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
Splendor of Xian in the Tang Dynasty
The splendor of Xian in the Tang Dynasty Every visitor to the city of Xian has heard that the city reached its peak of splendor during the Tang dynasty, but given that today only the Great Goose Pagoda, the Small Goose Pagoda, and some performances inspired by the...
The heroine of the Li family – A Chinese tale
The heroine of the Li family The humid lowlands north of Mount Yong were once occupied by a gigantic python about three feet thick and 70 or 80 feet long. Its presence scared away the natives from the vicinity and caused unexpected deaths among local functionaries....
The hound as go between – A Chinese mysterious tale
The hound as go-between - A Chinese mysterious tale During the Han dynasty, Huang Yuan of the principality of Taishan opened his gate one morning to find a black hound sitting outside keeping watch, as if it belonged to the house. Huang fastened it to a lead and took...
The Spirits are drunk. Comparative approaches to Chinese religion
Paper, Jordan. The Spirits are drunk. Comparative approaches to Chinese religion. SUNY Press. 1995 This is a completely original book on the religions of China. Instead of following the repetitive mantra of the existence of three religions and describing them more or...
Spirits possession in ancient China
Spirits possession in ancient China. I have just finished reading The Ancestors Are Drunk, a book by Jordan Paper. Perhaps one of the best books on the religion of China that can be found, because with every chapter, almost with every page, he opens new windows,...
Cheng Naishan and the Shanghai aristocratic families
Cheng Naishan. The Blue House. Panda Books. 1989. "Cheng Naishan captivates readers with stories about the present lives of Shanghai capitalists, who have overcome 30 years of political vicissitudes, as well as the lives of their children." So begins the presentation...