The Search for a Vanishing Beijing: A Guide to China's Capital Through the Ages - Softcover

Aldrich, M A

Softcover

ISBN 10: 9622099394 ISBN 13: 9789622099395

Publisher: Hong Kong University Press, 2008

Synopsis

The book weaves the genres of travel essays and travel guides into a comprehensive narrative about the cultural mosaic of the capital of China. The author leads the reader through palaces, temples, back streets and markets whilebringing back to living memory forgotten or overlooked Peking customs, stories and beliefs.

About this title

Review

"Like an old friend who knows Beijing inside and out, Aldrich takes the reader by the arm as they discover the city together. By weaving history, legend and humor, the author portrays, with a sure hand, the rich tapestry of Peking. In doing so, the histor

"The stories are what make the book a compelling read, regardless of whether or not you actually make it to the sites he is describing. Some are fact, some are myth, and many span the grey divide between the two." --Rebecca Kanthor, Far Eastern Economic Re

"Buy this book and use it as you revisit the major sights again and again. In between times, take in some of the less familiar sights, the bizarre and beautiful corners that still remain in this city of a thousand pneumatic drills. You could not have a be

"To me (a Chinese), it is Aldrich's open-mindedness--his awareness and acceptance that his values are not universal--that makes his book a delight to read. I take pleasure not only looking at the Old Beijing he so vividly protrays, but, also, in looking at

"Beijing is like the most interesting girlfriend you never had--rich, beautiful, and highly cultured but very, very difficult to understand and requiring a lot of time and thought. Michael Aldrich has produced by far the best crack at intepreting the city

Synopsis

"The Search for a Vanishing Beijing" weaves the genres of travel essays and travel guides into a comprehensive narrative about the cultural mosaic of the capital of China. The author leads the reader through palaces, temples, back streets and markets while bringing back to living memory forgotten or overlooked Peking customs, stories and beliefs.The text touches on everything under the sun as the reader walks from Tian An Men Square through the surrounding neighborhoods and further to sights in rustic settings. The narrative relates stories about imperial customs, street food, temple festivals, historic trees, Red Guard struggle sessions, Tibetan and Mongolian customs, hiking trails, political clashes, residences of famous Chinese and foreigners, ghosts, prisons, classical Chinese poetry, ice-skating, espionage, burial customs, old and new embassy districts, courtesans, restaurants and (even) Chinese liquor. Interspersed throughout the book are stories told by such diverse sources as Marco Polo and Bernard Shaw as well as 20th century Sinophiles like Juliet Bredon, George Kates and David Kidd.

Commentary from Ming and Qing era travel guides are brought out for a Chinese perspective on celebrated locations in the city.

About this edition

• Publisher: Hong Kong University Press
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 9622099394
• ISBN 13: 9789622099395
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 422