Title: The Book of Chinese Wisdom - Book I - Timeless Tales of the Art of Management 中国智慧故事(—) - 管理智慧篇
Author / Editor: Michael C. Tang 唐庆华
ISBN: 978-7-208-07831-4
Series: The Book of Chinese Wisdom中国智慧故事
Publisher: 上海人民出版社 Shanghai renmin chubanshe
Language: bilingual Chinese-English
Date of Publication:  2008.08
First Edition
Number of pages: 278 pages
Dimensions: 20,8 x 14,8 cm
Binding: Paperback


Description

About The Book of Chinese Wisdom Series

The Book of Chinese Wisdom is the result of years of studying hundreds of Chinese classics in history, literature and philosophy, ranging from The Book of Changes to Tao Te Ching, from The Intrigues of the Warring States to The Records of the Historian, from Remarks of Monarchs to The Comprehensive Mirror to Rulers, from The Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms to The History of the Ming Dynasty, traversing the vast panoply of China’s history.
I approach the subject of Chinese classical wisdom with a view of applying it in our present-day life.
 
Book 1 – Art of Management

Book 1 gleans nearly seventy tales of the art of management. With China’s long tradition of civil administration, management was a refined art in ancient China. Management, in essence, is about people. Despite advances in science and technology, human nature has hardly changed since ancient times. The wisdom embedded in these tales will strike the reader as both fresh and practical. This book also explores the wisdom of The Book of Changes from a business perspective. 

Book 2 – Wit and Humor

Book 2 gleans about seventy tales of wit and humor. Through them the reader will find that wisdom manifests itself in many ways. It can mean the enlightenment of the mind, a sound philosophy of living, a stratagem, or the effective management of a difficult situation. This volume contains many fables whose moral has become an integral part of Chinese wisdom. A dozen well-known stories of Zen are also included.

Book 3 – Virtues and Values

Confucianism is not only China’s cultural heritage but a vital part of Chinese wisdom. In Book 3 we shall find out what kind of a man Confucius was like. We shall also learn the wisdom of Lao Tzu, an older contemporary of Confucius. A traditional Chinese family often had a set of precepts that served as rules of conduct for everybody to follow. They occupy a special place in Chinese culture. In Book 3 we shall present two well-known examples of familial precepts.

Book 4 – Power and Influence

The period between the fall of an old dynasty and the rise of a new one seems to be the best focal point to observe the folly and wisdom of man. The times gave birth to great men whose talent and wisdom were brought into full swing by fate. Book 4 examines three most significant periods in Chinese history. The first is the rise of the Qin dynasty and its rapid collapse; the second is the rise of the Han dynasty; and the third is the downfall of the Ming dynasty and the rise of the Qing.   


About the Author

Born in Shanghai, Michael Tang majored in English Language and Literature at East China Teachers University. In 1980, after winning first prize in a worldwide English Competition sponsored by the BBC, he went to Britain to study and graduated with honors from the London School of Economics. In 1983, he entered Harvard Business School and graduated in 1985 as the first Harvard MBA from mainland China since the founding of the People’s Republic in 1949.
He is the author of three best sellers published in China and the acclaimed A Victor’s Reflections and Other Tales of China’s Timeless Wisdom published by Prentice Hall Press in 2000. Siren of China, a historical novel, was published by Better Link Press in 2007.


Reviews

This is a wonder book for readers of any ethnic or cultural background because the wisdom of China belongs to all mankind. I find it a truly enriching and rewarding experience to discover and rediscover the gems in the treasure trove of China’s wisdom through this exceptional encyclopaedic volume.
- Wang Meng, Former Minister of Culture of China and well-known writer

Treat this as a story book, and you will be entertained; treat this as a history book, and you will learn the richness of Asia’s past; treat this as a book of wisdom, and you will be inspired.
- Nicholas D. Kristof, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and columnist for The New York Times

Three thousand years’ accumulation of China’s wisdom in one masterly volume that offers knowledge, pleasure as well as practical wisdom directly or indirectly related to our work, business, career or life.
- Zhu Yinghuang, Editor-in-Chief Emeritus, China Daily

The Book of Chinese Wisdom opens a fascinating world of ideas and experience, from statecraft to family values, from warfare to human relationships, which I believe will delight and inspire many readers.
- Ross Terill, Research Fellow in East Asian Studies at Harvard University and well-known author


Order No.: 48.0975