Ever wondered what China was like before the "peoples" revolution? Here's an answer by a scholarly writer. This book is now out of print but shouldn't be! Beautifully written, and fully indexed; the best editions were printed in the mid 1930's. These were made so well that if you are fortunate to find one it will still be in good condition, because of the carefull crafting of the binding and covers, and also because of the good paper used.

This book made headlines in America when it came out in the 1930's. For perhaps the first time a Chinese wrote a book in English about China and the Chinese, and the sympathetic reaction of many Americans to China's plight in the struggle against Japan made this book a bestseller. I still think it is a good book. It sets out in language that is still easy to read the Chinese mind, their history, philosophy, characteristics, etc. A good deal of the descriptions are the author's own opinions, inevitably, but it is a testament to the author's brilliant mind and perceptive eyes that much of the book is still valid today. Indeed, now that war, revolution, and communism are things of the past, the Chinese are reverting more and more to their old ways, both good and bad, and their old ways are what this book is about.

Pearl Buck, the first American woman to win the Nobel Literature Prize, was the one who persuaded Lin to write this book. Her faith in him is fully justified. Few indeed were native sons of China who were immersed in both Chinese and Western cultures. And Lin was one.

Given my interest in both Lin Yutang and JRR Tolkien, I cannot resist a comparison. There is no evidence that Lin and Tolkien knew each other, although both were philologists (linguists interested in the historical origins of words) living in the same period.

Their specialties were quite different, however. Tolkien was an expert in Old English, and was comfortable in many northern European languages, both old and modern. (He could even read Finnish!) Lin's expertise was in Chinese literature from the classical period, and what made him unique at the time was his almost native fluency in English (as well as in German, plus a couple of modern European languages).

They were born three years apart (Tolkien in 1892, Lin in 1895) and they died exactly three years apart, at the same age (81).

Tolkien was a distinguished Oxford professor. Lin held few positions in universities. But Tolkien's education did not go beyond the bachelor's degree. Lin had an MA (from Harvard) and a PhD (from Leipzig, in Germany).

Tolkien's scholarly output was very small, but of a high quality. Lin had no scholarly output in the technical, academic sense. His scholarship and intelligence were reflected in the highly-regarded Chinese-English bilingual dictionaries he produced, his prodigious translations of Chinese literature, and in the brilliant essays he penned in Chinese. As I'm fluent in Chinese (my own native language), I find his essays very enjoyable, very humorous - more so than his English books.

Tolkien is immortalized by his novels, which have a worldwide appeal. Lin also wrote novels - of an utterly forgettable quality as far as I'm concerned. He's remembered for his non-fictional writings such as this book. Shortly before he died Lin was nominated for the Nobel Prize for Literature. (I would give it to him if it were up to me.)

Both lived through the Second World War in relative safety, Tolkien in England, Lin in America. Tolkien had proved his bravery in WWI, while Lin's life in pre-1937 China was also perilous due to the Japanese marauders. Both were outsiders in different ways. Tolkien was a Roman Catholic living in Protestant England who had been born in South Africa, and whose last name didn't sound quite English (it's German). Lin was a Chinaman in America, at a time when being a Chinaman was almost like being a Martian.

Tolkien was a practising papist all his life. Lin was at first a Christian, but he later renounced his religion and became what he called a "pagan" most of his life - and then apparently converted back to Christianity in old age. Most of his writings are a-religious, if not anti-religious, having been written in his middle years. Tolkien had little to say about his own religion - and his novels are almost "pagan" - but he seemed to have believed in the "truth" of mythology. (Fools, if you ask me.)

Tolkien was a good friend of C. S. Lewis, the Irish writer. Lin was a good friend of Pearl Buck, the American Nobel laureate. Lewis wrote a glowing review of the Lord of the Rings, while Buck wrote a foreword to this book and did much more to help Lin publish his other books. But neither friendship stood the test of time, apparently.

Coincidentally, both men were social and political conservatives. One preferred Old Britain, and the other Old China, to their modern versions, and technology and "progress" as we know it meant nothing to them. Interestingly, they both loathed communism. They were also devoted pipe smokers. One can well imagine these two gentlemen having a good time sharing their views on these things in a smoky, book-lined study late into the night, speaking their oddly old-fashioned English (perhaps mixing some German into it as well). But as brilliant philologists, they would only talk past each other without a single word being understood! Oh, if only they knew each other!

