Lin Yutang's Essays (Illustrated Treasure Edition)

Author: Lin Yutang
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-05-01
Features: The beauty of literature and the elegance of art complement each other, making it both a masterpiece for appreciation and a superior choice for collection and gifting. Chinese prose has a long and profound history. Over thousands of years of prose creation, whether expressing emotions, stating intentions, depicting scenes, or reflecting on people, it has inevitably reflected the fluctuations of the times and the thoughts and feelings of the people. These fine traditions of Chinese prose, in the new literature of the 20th century and beyond, not only inherited them comprehensively but also continuously innovated and developed them. To showcase the achievements of Chinese prose creation since the 20th century, we edited and published the "Treasures of Chinese Prose" in the early days of the new century, totaling thirty volumes. Five years have passed, and on this basis, we have meticulously compiled this "Illustrated Treasures of Chinese Prose," consisting of sixteen volumes. Through further selection, this series not only adds over 50,000 new words to each volume but also accompanies them with precious photographs reflecting their life journey. Truly, the beauty of literature and the elegance of art complement each other, making it both a masterpiece for appreciation and a superior choice for collection and gifting.
Lin Yutang's philosophy of life, like his views on society, politics, and history, is complex. From a young age, Lin Yutang was deeply influenced by the "Christian family with boundless parental love," attending church-run schools for his primary, secondary, and university education. Religious beliefs were deeply ingrained in his heart. Later, he lived in a Western cultural environment for a long time, receiving systematic Western cultural (influence), while also conducting in-depth research on Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism in China. As a result, when understanding China's traditions and realities or making life choices, he often approached them with the perspective and outlook of a Western gentleman. Lin Yutang's prose often observes the world with a detached and leisurely mindset, praising the beauty of literature with simple and plain words. This creates a style that blends solemnity and humor, akin to "private and intimate conversations," known as the "leisurely tone."
The language of Lin Yutang's prose is diverse and inclusive, incorporating various elements such as the formal language of old official documents and contemporary political slogans. This actually reflects Lin Yutang's literary language concept. He advocated that literary language could integrate classical Chinese, vernacular Chinese, foreign languages, and colloquial expressions, thereby forming a unique language style often referred to as "classical vernacular."