Chinese Books

This marvelous bilingual Bible is delight with some cool features.

First, I was expecting a bulky Bible but I was pleasantly surprised that it is about the size of a handy sized Bible. It measures about 7.25 x 5.25 x 1.5. The font is small but not uncomfortable - the font size is similar to that of a Nelson's Compact Text Bible (maybe slightly larger) but there is adaquate spacing between each line so that it makes it comfortable to read. The Chinese characters are a little larger.

There are two columns on each page with the ESV on the inner column and the NCV on the outer column (so the ESV is right in the middle if you open the Bible). Each page also has inlined/printed tab at the edge to indicate the name of the book in both English and Chinese. Each book of the Bible has good introductions in both languages.

A quite adaquate ESV concordance is provided at the back. There are about 18 colored maps, each map is bilingual.

The hard cover binding seem sturdy and it comes with 2 ribbon bookmarks, positioned for the Old Testament and the New Testament.

I bought this to brush up my Chinese characters and I am quite pleased with it.

The New Chinese Version (xinyiben NCV 1992) is a conservative translation, a half way house between the honoured and respected Chinese Union Version [heheben CUV 1919] and the Today's Chinese Version [xiandaiben TCV 1975, mainland edition 1997]. As such the NCV combines the readability of the TCV with the word-for-word literalism of the CUV. That has to be welcomed, but let the reader be aware that the origins of the NCV and the more conservative line in translation show that it is in part a step back from the TCV.

The NCV makes great claims for accuracy, largely at the expense of the TCV which is its only serious competitor - not making any comparison in this review with the Chinese Living Bible [dangdai shengjing 1979]. It's difficult to say whether TCV or NCV is more likely to follow the original Hebrew and Greek in any given verse. As a rule of thumb the NCV is a more faithful translation - such as in the Beatitudes where TCV infamously has "the meek shall inherit what God has promised" and where NCV restores the Matt 5:5 quote of Psalm 37:11 "inherit the earth" found in Greek and CUV. However the TCV is less driven by theological orthodoxy than the NCV, and consequently is less conservative in this sense too.

1. CHRISTOLOGY
When comparing versions, verses with Christological implications show a slight, but perceptible, difference in translation philosophies. For example in 1 Tim 2:5 the CUV inserts "descended as a" [jiang shi wei] in front the "man Christ Jesus" [ren de Jidu Yesu], with three dots under each character to show that it is not in the Greek original. The three dots are the equivalent signal as italics in some verses of the English KJV. In 1 Tim 2:5 the TCV changes "descended as" to "made as" [cheng wei]. But the NCV returns to the CUV reading. These differences should not be exaggerated - all three versions delete Jesus' reference to himself as "a man" in John 8:40 but preserve "man" referring to Jesus in Acts 2:22, 13:38, 17:31, Romans 5:15. In 1 Corinthians 15:47 TCV changes "second man" to "second Adam", the NCV reverts back to CUV and Greek.

The above example leads naturally to the subject, as discussed by Carson in 'The King James Debate', of which version is 'more Trinitarian' in its choice of variant Greek manuscript readings. In Romans 9:5 the CUV adopts the strongest reading "Christ.. he is God over all", the TCV follows a neutral reading "God who is over all be blessed for ever" with two alternatives in the footnotes, the NCV returns to a strong Trinitarian reading. Titus 2:13 and 2 Peter 1:1, the area of Greek scholars' dispute over Granville Sharp's rule, are given both readings in CUV, the TCV gives a choice of footnotes in Titus 2:13 and a neutral reading in 2 Peter 1:1, only the NCV adopts a Trinitarian reading in both verses, with no alternatives noted.

In Romans 15:6 the CUV avoids the neutral reading that God is "the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" but TCV allows it and NCV follows TCV. In 2 Cor.11:31 all 3 versions follow the Greek "God and father of the Lord Jesus".


