Even as a young boy in 11th-century China, it was clear that Su Shih was special. After finding a rare inkstone, he began to write stories and verses expressing his love of the natural world. His words flowed effortlessly, his brush danced across the paper. Su Shih grew up to become a leading scholar and statesman, eventually taking the name Su Dongpo. He promoted justice and condemned corruption - often at his own peril. Su Dongpo's life transcends the ages and is a shining example of dignity, ingenuity, courage and resilience.

Gathers poems about travel, nature, daily life, friendship, and exile by the eleventh-century Chinese poet, who wrote under the name Su Tung-p'o.

We find timeless expressions of human experience in the poems of Su Dongpo (1037-1101), translated with grace and power by Lin and Young. We follow Dongpo through his life of political exiles while he ponders the transitory nature of reality with beauty and a sober lightness.

Remembered today primarily as a poet, calligrapher, and critic, the protean Su Shi was an outspoken player in the contentious politics and intellectual debates of the Northern Song dynasty. In this comprehensive study, Ronald C. Egan analyzes Su’s literary and artistic work against the background of eleventh-century developments within Buddhist and Confucian thought and Su’s dogged disagreement with the New Policies of Wang Anshi. Egan explicates Su’s views on governance, the classics, and Buddhism; and he describes Su’s social-welfare initiatives, arrest for disloyalty, and exiles. Finding a key to the richness of Su’s artistic activities in his vacillation on the significance of aesthetic pursuits, Egan explores Su’s shi and ci poetry and Su’s promotion of painting and calligraphy, looking specially at the problem of subjectivity. In a concluding chapter, he reconsiders Su’s role as a founder of the wenren (“literati”) and challenges the conventional understanding of both Su and the Northern Song wenren generally.

Over the centuries, Chinese civilization has produced many important inventions and innovations, including paper, printing, porcelain, the magnetic compass, and gunpowder. Similarly, China has produced a host of exceptional and accomplished individuals in all fields of human endeavor. Famous People of China profiles a handful of remarkable figures from China's long history. Among the intriguing people included in this volume are Confucius, China's most influential philosopher; the emperor Qin Shihuang, who unified China and built the Great Wall; the beloved poet Su Dongpo; and Zheng He, whose epic seagoing expeditions predated the famous Spanish and Portuguese voyages of exploration by more than half a century.

Any kitchen can be a Chinese kitchen with these 80 easy comfort food recipes—plus tips and techniques for cooking with a wok, stocking your pantry, making rice, and more. Chinese food is more popular than any other cuisine and yet it often intimidates North American home cooks. Chinese Soul Food draws cooks into the kitchen with accessible recipes that bring comfort with a single bite or sip. These are dishes that feed the belly and speak the universal language of "mmm!" In Chinese Soul Food, you’ll find: • 80 approachable recipes for homestyle Chinese dishes • Essential tips for Chinese cooking, including wok care, rice preparation, and more • Basic Chinese pantry staples, plus acceptable substitutions for busy cooks Recipes include: • Red-braised porky belly • Dry-fried green beans • Braised-beef noodle soup • Green onion pancakes • Garlic eggplant • Hsiao-Ching Chou’s famous potstickers • And much more! Recipes are streamlined to minimize the fear factor of unfamiliar ingredients and techniques, and home cooks are gently guided toward becoming comfortable cooking satisfying Chinese meals.

A look at the over eight thousand year history and civilization of China.