THE IMPORTANCE OF UNDERSTANDING

A wide selection of passages from books which ""have inspired or delighted me and are memorable for some reason or other"" opens many doors to Chinese literature in these translations. Mr. Lin has chosen material that ""informs the mind and cools the understanding"" and has used individual prefaces and notes to identify, place and describe the scholars, writers and poets included. There are 15 sections so that for random reading you can wander from art and literature to the home and daily living, to ancient wit, after tea and wine, fools to this world, or on to Zen, wisdom or epigrams and proverbs. Life, love and death, the seasons, women, nature are other subjects discussed and throughout there is an accent on Chinese philosophy and thought which makes a bridge for greater comprehension. From classic to modern, these translations mirror Mr. Lin's excellent taste and contagious enthusiasm and should contribute greatly to the enjoyment of those whose interests are in this province -- and persuade those who know no other name than Confucious as a Chinese writer.