This compelling narrative unveils the transformative story of a life carved from the rigors of car washing to the pinnacle of entrepreneurship. Drawing on the sage advice of a stepfather and the power of family, the narrator offers a manual that transcends auto detailing, transmuting hard work into a robust enterprise. It's a manifesto of resilience, detailing a meticulous approach to business and wealth accrual. Within lies a treasure of practical wisdom for safeguarding a legacy, an entr...

Since at least the early sixth century C.E., ink rubbings of stone, metal, clay tiles, and wood inscriptions and pictorial images have been used in China to make precise copies of culturally valued material. These paper copies sometimes are all that remain of original works that have become illegible through erosion, or that have been destroyed by war or development, or have been rendered inaccessible through events such as flooding resulting from dam construction. Chinese rubbing techniqu...

Following an unprecedented, relentless four-year investigation, Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr delivered 36 boxes of evidence against then-President Bill Clinton to the House of Representatives on September 9, 1998. Dubbed "The Starr Report," the documents alleged—in lurid detail—that Clinton lied under oath in a sworn deposition about his affair with an intern. This became the prime piece of evidence in the subsequent impeachment hearings. The scathing, long-awaited investigative repor...

Unmatched in scope and literary quality, this landmark anthology spans three thousand years, bringing together more than six hundred poems by more than one hundred thirty poets, in translations–many new and exclusive to the book–by an array of distinguished translators.Here is the grand sweep of Chinese poetry, from the Book of Songs–ancient folk songs said to have been collected by Confucius himself–and Laozi’s Dao De Jingto the vividly pictorial ...

Imagine that you found 'dragon bones' once used to predict the future, or wrote a poem in the Book of Songs, or uncovered the terracotta army guarding the tomb of the First Emperor. Read more about life in this fascinating culture in this pocket-sized introduction.

The Ancient Art of Tea is a delightful look at the philosophy, history, and culture of tea in China.The health benefits of tea, whether white, green, oolong or black, are well known in our world today. However, creating the perfect, healthy cup of tea is a process few people genuinely understand. As expert Warren Peltier explains, making an ideal cup of tea is a dynamic process that requires the right environment, clear spring water, a suitable fire to boi...

What makes a good Chinese name and how does the name shape destinies and character? How do you ensure that the name is meaningful, elegant and auspicious at the same time?This book provides all the knowledge you need for devising a good Chinese name for your child.This book covers:- Creative Methods For Naming: Number of Strokes Theory, Chinese Horoscope, The Five Elements, The Eight Characters Theory, The Chinese Zodiac Theory, Chinese Idioms, Chinese Symbols and ma...

“Splendid . . . One could not imagine a better subject than Zhan Dai for Spence.” (The New Republic)Celebrated China scholar Jonathan Spence vividly brings to life seventeenth-century China through this biography of Zhang Dai, recognized as one of the finest historians and essayists of the Ming dynasty. Born in 1597, Zhang Dai was forty-seven when the Ming dynasty, after more than two hundred years of rule, was overthrown by the Manchu invasion of 1644. Ha...

The Art of Chinese Brush Painting is an excellent way for newcomers to experience this ancient Chinese art form.The book introduces traditional Chinese ink painting techniques developed over a thousand years ago. In 35 simple and intermediate lessons, readers will learn to paint towering landscapes; the elegant Four Generals: bamboo, orchid, plum blossom and chrysanthemum; rugged, steadfast pine; animals from the Chinese Zodiac; and basic strokes used in C...

Chopsticks have become a quintessential part of the Japanese, Chinese and Korean culinary experience across the globe, with more than one fifth of the world's population using them daily to eat. In this vibrant, highly original account of the history of chopsticks, Q. Edward Wang charts their evolution from a simple eating implement in ancient times to their status as a much more complex, cultural symbol today. Opening in the Neolithic Age, at the first recorded use of chopsticks, the book...

Where did China come from? What is China's history? How did China become one of the leading countries of today?Those are great questions, and not always easy to answer. To do so you need to go back to the dawn of time and the very first people that came to ancient China.These ancient cultures existed as long as 10,000 years ago and they'd form the basis for the first Chinese dynasty in 2070 BC, the Xia Dynasty.Long before that, however, there were ancient myths and ...

'Early China' refers to the period from the beginning of human history in China to the end of the Han Dynasty in AD 220. The roots of modern Chinese society and culture are all to be found in this formative period of Chinese civilization. Li Feng's new critical interpretation draws on the most recent scholarship and archaeological discoveries from the past thirty years. This fluent and engaging overview of early Chinese civilization explores key topics including the origins of the written ...