3 comments about The Classic of Mountains and Seas (Penguin Classics).

1. The Classic of the Mountains and Seas is a geographical gazetteer of ancient China and a catalogue of the natural and supernatural fauna and flora allegedly dating back to the 8th century BCE and spanning a period of perhaps a millennium. It is also a repository of strange spirits, curious folkways, medical beliefs, and other related oral and written traditions of earlier origins.

   In many ways, this Chinese classic bears some similarity in content and theme to the Hippocratic treatise "Airs, Waters, Places," although it is not commonly associated with being a part of the Chinese medical corpus as the latter is in Greek medicine. For, like this ancient Greek treatise, The Classic of the Mountains and Seas is based upon a philosophical and scientific premise of nature--the Chinese "Weltanschauung." The Chinese quest for a harmonious union between themselves and their biophysical and socioanthropological environment gave rise to such a "world concept" in which people and their way of reasoning were conceived of as being an integral part of the cosmos and intrinsically interjoined with the spiritual, physical, and moral "influences."

   Dr. Birrell's translation makes for an interesting read, with her scholarship enhancing our appreciation and understanding of this fascinating work. Her detailed Introduction is most helpful in acquainting the reader with the historical background of The Classic of the Mountains and Seas. Its shortcomings lie in its lack of numeric footnotes, a more specialized bibliography, a concordance with Romanization and Chinese equivalents, and her rendering of the place-names and denizens found in this zoomorphic setting.

   One can never be too careful when it comes to the translation of ancient Chinese words, for it is not uncommon to find that many of them have been vitiated by the bland assumption that they meant then what they mean in later dynastic periods; accordingly, such assumptions can be distorted or entirely false. One of the pleasures found in ancient languages lies in their implicitness, whereas, modern languages revel in their explicitness. Fortunately, the rich resources of English are capable of coping reasonably well with the varigated shades of the implicity found in the former. Dr. Birrell has attempted to avoid this pitfall, although I question some of her renderings as being too much of an effort to appeal to a more popular readership.

   For those readers wanting to further explore the many ethnographic features of this setting, the following works are recommended:

   (In Russian) E.M. Ianshina entitled, Katalog gor i morei (Shan Hai Tszin), or "A Catalogue of Mountains and Sea: The Classic of the Mountains and Seas."

   (In Chinese) Yuan Ke's Shan hai jing jiao zhu, or "A Critical Commentary on The Classic of the Mountains and Seas."

   (In French) Rémi Mathieu's two-volume Étude sur la Mythologie et L'ethnologie de la Chine Ancienne.

   (In English) Richard E. Strassberg's A Chinese Bestiary: Strange Creatures from the Guideways Through Mountains and Seas.




2. Although I agree with the earlier reviewer's complaints about the absence of helpful apparatus -- to which I would add the difficulty of converting references using traditional Chinese section titles into parts of Birrell's translations -- I rate the book considerably higher. Descriptions and quotations tended to make it sound like Pliny's "Natural History," only dull. Birrell has made it read like an appendix to a Chinese Ovid, but more entertaining. Earlier attempts at translation that I have seen (mainly, it is true, of passages, often discontinuous) have been, at least from my point of view, almost unreadable. The self-imposed burden of trying to identify places and tribes can reduce even a few pages of what is reputed to be a fascinating, and sometimes whimsical, work to something more like an ordeal to read. To say nothing of the careful reproduction of Chinese names, which mean nothing to a reader who needs an English version!
   
   Birrell has chosen to treat the "Classic of Mountains and Seas" as a somewhat eccentric work of literature, which can be read for pleasure, like "Mandeville's Travels," or, to use other medieval European examples, Bestiaries and Lapidaries (accounts of strange beasts and the miraculous properties of precious stones). Although some sections are more consistently interesting than others, most pages hold something to keep the reader's attention. Since I can't judge the plausibility of Birrell's translations of Chinese names, I will say that I found her versions amusing. (I also noted the apparent ultimate source of the "Pokemon" convention that strange animals are named for the sounds they make, which happen to have meanings.)
   
   As a long-time reader of myths and legends, fantasy, and science fiction, I have fairly high standards for the entertainment level of a book about strange lands, peoples, and creatures. Taken as a whole, I found Birrell's translation entertaining and intriguing. Its major defects (lack of aides to the reader) could be, and I hope will be, repaired in some expanded edition in the future. For now, I am grateful to have it. The ethnographic, religious, geographical, and historical implications are fascinating -- and more properly the subject of a full commentary than a literary work for the Penguin Classics.



3. The reviews I read here for this book bamboozled me into buying it. I can only assume they are full time academics: no other explanation can be offered for their myopia.
   
   The book is admirably done, and the freeish rendering of Chinese mythological names is fine. The difficulty is that this is nothing but an extended catalogue, without stories or plot. It's a list. The descriptions are so unbelievably wierd that it's much fun to read for a page or two, but it's all so much the same, that after two paragraphs you've read it all. To call this a major source for Chinese mythology is simply untrue. Those interested in that subject should get a copy of The Journey to the West, or Chuang Tzu, or the stories of Pu Song Ling. To offer this to the reader as any sort of a narrative is an outright lie.
   
