This book briefly introduces basic knowledge about China’s profound culture of Chinese characters with easily understandable words and exquisite pictures. It will take readers on a relaxing and interesting journey in the “kingdom of Chinese characters”.
Chinese characters are square-shaped ideograms and the only ancient language alive in the world. The existence of Chinese characters is a miracle in the human civilization history. Today, Chinese characters are still developing. This ancient language used by most people in the world is embracing the future vigorously.
Han Jiantang, a native of Tianjin and a TCSL Teaching Chinese as Second Language teacher at Tianjin Normal University, began to engage in TCSL education and research in 1985, and was dispatched by the State Education Commission in 1994 to give lectures at Mongolian National University, Ulaanbaatar for three years. Publications: China’s Cultural Heritage 1994, Approaching Traditional Chinese Art 2001, The Culture of Chinese Characters – With Illustrations by Pictures 2005, Inscriptions on Bones and Tortoise Shells from the Yin Ruins – With Illustrations by Pictures 2009 and The Culture of Chinese Characters 2010. Hundreds of his illustrations were published in books, newspapers and periodicals; his prints were displayed at three artwork exhibitions in Tianjin; his brick-relief prints were exhibited at the National Art Museum of China.