Romantic France

Author: Wu Jisong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-01-01
Features: All human emotions can be expressed through looking. "Love at first sight" is thanks to looking, "non-verbal communication" requires the ability to look, and "enmity arising from mutual suspicion" is the result of seeing conflicts. There are also phrases like "staring sideways," "furious eyes," "contempt," "scorn," "longing," and "staring." Human ways of looking are diverse, and the study of looking is vast. It can be said that the history of human civilization is inseparable from looking. Looking—communication and connection; looking—gives the world color. Many beautiful things in the world are born from the need to look, such as architecture, decoration, clothing, movies, and books. Seeing—can also be a kind of fate, as many stories in the world have unfolded because of seeing.
How can one truly understand France and the French? This is the task of this book. The author, as a visiting scholar, Chinese diplomat, UN project implementer, and international official in France for six years, hopes to present a real France to readers by speaking French, eating French food, driving his own car, and staying in hotels alone. He strives to show France from historical, geographical, and people-related perspectives, as well as in terms of politics, economy, and culture, through personal experiences and reflections.
I look at France with passion; I write about France with heart; I analyze France with rigorous logic; I praise France with a rational attitude. However, this book is only a guide for readers to get to know France. To truly understand France, it depends on the readers themselves. If, as Mr. Jiang Zilong's preface suggests, this book can be considered as "an insider's guide to the inner workings," then that would be my greatest wish.