2. HEBREW
None of the versions is particularly faithful to Hebrew concepts of mortality, or the translation of 'nephesh' as a being rather than the 'soul' inside a being. For example in Genesis 2:7 and Numbers 6:6 different words are adopted for 'living soul' and 'dead soul' in all three Chinese versions. But then this is the case in most English versions too.

In Job 19:26, where the Massoretic Text has "in my flesh I will see God", CUV has "outside my flesh I will see God", TCV has something closer to the Hebrew: "from my body I will see God", NCV restores "outside my flesh I will see God".

A demonstration of the way the NCV is closer to the KJV, Morrison Bible of 1830 and CUV than TCV comes in the way the translators treat one Hebrew word 'ruakh', breath:

Ecc 3:19 CUV "breath", TCV "breath", NCV "breath"
Ecc 3:21 CUV "soul" TCV "soul" NCV "soul or spirit or breath"
Ecc 8:8 CUV "life", TCV "not die", NCV "wind or life"
Ecc 11:5 CUV "wind", TCV "life", NCV "wind",
Ecc 12:7 CUV "spirit", TCV "breath", NCV "spirit"

From these examples it can be seen that the TCV is the least concerned to avoid the implication of mortality in the Old Testament, reminiscent of the English TEV's approach to such verses, while the CUV and NCV translations are more likely to support the concept of an immortal soul.


3. UTILITY
That is probably enough for most readers to gain an impression of where the NCV stands relative to the TCV and CUV. At the moment however it is somewhat academic as the TCV, not the NCV, is the modern version that has been adopted, albeit without much enthusiasm, by the Chinese State churches. It does not have the mantle of the Morrison Bible of 1830 in the way the 1919 CUV does, but at least a modern language version is now available, subsidised by the State, in most State church book kiosks for 14 yuan, i.e. less than two dollars. The NCV, carried in from Hong Kong, is prohibitively expensive compared to the TCV.

However neither TCV nor NCV is likely to make much headway against the CUV until a range of study aids is available. The CUV has a marginal reference version, two full study Bibles, a full concordance [shengjing huibian], a giant four volume commentary, DVDs of Matthew, Luke and Acts, CDs and cassettes of readings. The TCV and NCV have none of these aids.




4. BINDINGS
As regards the NCV-English Standard Version parallel text version reviewed here, there are a variety of sizes, bindings and colours available. The text is also available in simplified mainland script and traditional Hong Kong script:

ISBN 962-8815-14-8 Standard/Traditional/Black/White edge
ISBN 962-8815-15-6 Standard/Traditional/Black/Gold edge/Leather
ISBN 962-8815-20-2 Compact/Traditional/Black/White edge
ISBN 962-8815-21-0 Compact/Traditional/Black/Gold edge/Zipper
ISBN 962-8815-22-9 Compact/Traditional/Navy/White edge
ISBN 962-8815-23-7 Compact/Traditional/Navy/Silver edge/Zipper
ISBN 962-8815-16-4 Compact/Simplified/Black/White edge
ISBN 962-8815-17-2 Compact/Simplified/Black/Gold edge/Zipper
ISBN 962-8815-18-0 Compact/Simplified/Navy/White edge
ISBN 962-8815-19-9 Compact/Simplified/Navy/Silver edge/Zipper
* The "white edge" editions are hardback, the zipper leather.

It goes without saying that whenever ordering any Bible be careful with ISBN and ASIN numbers to be sure you are getting the version you want.

The compact parallel text version ISBN 962-8815-17-2 has no references whatsoever - not in English or Chinese - to NT quotes of OT verses, but does have a Chinese introduction and synopsis to each book, as well as very brief English introduction, and a partial English concordance at the back. There is a history chart from Eden to Patmos in Chinese, and 18 colour bilingual maps. The ESV concordance has 2,700 headwords and 14,500 verse references. Unfortunately I cannot comment on whether the Standard size version has a different concordance or better notes. It definitely has larger print.


I hope this review has been of some use to purchasers. Both TCV and NCV are a considerable improvement in readability over the CUV and to be welcomed with open arms and five stars.

