"Chinese Proverbs and Popular Sayings is for everyday readers looking for pithy sayings, deeper understanding of the Chinese culture and a unique look at the Chinese language." - The Rapidian "Chinese Proverbs and Popular Sayings opens a diverting and useful window on Chinese language and culture." - Asian Review of Books This treasury of Chinese wisdom presents over five hundred proverbs while offering keys to culture and language. Here are both the familiar, earnest sayings of Confucius and Lao Zi ("The longest journey begins with a single step") and the homespun truths of every day ("Teachers open the door; you enter by yourself"). Designed both for inspirational browsing and for students of language and culture, the text is organized by subject (Learning, Patience, Money, Family, Food, etc.) and provides commentary plus Chinese characters and pinyin romanization for each entry. Includes an index. Qin Xue Herzberg and Larry Herzberg teach Chinese at Calvin College. They live in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

In Everything I Understand about America I Learned in Chinese Proverbs, Wendy Liu tells her experiences and views of America¿its life, issues, politics, and China relations¿with a Chinese angle. Following a dispute over free speech, for instance, she recalled the Chinese proverb ¿A great person¿s heart is big enough to pole a boat in¿ and realized that a big heart was what everyone needed to tolerate differences in America. Observing controversies between the U.S. and China, she felt that with America¿s complex relationship with the Middle Kingdom, it would be helpful if Americans were not sometimes ¿seeing trees only, but not the forest,¿ another Chinese proverb.

Chinese proverbs are, in a sense, the DNA of Chinese culture and language. The meanings of many of these proverbs may not be obvious to Westerners. For example when Chinese say the proverb "Dog chases mouse," they mean "Mind your own business"-that is, dogs don't chase mice; it's not their job. In the process of truly making a connection with Chinese language and culture, a solid understanding of these proverbs goes a long way. Learning 300 Chinese Proverbs presents a unique book of Chinese proverbs that can be used as a tool for learning spoken and written Mandarin Chinese. This helpful, practical reference is complete with a section on grammar and offers an innovative approach to learning correct pronunciation, useful to both the beginner and the advanced student. Each proverb represents a new and unique lesson in Mandarin Chinese, using Simplified Chinese and the Pinyin transliteration system. Learning 300 Chinese Proverbs is so much more than a Chinese textbook; it also offers an overview of the Chinese civilization and language that goes back thousands of years.

It is better to light the candle than to curse the darkness.He who asks a question may be a fool for five minutes; he who asks no questions stays a fool for ever. Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.With suchwisdom and truthas to be eternally relevant, Chinese proverbs have found their ways through the centuries and intomanycultures. Coming face to face with the monumental wisdom of the legendary Master Kungbetter known by his Latinized name of Confuciusand others is a revealing and humbling experience. The Master's influence is to be found in the greater part of all proverbs that emanate from China. Confucius encouraged in his followers a careful study of the outside world, and a process of deep thought through which to consider and judge their observations. As Confucius said, "As one lamp serves to dispel a thousand years of darkness, so one flash of wisdom destroys ten thousand years of ignorance.""

The highly anticipated next book in Tuttle's Stories for Language Learners series is here! This book presents 22 classic Chinese proverbs and the traditional tales behind them. The stories are bilingual, with the Chinese and English versions presented on facing pages. Each includes an explanation of how the proverb is used today, cultural notes, vocabulary and discussion questions. Online audio recordings of the tales by native speakers give students a chance to improve their pronunciation and comprehension. Some of the proverbs featured in this collection include: "Painting the Eyes on the Dragon" Based on the story of a famous court painter in 6th century China who painted dragons, this proverb refers to the finishing touches needed to bring a work of art or literature to life. In a discussion, it refers to the final statements used to clinch the argument. "Waiting for Rabbits by a Tree Stump" Based on an ancient folktale about a foolish farmer who sees a rabbit kill itself in front of him by running into a tree stump, then gives up tilling his field to wait for more rabbits by the stump. This saying is applied to people who wait passively for luck to strike again. It also refers to impractical people who stick to one way of doing things only because it has worked for them once in the past. "Pure Water Has No Fish; Perfect People Have No Friends" Many versions of this historical tale exist. The one told here is about a 2nd century AD official sent to govern a far-flung outpost on the Silk Road who is fastidious in applying strict rules and thereby causes the local people to rebel against him. In the professional world, it is used to refer to people who do not like to work with an overly strict supervisor or colleague. Whether being used in a classroom or for self-study, Chinese Stories for Language Learners provides an educational and entertaining way for intermediate Mandarin learners to expand their vocabulary and understanding of the language.

An alphabet-book approach to exploring the beauty and richness of the Chinese culture.

Conversational Chinese Dialogues is packed with over 100 dialogues in Chinese with both pinyin and English translations which makes this an excellent immersion tool for Chinese (Mandarin) language learners.