   The academic twits who have reviewed this so far do not seem to appreciate that just because a book's content is fictional doesn't make it fiction.

2 comments about Gardens of Pleasure: Eroticism and Art in China.

1. This stunning collection of more than 100 color illustrations from the Bertholet Collection is a magnificent achievement. Prestel has created a thoroughly engaging publication here, and never before has the world been able to view most of these breathtaking visions of love and sex from pre-modern China. Much of the visual works date to the 18th century. But, in addition to the visual feast, the entire book overflows with verses that match the age and mood of each work of art, as well as essays on the history of the art form, the effect of Taoism on erotica, Confucianism, the trials a husband undergoes getting his wife to accept a concubine, and even the history of Bertholet's collection itself, and lots more. This is a fascinating read! Intellectual, artistic, and even at times, quite humorous, this is a superb collection of erotic imagery and one of the most enjoyable publications one will find in this genre. This is one book that owners should proudly display on their "coffee-tables" for all to enjoy.



2. Maybe it wasn't altruism that led Bertholet share his collection in this book. I'm grateful anyway. It's an outstanding collection of Chinese erotic art, from about the end of the 17th century to the late 19th. The works here are all silk paintings, except for a few drawings. They are printed in beautiful color, large enough for easy reading, with expanded details of a few. Bertholet adds plenty of useful commentary (much of which I skipped, I admit). He also adorns most pages with brief extracts from classic Chinese poetry, all on the topic of physical love.
   
   Two things stand out in every artwork and in the collection as a whole. First is the gentle, consensual tone. The closest thing to aggression is a jealous wife twisting the ear of a husband caught 'in flagrante,' and that's more humorous than anything. Voyeurism, whether peeking in on a lady's solitary pleasure, secret viewer of a couple's engagement, or the reader's own participation with the artwork, is always un-threatening. Humor is always close to the surface, the natural good humor of happy people.
   
   The second thing that strikes a Western eye is the very non-Western conventions these artists followed in rendering men and women. The figures are very similar - women aren't given the guitar figure one might expect, and men have rounded and nearly hairless bodies. Women's breasts get only a little attention, and are covered by a bandeau or bib in many scenes. Genitalia aren't exaggerated, and their realistic scale may jar an eye that expected size and importance to go together.
   
   But that's why these works are so enjoyable. They aren't Western, they're a very different look at the thing all people have in common. They're still beautiful, both in the Chinese tradition and in the visual celebration of sex.
   
   //wiredweird

1 comments about China South Map.

1. This series of maps is the best that I have seen for China for westerners. I suspect that their maps for other areas are just as good!

No comments about National Geographic Traveler: Shanghai (National Geographic Traveler).

2 comments about A Short History of Laos: The Land in Between (A Short History of Asia series).

1. For a newcomer to Laos, Dr. Evans's volume would seem an excellent introduction to its history, politics and culture. For someone like myself, who had his own intense introduction to Laos in the late 60s and looks forward to a return, the book is an insightful refresher and update. It has helped me put my own experience in context and rethink the Laos I once thought I knew. This short history is thoughtful, well-written, and largely devoid of moral judgments.

   The subtitle "The Land in Between" sums up an unfortunate reality -- for much of its history Laos has been caught between more powerful neighbors and sometimes their even more powerful patrons. But Evans does not stop with such a facile explanation of the Laos that has emerged. I particularly appreciate his continuing emphasis on the deep and enduring cultural roots of the peoples who inhabit Laos -- and the interplay among them.

   With so many Western writers and readers still caught up in the battles that we fought in Laos in the 60s and 70s, Evans's book is a refreshing reminder that Laos merits attention -- indeed fascination -- in its own right.




2. As someone who is contemplating a work assignment in Laos, this book provides needed background on the cultural and political environment likely to be encountered. In addition to the coverage of people and events, I would have appreciated more elaboration on the typical lifestyles of lowland and upland people of Laos and how that has evolved recently. This was an interesting read, but it felt a bit disjointed at times and the writing does not measure up to the skill of better-known modern historians such as David McCollough and Walter Isaacson.

No comments about Shanghai Mini Map.

3 comments about Chinese Business Etiquette and Culture.

1. I have no hesitation in recommending this book. It is a must read for anyone planning to do business in China.
   As of 2005,it is out of date regarding lifestyle and living standards in China, however, the cultural facts are correct, in particular the aspects of culture crucial to negotiating with the Chinese.



2. If you ever need to do business in China then don't start anything until you've read this book. It will save you time, money and your sanity! After reading this book we took advice from it and saved a valuable business deal by using some of the knowledge Kevin Bucknall has compiled from his time spent there. This is a seriously good book even if you just want to travel in China as it tells you all you need to know to get the best from your time there.