I'm not Chinese, nor do I read or understand it, but the friend I got this Bible for was very pleased with it. It's flows in both languages from page-to-page; so whatever part of the Bible you're reading, you get the story in both languages simultaneously.
It's a nice size- not to large but not too small either. My friend commented that whilst the print isn't illegible, it's quite small and takes a bit of time to get used to reading. Once your eyes have adjusted to the print, it's not a probelm. Apart from that- everything else about the Bible is fine.
I am very happy with the purchase- well worth the price (even with the shipping charges added, it's a lot cheaper than those available at high-street Christian bookstores, I might add).
I can only pray that through reading his own personal Bible and his continued curiosity about the Christian faith, my friend will come to the saving knowledge of Jesus :-)

I've used this in paperback form for over 12 years, and have not been disappointed with how tasty the recipes have turned out.

Easy, tasty recipes, and with some styling, they can look almost as nice as the pictures!

Great price (often under $2 at Amazon or even at garage sales etc), a pretty color photo of each dish...it just doesn't get better.

I've given these out as gifts to friends, who have been happy, can't beat that for a gift.

I've used many recipes in this cookbook, and I have yet to find one that isn't incredibly tasty. There's a good glossary for many of the ingredients in the front, and I don't have any difficulty finding things in my market. When I want to try something new, I am confident I can open any page in this cookbook, pick a recipe, cook it and likely have my taste buds singing for a couple of days.

We have enjoyed almost every recipe we have tried from this cookbook and I love the fact that it includes seafood. Lots of pictures. Try the crab stuffed shrimp...yum!

This book, though short, provides a remarkably detailed survey of the Chinese dragon as represented in the art of his native land. Beginning with an overview of early dragon representations and possible sources of inspiration, Mr. Bates' book goes to considerable effort to describe the many variant images and beliefs that may be found regarding dragons throughout China. I have a hard time finding the kind of information brought together here - dragons in architecture, dragons as represented on dragon robes, the beings and images popularly represented as sons of the dragon - anywhere other than highly specialized scholarly tomes. Finding as much as Mr. Bates has put forth in Chinese Dragons in such an accessible volume is a remarkably pleasant surprise. The twenty-four colour plates are just about worth the price of admission all by themselves. The author clearly knows and loves his subject.

For many centuries that the dragon has been the symbol of China, and has been considered as immortal and omnipresent ever since ancient times. It has belonged to the people, and it has also been the symbol of monarchy and supreme power. The dragon was a mythical beast. It was a concept. But most Chinese people, indeed most Asian people, were convinced that it existed. There are many occasions when there were claims that it had been seen, even as recently as 1920. No other creature in the world could have produced such a far-reaching influence on the mind of man.

Unlike the European dragon, it was considered a beneficent beast, until the Buddhists introduced the concept of evil dragons. Yet the basic belief was always that it had noble spiritual qualities that were unconquerable.

This book has been written by an author who has lived for many years in China researching into its history. It is in an easy-to-read style and is dedicated to the dragon and its many offshoots and variations. The pictures are delightful. It gives details of what a dragon was, where it was used, and what it was called. The reader will become more acquainted with the dragon, and will gain a greater understanding of this magnificent beast. It will interest and please the serious student and the enthusiastic Chinaphile alike.

It would make a perfect Christmas present.

This is a fascinating book, and I concur with the other reviewers. It is erudite, authoratative, and written in an easy-to-read style. The pictures are a delight.
It would make a perfect gift for anyone who has been to China or wants to go there,

This is a very informative book with a wide range of information involving Traditional Chinese Medicine. Dr Gao, although I have never met him, obviously works tirelessly on the behalf of those in need of healing all over the world. I say that, because though Dr Gao is in the UK and I am in the US, he is sending me and my partner his all natural Chinese herbal anti-viral pills (known to reverse the effects of HIV disease) all at his own expense.... Two boxes of 25 bottles each every month... Because he knows, or at least trusts when we say, that we cannot afford treatment otherwise. Insurance only backs up the fat cats in big pharma.

