China Mysteries

"Discover the fascinating mysteries surrounding the Great Wall of China. An iconic symbol, the wall's sections, trenches, and barriers stretch across more than 5,500 miles. How and why was it built? Scientists have many theories, but plenty of mysteries remain."--Provided by publisher.

Originally published: Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, c1984.

Illustrated with one hundred and eighty-five color images and including a comprehensive series of essays by leading Chinese and European scholars, this volume summarizes current thinking about the archaeology and the history of the religious and social development of ancient China.

Published as the catalogue of an exhibition at the British Museum, from 13th September 1996 to 5th January 1997, this work presents essays by Chinese and European scholars reviewing recent research in the archaeology, religion and social development of ancient China.

With the 1989 Beijing massacre fading from popular memory in the West, China from the mid-1990s to a few years ago felt more open than ever to global trade, communication, travel, and cultural and educational exchanges. There was even talk in the mainstream press that China was heading toward a more democratic future. It was during this second Sino-Western honeymoon that authors in the US, Canada, France, the UK, and elsewhere began writing mystery fiction set in contemporary China in their regional languages. These “China mysteries”—crime, detective, and mystery thriller novels that take place in China but were not written or published there—formed a new genre of popular fiction that highlighted the world’s hopes and fears after Tiananmen. The multinational and multicultural writers of China mysteries, among them ex-PRC nationals like Qiu Xiaolong, Zhang Xinxin, and Diane Wei Liang, converged on the China Mainland to negotiate political and cultural complexities through crime fiction plotlines. Their books emerged from Western lineages of the modern novel and popular genre fiction—with Chinese contributions—and depended on Western commercial publishing models shaped by cultural, national, political, and economic factors. This work examines more than a hundred China mysteries—many describing and analyzing social and economic changes at the center of modern life in China—to provide a brief history of the genre and analyze the formulaic and original elements of the mysteries, including their attention to matters of location, social content, characterization, history, and biography. It also highlights the role of “information” acquisition as a motivation for readers and authors of popular fiction, which has become a topic of discussion in Chinese literature studies. With its timely commentary on Sino-Western relations as presented through crime fiction, China Mysteries will appeal to students and scholars of contemporary Chinese literature and culture, as well as fans of crime novels and others who are curious about the global dimensions of the genre and how it complicates our understanding of “world literature.”

A treasury of recipes, crafts, gardening tips, and more from the national bestselling author of the China Bayles series—a great gift for both mystery fans and herb & craft enthusiasts! Readers of the China Bayles mystery novels are familiar with the usefulness and wonder of the many herbs the amateur sleuth sells in her beloved Thyme and Seasons shop. Compiled by national bestselling author Susan Wittig Albert at the request of her fans, China Bayles' Book of Days gathers together tidbits and treasures about plants and reveals ways you can put more green into your daily life. Featuring 365 days of recipes, crafts, gardening tips, remedies, and more, this special volume is a personal calendar of the legends and lore of herbs and also features brand-new essays from the author, clues from China's mysteries, and some special contributions by the irrepressible members of the Myra Merryweather Herb Guild, Pecan Springs's oldest civic organization.

Thousands of miles from home, Grant Christina, Mimi, and Papa look out the window of their airplane at the winding-snake wall _ endless as far as they can see. When Grant finds a treasure map in the seat pocket, the mystery begins. The treasure hunt takes Grant, Christina and their Chinese pen pals on a wild ride in a rickshaw, to the land of the Forbidden City, and face-to-face with a dragon! X marks the spot but where is X? As the kids try to solve the puzzle, they come to across fortune cookies with clues and warnings (yikes!), dragons with menacing messages, fantastic fireworks, and a ñflowerpotî army! Can they beat the bad guy to the treasure?? The race is on! This mystery incorporates history, geography, culture and cliffhanger chapters that keep kids begging for more! This mystery includes SAT words, educational facts, fun and humor. This Carole Marsh Mystery also has an Accelerated Reader quiz, a Lexile Level, a Fountas & Pinnell guided reading level and Developmental Reading Assessment. LOOK whatÕs inside this mystery - people, places, history and more! Places: The Forbidden City - Nine Dragon Screen - Hong Kong Express Restaurant. Places in Hong Kong: Hong Kong Airport - Victoria Peak - Kowloon - The Great Wall - TianÕan Men Square - Palace of Earthly Tranquility - Hall of Imperial Peace - Victoria Harbor - Tibet - Mt. Everest - Moscow, Russia - Macau - New Territories, Hong Kong Educational Items: Chinese history - Chinese Food -Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) - Chinese dragons - History of the Forbidden City - History of the Terracotta Army - Funicular railway - Victoria Peak history - GovernorÕs Walk - Jade facts - The Escalator - Carriageway and Watch Tower on Great Wall of China - Air China - China as trade partner - Confucius - Chinese geography - Pandas - Fortune cookies - Bactrian camels - How Chinese is read - Pinyin (simple form of Chinese writing) - Dynasties - Chinese inventions - Chinese book printing - Book shipping process - Star ferry - Limestone People: Bob ScottÕs trip across the Great Wall - Marco Polo Below is the Reading Levels Guide for this book: Grade Levels: 3-6 Accelerated Reader Reading Level: 4.7 Accelerated Reader Points: 2 Accelerated Reader Quiz Number: 111602 Lexile Measure: 710 Fountas & Pinnell Guided Reading Level: Q Developmental Assessment Level: 40