Chinese Symbols and Icons - Read About China Series (Intermediate)

In Western countries, creatures such as dragons and bats are seen as signs of evil. However, in China, they are associated with prosperity and fortune. This fascinating set of 12 essays includes the importance of auspicious animals, the influence of Taichi, the important roles of deities, and much more. These readings enable the student to possess a solid grasp of the important symbols and cultural icons in the shaping of the Chinese society. Characters and symbols reflect the philosophy behind a culture. This book uses succinct Chinese text to introduce the meaning of 12 common symbols. Symbols and icons like Dragon, Phoenix, the Taichi symbol, double happiness 喜喜, Chinese knotting and the door gods will allow readers to have a deeper understanding of the Chinese culture, alongside the life and philosophy of Chinese people. Our main diction and vocabulary are based on the HSK. This book belongs to the intermediate level of our Read about China series, equivalent to the intermediate level of HSK and suitable for people who are preparing for the AP Chinese examination. - Every story starts with some brief questions, which challenge your curiosity so that after reading the story you will feel a deeper impact. - Each story is divided into short paragraphs making reading and comprehension of the content easier. - To facilitate understanding of the content, Hanyu Pinyin (romanised Chinese), English translation and explanation of vocabulary are attached. - More background of the stories have been included in Expansion Reading. - Mind challenging games are included as well.