Though the true cause of AIDS has yet to be found and it is highly doubtful that "HIV" is the cause (see: http://www.helpforhiv.com), there IS something going on with a large number of persons autoimmune systems. For those of us who have done our research and realize that modern medicine, for the most part, offers harmful toxic pharmaceuticals that can be worse than the "disease" itself to treat illness, Dr Gao is a God-send. His pills have zero negative side-effects.

We stopped taking all pharmaceutical drugs nearly a year ago, but like many we have been in the system for a long time (since '93 myself) and are still bothered by the "numbers game" of blood tests. And the "voodoo" affect can be very powerful. Especially when you have doctors warning you of impending death if you do not follow their advice and take their drugs.

Being that I am not a medical doctor, nor am I a virologist, biologist or any kind of scientist (with the exception of being a metaphysical scientist) nor do I have the time to learn enough technical information to actually KNOW the truth about this, I take precautions. It's really hard to know who to trust these days.

Dr Gao and Chinese Medicine, along with other healing modalities like Reiki, have been our answer and this has led us to discover a whole new wonderful world of natural medicine including herbology and proper nutrition, sunshine, fresh air, exercise and rest and meditation.

There ARE cures out there, but the modern medical cabal calling themselves the AMA, backed by the FDA and pharmaceutical companies do NOT want you to know about them... they would stand to lose millions as natural remedies... those medicines created by our Mother Earth and through the Spirit.... cannot be patented by man an made into cash cows. Remedies are available to everyone but you must be willing to look and do some research because GREED runs rampant in every area of life. Even in some of the so-called natural healing areas.

There is a place for modern medicine, especially in emergencies, but prevention and the natural ways of Mother Nature are far more effective in the long run.

Check out Dr Gao's book and if you have been diagnosed HIV positive or with AIDS are and unwilling (or unable) to take the pharmaceuticals offered today, visit http://www.hivsupport.co.uk/new_treatment.html for more information and please pay them if you can so that they be able to continue their work of improving this life saving and all natural herbal remedy.

Check my profile and visit my website for more info.

Since 3000 b.C., Chinese medicine has been taken into account all the mental, spiritual and physical aspects of patients in order to treat the root causes of their illness and not the symptoms. This book shows how Chinese medicine tries to establish harmony between body, mind and spirit, balancing the Ying and the Yang, and regulating Qi (the vital energy that flows through our body).

This encyclopedia of Chinese medicine is a practical guide that helps to understand the four main branches of Chinese medicine:
- Herbal medicine.
- Nutrition cures.
- Acupuncture.
- Acupressure.

This practical guide is fully illustrated with full color pictures and quick reference tables. The book is useful for all family members: children, pregnant women, and seniors. The text emphasizes on preventive medicine, which is one of the fundamental aspects of Chinese medicine.

Since 3000 b.C., Chinese medicine has been taken into account all the mental, spiritual and physical aspects of patients in order to treat the root causes of their illness and not the symptoms. This book shows how Chinese medicine tries to establish harmony between body, mind and spirit, balancing the Ying and the Yang, and regulating Qi (the vital energy that flows through our body).

This encyclopedia of Chinese medicine is a practical guide that helps to understand the four main branches of Chinese medicine:
- Herbal medicine.
- Nutrition cures.
- Acupuncture.
- Acupressure.

This practical guide is fully illustrated with full color pictures and quick reference tables. The book is useful for all family members: children, pregnant women, and seniors. The text emphasizes on preventive medicine, which is one of the fundamental aspects of Chinese medicine. The book is edited by Dr. Duo Gao, one of the foremost international authorities on the art and science of Chinese medicine.

