The origin of chinese characters : an illustrated history and word guide / Kihoon Le.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Lee, Kihoon, 1972- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Chinese characters--History.

Chinese characters.

Chinese language--Etymology.

Chinese language.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (244 pages)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

New York : Algora Publishing, [2018]

Summary:

In China, an educated person has to know 8,000 characters or more - a daunting task by any measure. Meanwhile, Western students struggle to learn a few hundred of them. How much easier it is to learn, when you have a clue as to the origins and hidden meanings of the symbols! An enthusiastic educator and a highly esteemed scholar in Chinese calligraphy explores ancient life in China and shows how the characters derived from early pictograms. He presents groups of words together with glimpses of early life, opening our eyes to Asian traditions and concepts as well as the words to describe them.

Contents:

Intro

Introduction

Part 1天 (Tian=T'ien) Heaven

1. The God Of Heaven

East Asian philosophy starts with "One"

"The God of Heaven" above the Human

The most important principles in the universe: Heaven, Human, and Earth

2. The King Who Is The Agent Of Heaven

The King Who Wears a Shining Crown

The King Wearing Yellow Jade Decoration

Ceremony to Pray to the Earth

Soil &amp

Jade, the soul of the earth

3. Aristocrats Wear Horns

The Shaman shakes bells and conducts the ceremony

Meaning of gods in bronze plates

Smelling the food and celebrating their ancestors

A beautiful Shaman wearing lamb's horns

4. The Religious Ceremony With Rice, Wine, Meat And Blood

The vassals standing in their own place

Wine and meat brings fortune

Government official offers celebratory prayer

Bow down to god

A plate containing blood

5. Animal Sacrifices For Religious Ceremonies

Various animals were used for ceremonial sacrifice

Meat for rituals prepared carefully

Tigers and dogs as ritual sacrifices

A Ceremony of a Cow in Water

6. Messengers of God: Bronze, and Bones

Message of god sent through bronze plate

Sacred Bones which show the god's anger and joy

7. The People From The Sun And The Stars

The Sun

the god over all living things

The stars as gods in heaven

Part 2. 人 (Ren) Human

1. People

A person with his back bent

A wise old man with long hair and a kid with a "soft" head

A person who goes ahead

the ancestor

Sage: One who listens

Woman with her knees bent

A Visitor to the House

2. Family Dynamics

Ancestors and sacrifices

Father with jade panel: Authority

Wife, mother

Elder brother gives orders

younger brother obeys

Grandchild

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Raising the baby or abandoning the baby

3. Body Parts.

Face/Head and eyes

Right and Left hands

4. House, Food, and Clothes

House made out of hay

House with doors

Dishes and food

Wine for sacred ceremony

Weaving cloth

A garment with a tail

5. Everyday Activities

Going Out

Roads in four directions

Sit down and rest under the trees

Bathing in a big tub

Tattoos

Listen, laugh or cry

Think and love

6. Knowledge &amp

Learning

Book/ Volume

Tossing four sticks to tell a fortune

Five elements of the universe

7. Money &amp

Partying

Seashells as currency

Making ornaments or money with seashells

Seashell coins

Precious shiny particles in the soil

Playing music

Dancing

8. War

Making weapons

The Commander readies the army

Recruiting soldiers for justice

Attack at a "timely opportunity"

Travel to war

Shooting arrows

Injury in battle

Broken blade

Defeated side

Broken bronze plate

9. Death

Retired, sick, dying

Death

Part 3 地 (Di) Earth

1. From Water To Water

Breathing of the earth

Underworld beneath the spring

Endless river

Vapor floating in the sky

2. Farm

Farming the Lands

3. Fun Chinese with Animals

Cow with horns

Elephant with decorations

Human supports elephant

Crazy dog

Is a dragon an alligator or a bear?

Crouching owl

The Stork observes

Worms and bugs

Scorpions on a stick

4. Hunting

Using stones to hunt

The Flight of a clever bird

5. Grain

The smallest grain, millet

Grain used in ceremonies

Sacred barley from the heavens

Writing Exercise - Part 1

1. The God of Heaven

2. The King Who Is the Agent of Heaven

5. Animal Sacrifice For Religious Ceremonies

6. Messengers Of God: Bronze, And Bones.

7. The People from the Sun and the Stars

Writing Exercise - Part 2

人Ren, Human

3. Body Parts

5. Everyday Actions

Writing Exercise - Part 3

地 Di, Earth

1. From Water to Water

3. Fun Chinese With Animals

600 Basic Chinese Words.

Notes:

Description based on print version record.

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

ISBN:

1-62894-323-8

OCLC:

1030446023