Chit-chat about the Chinese people

Author: Yi Zhongtian
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-03-01
Features: When Chinese people greet each other, they bow or nod, while Westerners shake hands or hug. This is because the Chinese are "introverted," and the Westerners are "extroverted." Extroverted, so they extend their hands to shake hands with others; introverted, so they extend their hands to hold their own. This is just like the Chinese using chopsticks to pick up food, which involves inward force; the Westerners using forks to stab food, which involves outward force. Outward and inward, hence the symbol of Western culture is the "Cross," while the symbol of Chinese culture is the "Tai Chi Diagram." Food, clothing, work units, families, human relationships, and face are the basic contents of people's lives. Because they are basic, people become accustomed to these ubiquitous phenomena, even to the point of numbness; few people delve into why things are this way and their relationship with Chinese culture. Yi Zhongtian, the author of Talking About the Chinese, however, has a unique talent. In his research on Chinese and Western cultures, he systematically studies these life phenomena from the accumulated thousands of years of Chinese culture, moving from the concrete to the abstract and back again, striving to uncover the core of culture and provide theoretical explanations. He points out that why these things are "this way" rather than "that way" lies in the core of Chinese culture being "group consciousness." It progresses from the close to the distant, elucidating the essence of Chinese culture in detail. One of the features of this book is that it uses "casual writing" to discuss "serious matters." This is a work on Chinese culture, yet it is not as abstract, theoretical, or dry as most specialized books. The entire book tells the stories of ordinary people (though not just ordinary people), with a relaxed and leisurely tone, making it easy and enjoyable to read, yet it profoundly hits the mark, often leaving readers with the thought, "That's really the case." Another feature of the book is its ability to explain complex topics in a simple and accessible way. When analyzing the myriad life phenomena, whether interpreting words or citing classics, it moves from the original meaning to the broader meaning, from phenomena to essence, as if chatting with you, revealing the profound social significance of these phenomena. A third feature is the fluent and vivid writing style. Since it's "casual talk," it avoids formal, official language. The author often uses colloquial expressions to describe habits, making it witty and humorous. A fourth feature is its tightly interconnected structure. From food to clothing, from work units to families, from face to human relationships to friendship, it weaves seemingly unrelated aspects together, moving from one to two and then to three, making readers eager to continue reading the next chapter. In a nutshell, Talking About the Chinese is like a fragrant Biluochun tea, offering endless for those who love traditional culture—friends of traditional culture cannot afford to miss it.