3. Potential buyers should keep in mind that this is a book about Chinese business etiquette. It is a specific topic, not a general treatise on Chinese culture.
   
   Buknall is thorough, but repetitive. He beats to death the concepts of hierarchy and waiting for approval from various people/governmental agencies.
   
   He references the late 90's in the book and mentions more than once that certain historical customs are beginning to give way to more modern practices. That was six years ago. Thus, the book is in need of an update.
   
   One other thing I've noticed is the high number of misspelled and missing words. The editor did a very poor job.
   
   Overall, an informative book, but one that could be better.

1 comments about Among the Tibetans.

1. I was somewhat disappointed in this book. Certainly, the noble Ms. Bird had made this remarkable journey (and many others) in a time (the late 1800s) when 'women didn't do such things'. For that I applaud her spirit and determination.
   While interesting, in my opinion, most of the book comes across as fairly uninspired. She seems unable to share the sense of wonder one must feel when in the presence of such dramatic physical geography. Her description of the local citizenry is, to my mind, also fairly unimaginative. While her narrative is certainly straight forward and no doubt accurate, it seems she never really 'gets into it'.
   There are several moments in the story when we are given an insight into Ms. Bird's character and we see her as an enormously resilient and self-reliant person. There are also interesting glimpses of her Victorian roots as portrayed in her comments regarding local Tibetan customs and habits.
   All in all, I would recommend this book but I would caution the reader not to expect 'Lost Horizons'.

5 comments about Lonely Planet Hong Kong & Macau.

1. This was the first time I bought a travel book from Lonely Planet. I loved it because it provides a historical as well as a modern background on the cities being visited. The recommendations for dinner, site-seeting, etc were great! The only thing I would've added is a rating of the top sites to see if you are only in the city for a short time.



2. I found this book to be extremely helpful in covering all the bases of transport, taxes, tipping, typical business hours, history, background, and a good overview of what's where, and how to get there. Often times, we'd have questions about things like poverty level, health coverage, average income, quality of water -- and found that the guide pretty much answered all of those, and more.
   
   The maps aren't super, and because of the size of the book, it made it difficult to carry. Besides, if you're asking a local for directions, you'd want a bilingual map, as the English names of cities/stations drive them crazy. (ie, Mandarin romanizations in a Cantonese city) I do give it credit for accurately pointing out the numerous obscure markets in Tsim Sha Tsui, as well as the various shops in Hong Kong City. The walking guides were surprisingly useful.
   
   The reason why I give it 4 stars is because HK is all about food and shopping, and the book came up seriously short on the food portion. (no pun intended) Despite it being only 3 months since publication (12th edition, Jan 2006) literally *every* restaurant this book recommended (of which we attempted to find) turned out to be non-existent, had changed ownership and had turned into some other shop. I attribute some of this to bad luck, but I seriously doubt the restaurants didn't *all* go out of business in the last 3 months, but rather that the information on the guide was a little outdated.
   
   The section on food is one part I really relied upon to book to help me out, and was pretty disappointed when it didn't come through for me, as the alternatives to an English guidebook aren't great. The alternatives are to ask the hotel clerk (who will recommend the hotel restaurant), or a random stranger (who will recommend his friend/family's restaurant), or read a weekly magazine about which eateries are good (which require Chinese reading skills).
   
   Despite my frugal 4 stars, this guide is considerably better than most, and is worth the small change to purchase, especially when compared to the amount of money you spent to book your vacation.



3. This book gives ou a nice overview of the region, and incredible specific tips for visiting HK and Macau.



4. If you're looking for a book with good background information and history lessons this is the one for you. It is not the book to take to walk around the city with. It is simply too heavy. Your best bet is to just cut out the walking maps to take with you before leaving your hotel room. I liked the little walking tour of the bird market, flower market and fish market in Kowloon. As far as the restaurant recommendations are concerned...don't bother looking at the book. Most of the listings are somewhat expensive by local standard and don't offer the best food. All you have to do to find a good meal is to walk around and go to one that's packed with locals. Restaurants are everywhere and most of them open until the wee hours of the morning. There's no fear of not getting good food in Hong Kong. Go ahead, try something you can't find at home.



5. I returned from HK/Macau less than a week ago where my traveling companion had this book. It is full of useful and accurate information on Hong Kong. We found a number of restaurants listed in this book and were pleasantly surprised, however, the Macau sections were next to worthless. I'm convinced that there doesn't exist **anywhere** an accurate map of Macau.
   
   We planned to follow the walking tour of Macau AND tried to, but were unable to follow the instructions - we are both engineers (MIT and former Rocket Scientist) so following directions isn't usually a problem for us.
   
   Bottom line - good for HK, not so much for Macau.
   
   I had Fodor's Hong Kong's 25 Best, 5th Edition (25 Best) and found it less useful for our 13 day trip. It would be fine for 2-3 days however. The Fodor's included a pull out map that was much better than LP provided.

No comments about Time Warp Trio: Wushu Were Here (Time Warp Trio).