Showing titles in Chinese Languages

These four tales are based on very old stories collected and retold by Lin Yutang in Famous Chinese Short Stories, originally published in 1948. Lin wrote dozens of books in Chinese and English, and has been recognized for his witty and warm style of writing, and for bringing Chinese culture to an English-speaking audience. We have selected four of his best stories for inclusion in this book, and have retold them to appeal to modern listeners and use a limited vocabulary of just 700 different Chinese words.

These six wonderful folk tales are based on stories told by Norman Hinsdale Pitman in A Chinese Wonder Book, originally published in 1918. Pitman collected and published several collections of folk tales and other Chinese books. We have taken the liberty of retelling all six stories to be appropriate for a modern audience, and to use a limited vocabulary, most of which are in the standard 1200-word HSK4 vocabulary.

Folk tales are immensely popular in China. Passed down orally over the centuries from grandparents and parents to children, they serve as an unwritten handbook for living in society. Within every Chinese folk tale is an underlying moral message derived from one of the three major schools of spiritual thought–Daoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism.

Chinespeak 60 contains 6 topics—from greetings to talking about likings—and each topic has 10 sentences that you'll hear twice. To optimize your learning experience, each sentence is read twice: once at normal speed, and once as a slow repetition, so that you can carefully discern and replicate the pronunciation. Perfect for those wanting to practice their tones. To add to this, an English translation of every sentence is also available for you to check your understanding and grammar.

「 中国語は難しい」「私には無理」最初は誰だってそう感じるのが普通です。でも安心してください。３ヵ月程度で中国語のリズムや音に慣れ、中国語を聞くのが心地よくなってきます。こうなればもうこっちのもの。

Chunyu Yi has five daughters. However, the absence of a son always makes his heart sink. To his surprise, when he is in trouble, Tiying, his youngest daughter, bravely steps forward to help.

In ancient Chinese mythology, Nüwa was the goddess who created the universe. She was half woman and half snake. Legend claimed that she created human by kneading clay into her image. One day, heaven collapsed, the earth cracked and a flood occurred. A Black Dragon Demon devoured humans as they appeared and they were confronted with an unprecedented catastrophe. How would Nüwa help the humans? Would she defeat the Black Dragon Demon? Please listen to the story of Nüwa to find out.

Long, long ago, people didn't know how to distinguish which plants were edible and which were not. Many suffered poisoning from eating the wrong food. Shennong, the chieftain of a tribe, decided to solve this problem.

A villager named Li Er found his cow’s tongue was mysteriously cut. He then reported his case to Bao Zheng. The judge used a clever way to find out the truth….

This book invites you on a fascinating journey through timeless Chinese idioms that hold immense practicality in our everyday lives. Spanning a diverse range of themes such as strategic thinking, effective communication, meaningful relationships, the art of learning, emotional wellbeing, and the pursuit of achievement and success, these idioms resonate deeply in our modern existence, transcending cultural boundaries to offer universal wisdom.

Monkey King, Pig, and Sandy escort Master Xuanzang on an epic quest to obtain Buddhist scriptures. On their journey, they vanquish monsters and demons, punishing the wicked to elevate the virtuous. After experiencing 81 tribulations, they eventually succeed in their mission in heroic fashion.

Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo wants to marry Princess Wencheng of the Tang, so he sends his clever envoy, who travels all the way from Tibet to propose before the Tang emperor.

Two imperial concubines become pregnant. The emperor tells them that whoever gives birth to a boy first will be the queen. No one expected the emperor’s offer to embroil the palace in the gory intrigue that follows....

The first emperor of the Qin Dynasty was also China’s very first emperor. Although he is revered in Chinese history for unifying the country, he had a miserable childhood. What did he achieve that made him a remarkable statesman? What is his political legacy that continues to have a profound influence on China to this day? This story unveils an important chapter in Chinese history: the making of the first emperor.

Considered encyclopedic due to its detailed descriptions of upper class life in the 18th century Qing Dynasty China, this masterpiece is one of China's four great classical novels, and it vividly narrates the rise and fall of the aristocratic Jia family. An exceptionally large cast of major characters—such as Jia Baoyu, Lin Daiyu, Xue Baochai, and Wang Xifeng—are depicted in a way that is at once vivid and cutting. Their stories of joy, sorrow, love, and hatred are universally known throughout China.

Learn Chinese While You Sleep is an innovative method where passive study is paired with repeated vocabulary to enhance your learning experience. There are no difficult exercises or forced memorization. Simply listen, enjoy, and repeat!

You may have seen a bird holding branches in its beak in order to build its nest, but have you ever seen a bird picking up pebbles to throw into a vast expanse of water? There was indeed such a bird in ancient China.

How did people weigh an elephant in ancient China? A young child came up with a brilliant solution.

By Hangzhou’s picturesque West Lake lived a young man named Xu Xian. He fell in love with Bai Suzhen, a beautiful and kindhearted young lady. The two of them lived happily together, until Fahai, an evil monk, discovered Bai’s secret and tried to separate them by taking Xu away forcibly. To get Xu back, Bai fought against Fahai and summoned a flood using her magic powers.... Would Bai Suzhen succeed against Fahai?

The Chinese New Year’s Eve is called Chuxi, meaning “driving away the monster Xi”. There is an amazing legend about it....