From the fluid strokes in the characters denoting ""grace,"" ""enlightenment,"" and ""tranquility"" to the complex meanings inherent in the words for ""honor,"" ""love,"" and ""wisdom,"" the richness and depth of the Chinese language come alive in this compact, elegant volume of 40 beautifully rendered ideograms. Every character is accompanied by a simple chart showing its physical composition, stroke by stroke, as well as an informative text describing the myriad linguistic components from which its meaning is derived.

As a result, the reader can grasp each character's significance and connection to centuries of Chinese philosophy and, ultimately, gain an understanding of the language beyond a mere familiarity with linguistic symbols. Complete with two-color printed end-papers and a charming full-color bookmark, The Spirit of the Chinese Character makes a lovely gift or keepsake volume, sure to inspire a fascination with the complexity of an incomparably beautiful and evocative language.