Professor of Chinese at the University of Cambridge,

Chinese sketches presents an exploration of cultural observations shaped by years spent within a society often misrepresented by outside perspectives. Drawing from portions of the text, the summary highlights how the work challenges simplified foreign assumptions by offering a more balanced understanding of customs, daily practices, and social structures. Central ideas emphasize how rituals surrounding leadership, public expressions of grief, and ceremonial traditions reflect deeper values...

Herbert Giles was in the diplomatic service in China from 1867 to 1893. His frank observations on Chinese culture and people form the basis of these short essays, published in 1876. On his retirement, he returned to England and served as the Chair of Chinese at Cambridge for 35 years.

China and the Manchus by Herbert A. Giles was first published as part of the Cambridge Manuals of Science and Literature series. The volume presents a historical account of the Manchu people and the Qing Dynasty.

"Confucianism and Its Rivals" by Herbert A. Giles offers a comprehensive exploration of the rich tapestry of Chinese religions, spanning the dominance of Confucianism and Taoism to the historical role of Northern Buddhism. As China's state religion, Confucianism evolved, shedding metaphysical aspects to become the dominant spiritual force until the 20th century. Giles, a seasoned British diplomat and renowned sinologist, provides a detailed historical account of Chinese religion, originall...

China and the Manchus presents a concise historical study of the rise of the Manchu people and their eventual transformation into a ruling power that reshaped China. The narrative traces their development from early tribal communities into a force capable of challenging and overturning established dynasties, emphasizing how shifting alliances, territorial struggles, and expanding influence contributed to their ascent. The work begins with an account of the Nu-chens and their conflicts with...

Immerse yourself in the enchanting world of Chinese poetry with Herbert Allen Giles's masterful translation, "Chinese Poetry in English Verse." This comprehensive collection presents a captivating array of poems spanning centuries, from the ancient classics to the lyrical masterpieces of the Tang dynasty. Giles's meticulous attention to detail and poetic sensibility bring these timeless works to life, allowing English-speaking readers to experience the beauty and depth of Chinese literatur...

The aim of this work is to suggest a rough outline of Chinese civilization from the earliest times down to the present period of rapid and startling transition.It has been written, primarily, for readers who know little or nothing of China, in the hope that it may succeed in alluring them to a wider and more methodical survey.

Confucianism and Its Rivalsby Herbert A. Giles"China is home to two major world religions, Confiucianism and Taoism, and also played an important role in the historical development of a third, Northern Buddhism. Eventually, Confucianism became the state religion, and, purged of metaphysical aspects, the dominant Chinese religion until the 20th century. Other religions, including Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, have all had indigenous expressions as well.Giles cover...

Long considered a masterpiece of the eerie and fantastic, Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio is a collection of supernatural-themed tales compiled from ancient Chinese folk stories by Songling Pu in the eighteenth century.These tales of ghosts, magic, vampirism, and other things bizarre and fantastic are an excellent Chinese companion to Lafcadio Hearn's well-known collections of Japanese ghost stories Kwaidan and In Ghostly Japan.

In "Chuang Tzu: Mystic, Moralist, and Social Reformer," Zhuangzi weaves a profound tapestry of philosophical thought through rich, allegorical narratives and paradoxical anecdotes. His text deftly balances humor and profundity, challenging the rigid structures of Confucian and Legalist traditions of its time. As a cornerstone of Daoist philosophy, this work invites readers to transcend societal norms and embrace the fluidity of existence, encouraging an appreciation for spontaneity and har...

This classic collects parables and dialogues that chart a Daoist art of living amid the Warring States. With playful yet piercing prose, Zhuangzi advances spontaneity (ziran), noncoercive action (wuwei), and the "equalizing of things" (qiwu). Butterfly-dream reverie, Cook Ding's effortless carving, and the Useless Tree lampoon rigid moralism while modeling freedom from fixating names and purposes. Aphorism, paradox, and self-cancelling rhetoric—distributed across inner, outer, and miscella...