The encyclopedia of Chinese medicine covers the following topics:
- An introduction to the history an philosophy of Chinese medicine.
- Root Causes of medical disorders and health problems, and they are treated.
- Herbal therapies.
- Qi Gong.
- A full chapter on Acupuncture.
- A full chapter on Acupressure.
- A list of contact and resources on this field.

Just about every recipe I've tried in here has turned out delicious! Highly recommended!

This book is the best chinese cookery book on the market. It is not only beautifully illustrated, but the recipes are really authentic

This book will be passed down through the years in my family . It is a one of a kind gem . Good work Mr. Mark

This is a wonderful sourcebook on Chinese medicine for professionals and lay readers alike. Its user-friendly format, generous use of pictures and illustrations, and detailed informative descriptions make this book an invaluable resource.

I am thrilled to find a chinese herb book that an informed lay person can read and understand easily and confidently. Ms. Kelly-Brennan is to be complimented on bringing the science of chinese herbs to students and lay people in an attractive and inviting manner with excellent photographs of each herb.

A wonderful wonderful book. Fun and informative. I am an older retired woman who takes home all these roots, berries and lawn clippings from my accupuncturist, and now I can look each one up to see how it works and figure out why I am taking it. The photos are great and easy to match up with the real thing.

The book that I am using is actually different book(its ISBN is 957-630-463-6). However it is almost the same book. It is written by the same auther. It is for one who has little time and experience in cooking too. It was a gift from my friend in my first year I came to USA. Yes, I am a chinese foreign student. By this book, I can make delicious Chinese dishes now. :) All in one, I can not agree with the first review any more. It is the book as its name says!

This cookbook isn't just for the Chinese graduate student. The same things that make this a great cookbook for the time-starved foreign student living in the United States also make it a great guide for the time-starved American with a taste for authentic Chinese food.

"Chinese Home Cooking Made Easy" contains the basic ingredients of a great cookbook: (1) easy to follow directions; (2) relatively easy cooking techniques; and (3) beautiful color photographs of the final product to get you motivated. In addition, the dishes really are "home style" in the sense that each dish requires relatively few ingredients and focuses on a tried-and-true combination of flavors and textures.

Although some may say that not all of the dishes are completely "authentic," these are not recipes for sweet and sour pork. Some of the ingredients are modified to take into consideration what is available in an American grocery store (i.e., English muffins instead of steamed buns, smoked Polish sausage instead of dry-cured Chinese sausage, etc.), and emphasis is placed on microwaving, baking and slow-cook stewing (i.e., the quick, and the easy). Nonetheless, the results are very similar to what you might find served in a Taiwanese home where Mom is a pretty good cook. However, despite the focus on easily available ingredients, many of the best dishes might still require a trip to a local Asian grocery for such basic ingredients as hot bean sauce and Szechwan peppercorns. Fortunately, today almost every American town has one.

This is one of my favorite cookbooks, of all cooking styles.

I am a Chinese-American who has lived in the United States for more than thirty years. When I saw this comprehensive English/Chinese cookbook, my immediate thought was that someone should've published it thirty years ago. The book targets the students and new immigrants who have little culinary skill, no place to find authentic Asian ingredients and no time to cook. When all your energy is spent studying, the last thing you want to do is to spend a lot of time shopping and cooking when you crave for Chinese food. This book will help you gain the confidence that it really doesn't take a long time or a lot of skills to make tasty authentic Chinese dishes.

The major feature of this book is the short story at the beginning of each recipe. The author introduces the decidedly Western ingredients in the recipe, their characteristics and flavor, and the tips for selecting them or tells a story of the origin of the recipe or gives an interesting tidbit of American culture. These stories are full of experience and inspiration, and they are not just for students and new immigrants.

I must also say that although some of the recipes are not authentic Chinese, it is one of the more flipped through cookbooks in my household. We have children with American stomach and older folks with Chinese taste buds. With the recipes in this book, dinnertime becomes quiet and pleasant. Stir-fried corn with Smoked Sausage, Pork Ribs with Scallions and Sauce for Cold Noodles are just a few dishes that please both the Westernized taste buds of the kids and the die-hard Chinese taste buds of the adults.

