Moment in Peking (English Edition by Lin Yutang)

Title: Moment in Peking (English Edition by Lin Yutang)

Author: Lin Yutang

ISBN: 9787560081342

Language: English

Publishing Date: 2009-03

Publisher: Foreign Language Teaching & Researching Press

Cover: P   Page: 951     Format: 32mo    Weight: 1.15kg

Introduction:

Moment in Peking is a historical novel originally written in English by the Chinese American author Lin Yutang. The novel covers the turbulent events in China from 1900 to 1938, including the Boxer Uprising, the Republican Revolution of 1911, the Warlord Era, the rise of nationalism and communism, and the origins of the Sino-Japanese War of 1937-1945.

The author tries not to be overly judgmental of the characters because he recognizes that too many issues were involved in the chaotic years of the early twentieth century China. There are no absolutely right or wrong characters. Each character held a piece of truth and reality and a piece of irrationality. In the preface, Lin writes that "[This novel] is merely a story of... how certain habits of living and ways of thinking are formed and how, above all, [men and women] adjust themselves to the circumstances in this earthly life where men strive but gods rule."

Content:

foreword
preface　
book one the daughters of a taoist
book two tragedy in the garden
book three the song of autumn
the characters
some chinese terms of address
wade-giles to pinyin conversion table
works of english by lin yutang