Chinese calligraphy : from pictograph to ideogram : the history of 214 essential Chinese/Japanese characters / Edoardo Fazzioli ; calligraphy by Rebecca Hon Ko.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Fazzioli, Edoardo.

Contributor:

Gotham Book Mart Collection (University of Pennsylvania)

Standardized Title:

Caraterri cinesi. English

Language:

English

Italian

Subjects (All):

Chinese language--Etymology.

Chinese language.

Penn Provenance:

Gotham Book Mart (former owner) (Gotham Book Mart Collection copy)

Physical Description:

251 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm

Edition:

First American edition.

Place of Publication:

New York : Abbeville Press, [1987]

Summary:

Written Chinese can call upon some 40,000 characters, many of which originated about 6,000 years ago as little pictures of everyday objects used by the ancients to communicate with each other. This book, which introduces the Westerner to a rich and mysterious world, is based on a classic compilation of the Chinese language done in the 18th century, which determined that all the characters then in use were devised from 214 root pictographs or symbols. Each of these 214 key characters, called radicals, is charmingly explored by the author, both for its etymology and for what it reveals about Chinese history and culture. Chinese characters are marvels of graphic design, and this book shows, stroke by stroke, how each radical is written and gives examples of how radicals are combined with other radicals and character elements to form new characters. This is a unique approach to understanding the history and philosophy of an ancient culture.

Contents:

A Living Language, Six Thousand Years Old 9

Man 23

Body 35

To Journey 51

Village 97

Paintbrush 121

Dragon 151

Jade 183

Yellow 213.

Notes:

Translation of: Caraterri cinesi.

Includes index.

Bibliography: page 48.

Local Notes:

Gotham Book Mart Collection copy has dustjacket retained.

ISBN:

0896597741

OCLC:

15489615