Additional special features explain the essential cooking equipment, detail cooking methods and cutting techniques, and list the ingredients used in this book which can be found easily in any local supermarkets.

And best of all, there is something rarely found in any Chinese cookbooks in the back of the book - an INDEX! It makes this book quite comprehensive. Even for experienced cooks, this book still has a lot to offers and for culinary beginners, this book should lead them well down the cooking road and make their cooking experience a pleasant one.

The tradition of Chinese imperial cities is one of the longest and best-documented traditions of preindustrial urbanism. Steinhardt identifies the principles that structured traditional Chinese city planning, construction, and use. The book is well written with many good plans and illustrations. A major contribution to urban history.

A classic book -- the paperback version is less intimidating (much lighter in weight and also cheaper in price) than the hardback, so this is a must-have for those interested in Chinese historical studies.

Chinese Imperial City Planning is an excellent historical account of the spatial development of China's ancient cities. Extremely well researched, Steinhardt does a nice job of chronicling the impacts each empire had on urban form in China.

As a scholar interested in Japanese and other East Asian cities, the author's chapter discussing China's historical legacy to urban form in Ancient Japan, was especially interesting. This chapter clearly illustrates how necessary the study of Chinese cities is to the understanding of other Asian cities. It also demonstrates the care Steinhardt took in her research.

I recommend this book to anyone interested in the historical origins of urban planning and spatial form in China and Japan.

I loved this read because it contains a very comprehensive picture of chinese medicine theory. It covers in a simple and easy to understand manner the Law of the Five Elements, the Five Devils, and The Five Destructive Emotions. After establishing the theory it teaches you how to make an assesment of a person's particular condition and which techniques can be used to help him/her. The photos are great and the diagrams are very useful.

I used this book to help me study for the non-western portion of the National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork. It provided me with a lot of information and interesting knowledge on the subject. However, I also used the following which is on amazon.com:
The Ultimate Study Guide for the National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork: Key Review Questions and Answers Vol 1, Vol 2, Vol 3
Author: Patrick Leonardi
The last three books was so on target with the type of questions asked on the National certification examination. I passed the first time with the help of these four books.

I am a practitioner and teacher of Tui Na massage, and Qi Gong exercise enthusiast. Having read most of the popular books on the subject of Tui Na, and studying from various masters, I can say that Sarah Pritchard's "Chinese Massage Manual" is a very well-written and clearly organized introduction to any beginning student or casual reader. I use this book as a textbook for classes I teach at two San Diego massage schools.

I'm pleased I took a chance on this book. The writing and organization made it easy for me to grasp the concepts and helped me see my weight and body in a new way. Aiyana was never condescending or negative. Every question I had was answered in the book and she addressed things I hadn't even thought of. The book wasn't a reworking of the same things I've read about for years. The author gave fresh insights and new information.

At last, a comprehensive, no-nonsense approach to weight management. Written by an acupunturist, this book not only approaches weight management from a chinese medicine perspective, but incorporates western medicine as well. The author takes into consideration the fact that acupunture patients are most familiar with western medicine and her approach to the subject of weight management uses the approaches of chinese medicine in a way that is extremely compatible with the patients treated by acupuncturists in the US and western countries. Written for the practioner, it neverthelss contains invaluable information for anyone seeking an approach to weight management, nutrition, general health and well being.

This book is very well researched and yet does NOT come off as a dry boring read. On the contrary, it is very accessible and well thought out. The epidemic of obesity in this country is appalling and it is wonderful that there has now been a body of information compiled to help those of us in Chinese Medicine help our patients overcome this devastating condition. Another nice feature is that it truly is an integrative approach, incorporating the most recent findings in Western medicine as well as recent acupuncture research. There is information that would be useful to give to patients directly as well as more clinical research that will be helpful in treatment planning - whether it be from a TCM, Five Element, or Western background. I definitely recommend this book.