Tolkien's fame is assured, mainly by his epic fairy tales. Lin will only be remembered by those few people in the West who take an interest in China's cultural heritage. But even now there are still not many Chinese who can write, in good English, about China and the Chinese people from such a literate perspective (in the best true sense of "literate"). His insights are sometimes historical, at other times anthropological and sociological, but always and everywhere personal. He eschews abstract, finely spun theories; he sticks to China's facts, history, insights gleaned from classical literature, and his own keen anecdotal eyes. This book is thus eminently practical. It is not entirely timeless, but neither is it out of date. Given the rising importance of China in world affairs, Lin's books are as urgently needed today as they were more than 60 years ago when they made it to the top of New York Times bestsellers list while China struggled to survive.

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Even though it is poignant and, quite sad, at times, the prose is so lyrical and of such grace; romantic; descriptive and seemingly, filled with the spice scent of the Orient...

It's a very beautiful story.... transcendent and sad at times, romantic at others, etc. I love especially the little descriptions of West Lake in Hangchow and the surrounding areas. It all goes with the plot so beautifully. Very special is also the values expressed in this novel, such that in this busy and modern world of ourse we may not see.

This is the classic story of a Chinese woman. Lady Wu is power hungry and will go to any length to get and keep power. She is an expert manipulator, and destroys everyone in her path. This book keeps you on the edge of your seat. The best Chinese novel I have ever read. Lin Yu Tang was a genius. His other books are also excellent, I recommend them all highly.

This book consists of little witty essays written in a time when China is moving to a modern era with hopes and aspirations but it was also a time when direct criticism of government is dangerous. In order to expressed defiantly and freely of the government, Lin Yutang uses wit and humour to clothe his criticism to save himself. These delightful witty essays has a universal theme such as eating, hygiene, age, postscripts, Santa Claus, Bernard Shaw to name a few. It was probably here Lin Yutang shape his unique style of writing which was then seen in his later books. I feel this book is also written for our times, it's so real, fresh and can be reread time and time again. Further recommendation is the first part of this book but only listed as title in the Amazon catalogue, The Importance of Living by the author is also in publication and I hope his many other books and novels will be in print again in the future.

I found this book in 1973 at age 13 after reading a TV guide profile of the show Kung Fu. It said that the show's philosophy was based on the Taoist writings of Lao Tse. I found a copy of this book in a used bookstore and it started me on a lifelong love and appreciation of this simple, natural and profound philosophy. I have found myself turning to this book at nearly all of my life's crossroads. I am now looking for a second copy because my original is so extensively highlighted and underlined, the binding's falling apart and I want to start all over again with a clean copy.
I have since read every collection and translation of Laoste and Chuangtse that I could find. They ranged from great to bad to unintentionally hilarious. This is still my dearest and most treasured one by far. Yutangs translation is direct and poetic. I love his idea of using Chuantse's parables to expand upon Lao Tse's verses. This book should still be in print.

Outstanding translation into Western idiom of Taoist concepts. This book is especially useful for linking Chuang-Tsu and Lao-Tsu allowing the reader to develop a systematic understanding of the two major thinkers of the Taoist tradition.

There are more than one hundred translations of Lao-tzu's TAO TE CHING in Western languages, and more than forty versions in English alone. Lao-tzu speaks to those searching for a more meaningful way of life in a society degraded by economic, militaristic, modern values. Robert Henricks' translation is notable in that it is one of several new translations based upon the Ma-wang-tui texts. These texts were discovered in 1973, preserved in the tomb of an official's son. That tomb has been dated to 168 B.C.

Professor Henricks is Professor of Religion at Dartmouth College, and he is a well-known scholar of the Ma-wang-tui texts. His translation is a work of impressive scholarship. He follows the classic two-part, eighty-one stanza form of the TAO TE CHING, giving us two versions of the text, the first his bare-text translation and the other delineated with his commentary and notes. His translation is more literal than Stephen Harrison's more popular poetic rendering of the TAO TE CHING, and more scholarly than Red Pine's translation. It is easy to compare Henricks' translation to Moss Roberts' more recent scholarly translation. Professor Henricks has given us a superior translation of Lao-tzu's TAO TE CHING.

G. Merritt

Every time I go to my school's library, I always head straight to the Chinese literature section. I'd always overlooked Moment in Peking because it was such a big book, but recently, I resolved to pick it up and read it. I stayed up through the night to finish the book, and I think it was completely worth it. I'm a Chinese-American teenager. I live in a predominantly Caucasian neighborhood, I attend a high school that has only three Chinese students in the entire school. My identity is hyphenated- I am not really Chinese because I am a American Born Chinese. I am not truly American, I am a Chinese American. I have always embraced my culture without really knowing why it's so valuable to me, or how valuable it truly is. Reading Lin Yutang's Moment in Peking gave me a glimpse of how rich my culture and its history is, and helped me understand what it truly means being Chinese. Now I have a deeper love and appreciation for my culture than I ever had before, thanks to Lin Yutang and Moment in Peking.

