China Books
Peking:
Temples and City Life, 1400-1900
2000 - Susan Naquin
Fine book about Peking (Beijing) temples that reveals how religious
establishments of all kinds were used for fairs, markets, charity,
tourism, politics, and leisured sociability. Naquin shows their decisive
impact on Peking and, at the same time, illuminates their little-appreciated
role in Chinese cities generally. Lacking most of the conventional
sources for urban history, she has relied particularly on a trove
of commemorative inscriptions that express ideas about the relationship
between human beings and gods, about community service and public
responsibility, about remembering and being remembered. The result
is a book that will be essential reading in the field of Chinese
studies for years to come. |
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Sir
Aurel Stein : Archaeological Explorer
1977 - Jeannette Mirsky
An extraordinary man, who advanced human knowledge on many fronts,
Sir Aurel Stein (1862-1943) pursued dramatic adventure with scientific
purpose. Jeannette Mirsky has drawn from Stein's voluminous outpouring
of books and articles as well as from his letters and unpublished
archival materials to produce a lively and definitive biography of
this archaeological explorer, geographer, historical topographer,
and linguist. |
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Reading
Buddhist Art
2002 - Meher McArthur
This is a very good and easy-to-use reference book on Buddhism. Covered
are the major Buddhas, Buddhist signs, symbols and ritual objects,
and major Buddhist sites. All
the principal symbols, objects, and figures of Buddhist worship are
gathered here in a rich, informative, and easy-to-use book that will
serve equally well as an art-lover's reference tool and as an introduction
to the principles of the religion. Photographs and two-color line
drawings and maps accompany the explanatory texts. With a comprehensive
glossary of key Buddhist terms and a well-researched bibliography,
this book will prove indispensable to anyone with an interest in
Buddhism and its arts. 304 illustrations. |
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Secret
History of the Mongols: The Origin of Chingis Khan
1998 - Paul Kahn, Francis Woodman Cleaves
This adaptation of what is recognized today as the oldest Mongolian
text (written two decades after Chingis Khan`s death) tells the Mongols`
own version of the origin of their nation, the life of Chingis Khan,
and the creation of an empire that stretched across Eurasia in the
13th century. Adapted from Francis Woodman Cleaves` erudite translation,
it is presented here as a narrative poem in colloquial English. An
overview of medieval Asia, maps, lineage charts, a glossary of proper
names, and a bibliography are included. This expanded edition includes
a 17th-century account of Chingis Khan`s death and a new essay by
the author. |
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Ruins
of the Desert Cathay
1912 - Aurel Stein
The Ruins of Desert Cathay is his compelling personal narrative of
an expedition covering ten thousand miles made during the years 1906-1908
by Stein. Following routes dating from the last centuries B.C. he
found scattered ruins in a remarkable state of preservation which
threw new light on the early history, arts and everyday life of regions
the past of which had been forgotten. Crossing the dreaded Taklamakan
Desert on the track followed by Marco Polo, Stein went on to Tun-huang,
sacred site of his most famous discovery, the Caves of the Thousand
Buddhas. These were hundreds of cave temples carved into the sandstone
walls of Tun-huang, containing rare frescoes, embroideries and a
hidden library holding thousands of Buddhist manuscripts. |
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