Praise for the book on Chinese characters
Good News!
I’m happy to share that my book Chinese Characters: An Easy Learning Based on Their Etymology and Evolution has been selected by BookAuthority.org as one of The Best Etymology Books for Beginners! BookAuthority promotes some titles with the motto: “Start your journey with the best etymology books for beginners, recommended by leaders, experts, and readers worldwide.”
What makes this especially meaningful for me is that the book was originally published on Amazon’s self-publishing platform as a provisional edition, while I searched (in theory) for the time and energy to reach out to publishers and literary agents.
That was over two years ago.
That shows that I’m much more enthusiastic about researching and writing than pitching to publishers, I haven’t even started compiling a list of potential publishers or agents who might be interested in this project.
So, as I add this task (once again) to my 2025 to-do list, I’d like to celebrate this small milestone by sharing a page from the book along with this post.
About me: I have spent 30 years in China, much of the time traveling and studying this country’s culture. My most popular research focuses on Chinese characters (Chinese Characters: An Easy Learning Method Based on Their Etymology and Evolution), Matriarchy in China (there is a book with this title), and minority cultures (The Naxi of Southwest China). Yo can see my mis videos in Youtube, and more pictures about China in Instagram (pedroyunnan).
In travel, I have specialized in Yunnan, Tibet, the Silk Road, and other lesser-known places. Feel free to write to me if you’re planning a trip to China. The agency I collaborate with offers excellent service at an unbeatable price. You’ll find my email below.
Last posts
Chinese character 吹 chuī – cook
Chinese character 吹 chuī – cook ① cookHSK - STROKES - 8 RADICAL - 火 Elements ---- An open mouth 欠 + a fire 火 . Phonetic series 欠. To blow 吹 (chuī phonetic) to the fire 火 to stir it up and start cooking.炊具 chuījù cooking utensils.More posts on Chinese...
Chinese character 吹 chuī – blow, play (wind inst.)
chinese character 吹 chuī – blow, play (wind inst.) ① blow ② play (wind instruments) ③ boast, brag HSK - STROKES - 4 RADICAL - 口Elements ---- An open mouth 欠 + a mouth 口. Phonetic series 欠. An open mouth 欠 expels air 口, blowing, playing a wind instrument, or...
Chinese character 欠 qiàn – lack, owe
chinese character欠 qiàn – lack, owe ① lack, owe ② short of, lacking. ③ lean forwad HSK - STROKES - 4 RADICAL - 欠Elements ---- Pictogram of a person with the mouth open. Phonetic series 欠. The upper part evolved from the pictogram of an open mouth. A person人with an...
Chinese character 坎 kǎn – pit, hole
Chinese character 坎 kǎn – pit, hole 1. pit, hole 2. bank (of river) 3 ridge HSK - STROKES - 7 RADICAL - 土Elements ---- Open mouth 欠 + earth 土. Phonetic series 欠. A pictogram of a hole in the earth: the place lacking 欠 earth 土.垄坎 lǒngkǎn ridge between fields.In OBC...
Introducing the Dong nationality
The Dong are one of the minorities of China with a large population. According to the census of the year 2000 their population was 3,000,000 people. They live mainly in Guizhou Province (approximately 1,800,000 people), along a fringe of flat lands that cross the...
The Dai of Dehong Prefecture
Santasombat, Yos. Lak Chang: A Reconstruction of Tai Identity in Daikong. Canberra, AUS: Pandanus Books, 2001. p 1. (Introduction) The Tai ethnic group, in its different branches, is beyond any doubt one of the most widespread of any ethnic group in the Southeast...