mean as much to me know in my 70s as they did in my 20s and all the decades in between.

[Buddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The definiton of "delightful".

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

a nice book for the likes of me, its better than a 3 but honestly in my world not a 4. wow

[Sara Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, along with the importance of living, helped me survive my teenage years. No mean feat!