This work provides an informative guide to the roots of modern China. It also looks at the key challenges and opportunities that face China in the 21st century.
In this accessible guide, readers will find unmatched expert analysis of the volatile situation in North Korea, along with answers to frequently asked questions. Covered topics include: ¬ North Korea's geography, people, industry, political systems, and government ¬ The history of the country, from myths to kingdoms, including Japan's colonial rule and its effects ¬ The dictator, Kim Jong Il, and his father, Kim Il Sung ¬ The possibility of reunification with South Korea ¬ Options for international involvement
One of the most complete and easy-to-understand book on classical Feng Shui, this revision includes coverage of the next level of a method of classical feng shui called Flying Start. Photographs and floorplans are included.
You’re no idiot, of course. You know Taoism is one of the world’s oldest religions, based on simplicity and balance. However, you may not know it has important parallels with modern Western life: health, ecology, even in such pop culture icons as Luke Skywalker and the Beatles. But you don’t have to sit at the feet of a Taoist master to learn how the Taoist tradition has enlightened seekers throughout the centuries! The Complete Idiot’s Guide® to Taoism will show you exactly why Taoist principles appeal to people from every walk of life! In this Complete Idiot’s Guide®, you get: • The history of the Daode Jing, the world’s shortest core religious text, and Laozi, its mysterious author. • The teachings of Zhuangzi, the often-overlooked master sage of Taoism. • An explanation of yin-yang and what it represents. • Taoism’s relationship to Zen Buddhism.
Learn the origins of various martial arts, how to select the best style, and discover the keys to achieving a balance between physical, spiritual, and mental training. 70+ photos.
• Fascinating, fact-filled writing that delivers hundreds of years in the life of the European continent • Terrific supplementary reading for AP History students
T ai Chi is a 2,000-year-old Chinese martial art that, according to ABC News, is taking America by storm. It is the most popular form of exercise in the world today, practiced by an estimated 20 percent of the world s population. With its unique ability to heal on many different levels - physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually - T ai Chi has demonstrated its health benefits by being linked with everything from slowing the aging process and increasing balance and flexibility to lowering stress levels and enhancing the body s natural healing powers. The Complete Idiot s Guide to T ai Chi & QiGong Illustrated, Third Edition, will add to what is already the most comprehensive and illustrative book on the subject by being the first to offer a DVD complementing the 300 illustrations in the book by demonstrating a complete T ai Chi exercise consisting of 64 groups of movements.
While Americans are generally aware of China's ambitions as a global economic and military superpower, few understand just how deeply and assertively that country has already sought to influence American society. As the authors of this volume write, it is time for a wake-up call. In documenting the extent of Beijing's expanding influence operations inside the United States, they aim to raise awareness of China's efforts to penetrate and sway a range of American institutions: state and local governments, academic institutions, think tanks, media, and businesses. And they highlight other aspects of the propagandistic “discourse war” waged by the Chinese government and Communist Party leaders that are less expected and more alarming, such as their view of Chinese Americans as members of a worldwide Chinese diaspora that owes undefined allegiance to the so-called Motherland.Featuring ideas and policy proposals from leading China specialists, China's Influence and American Interests argues that a successful future relationship requires a rebalancing toward greater transparency, reciprocity, and fairness. Throughout, the authors also strongly state the importance of avoiding casting aspersions on Chinese and on Chinese Americans, who constitute a vital portion of American society. But if the United States is to fare well in this increasingly adversarial relationship with China, Americans must have a far better sense of that country's ambitions and methods than they do now.
The definitive guide to understanding Taoism—no matter your background or faith Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching is the second most translated book in the world, and the practice of religious Taoism is on the rise in China, where adherents currently number in the hundreds of millions. Yet there remains a remarkable lack of reliable information about Taoism for curious westerners. Taoism For Dummies provides comprehensive coverage of Taoism's origins in China's Chou Dynasty, its underlying quietist principles, its emergence as a major religion, various interpretation of its core texts, including both Eastern and Western interpretations, key Taoist concepts, and much more. It also provides a fascinating glimpse of Taoism in contemporary China. The ideal guide for readers interested in this influential religion, as well as those taking an introductory course on Taoism or Chinese Religion A valuable source of insight for those with an interest in modern Chinese culture and beliefs
A guide to the ancient Chinese oracle provides a modern interpretation of the sixty-four hexagrams and includes step-by-step instructions for casting using the three-coin and yarrow stalk methods.