I found Moment in Peking a fascinating read. At times, though, it did feel a little long. Nevertheless, I heartily recommend Moment in Peking to any avid readers of Chinese literature- or anyone at all, for that matter.

I have read and re-read this book over the years, along with the following book "A Leaf in the Storm" that continues the story. You really get to know and appreciate all the charactors in this story. It is a wonderful book to curl up in a nice chair and read for a few hours a week. It is so easy to read and gives a clear visual of the story, I really can't recommend it enough! Wonderful book!

I bought my copy in Changsha, Hunan, China and was pleased with my purchase. Lin captures the life and history of "real" people that participated in it. If you are ever in China, check out the bookstore - this should be found in the "English language" section.

I actually found this book whilst browsing the shelves in a thrift shop in a village in England. I liked the look of the title and it cost me the princely sum of 50 pence sterling. What a find - Yutang's words of wisdom often comfort when the world seems like its turning upside down. This book has been on many of my travels, I often recommend it to friends hoping they'll get as much out of the prose as I did. In a Global World that seems to be moving ever faster - its a pleasure to take time off, relax and philosophize with the Author. This book is never far from hand, I often re-read chapters when in need of inspiration. Kick of the shackles, open up the pages, spark one up and spend some time alone - you'll be a wiser and more tolerant human being for having read this book.

I bought a copy of this book (the original 1937 edition) in a secondhand book store in the 1970s for the princely sum of $1.00. Through countless moves since then I have somehow managed to retain this book, which is surprising since I have lost or given away so many books, almost all of which cost me much more money than this one did. I can honestly say it was the most profitable dollar I ever spent. This is a wonderful book -- rambling at times, it is true -- but it contains many gems. Yutang is a superb writer and his quote of Chuangtse (as he spells the name of the famous Chinese philosopher) is classic: "Spit forth intelligence." This, along with William Strunk's famous dictum "Omit needless words," is a phrase every writer should live by.

I enjoyed Dr. Lin's books since I was a high school student. If you carefully read this book and apply the philosophy embedded in this book, your will discover the beauty of life more and live a happier and more sensible life. Strongly recommend this book to those who are always busy and don't have time to enjoy their lives. (if you still have time to read a book.... ^__^)

I bought this book thinking I'd get a huge list of all of the wisdom of Confucius. But that was the least of what I got. I'm sure there is some wisdome in this book somewhere but the conversation and wording is terrible. It took me 10 minutes read a page, and read again, because I truly had no idea what was going on. Every once in a while, you will come across a straightforward statement that really means something. I'm thinking that this translation does a direct translation to English and it just doesn't fit together well.

I think it may be my own intelligence that keeps me from following the wording of this book. Nothing sticks out as great wisdom to me. There is a section that has poems, which are really good, but they don't show me great wisdom. I believe that this book is only for advanced readers.

This is a very good book on the "wisdom" of Confucius, but not the word-by-word translation of the original Confucius text. Some readers maybe misunderstood in the first place when they read this book. Chinese philosophy is sometimes hard to be really understood at first because it's very deep and profound. Wisdom is not a practical skill that people can learn or master quickly, but something can only be gradually experienced and understood over time.

I found this book readable and surprisingly useful. True, the Analects are not complete but have been excerpted. The book cannot present more than a sampling of Confucius' writings for obvious limitations of space. Merits of the book include its readability, with a long, discursive essay and some translations provided by the celebrated scholar Lin Yutang. The book also contains a famous Chinese biography of Confucius, plus a few selections from the writings of Confucius's most influencial disciples-- some of these contemporary with Confucius and some from later times.

I could not help noticing prior reviews that deal harshly with the book. Some of the criticism will not be meaningful to the nonscholarly reader, who, for example, would not be offended that the "original numbering" of the Analects has been abandoned.

Selection of the writings has been most judicious. For example, the book contains "On the Great Learning," and "On Education." To obtain all these well-chosen sample writings of Confucius in individual editions rather than an anthology such as this would require an entire shelf of books.

This readable, clean edition will be excellent for the thoughtful person who wants to explore across the breadth of Confucius's thought. And despite biting criticism in the other reviews, I found Professor Lin's discussions of Confucius's life, thought, and cultural impact to be most helpful.

The book is also a handsome little volume, and with a quality binding. One is proud to place it in one's library.