Raymond Dawson widmete sich dem tiefgehenden Studium der chinesischen Kultur und Zivilisation, wobei seine Arbeiten europäische Vorstellungen von chinesischer Gesellschaft und Philosophie analysierten. Seine akademische Laufbahn umfasste Lehrtätigkeiten an Universitäten und den Ausbau der Sinologie. Neben seinen Fachpublikationen erlangte Dawson Bekanntheit als Rätselkonstrukteur für den New Statesman, eine Rolle, die er fünfzig Jahre lang innehatte. Sein Ansatz zeichnete sich durch die Bemühung aus, komplexe Aspekte der chinesischen Geschichte und Denkweise durch verständliche Texte und Übersetzungen einem breiteren Publikum zugänglich zu machen.
Set in the exotic and perilous landscapes of Borneo, this semi-true narrative follows 9-year-old Armond, his family, and his two best friends, Delip and Daniel. Their adventures unfold amidst the lush greenery, where they encounter the dangers posed by snakes, crocodiles, and sharks. The story captures the essence of childhood exploration and friendship against a backdrop of thrilling natural challenges.
Theirs was a rich civilization in which emperors are magnified, bureacrats satirized, women worshipped, nature revered, parting and death mourned, and war reviled. Dawson shows how Chinese art and literature are linked by the magic of the calligraphic brush-stroke, and the lasting influence of ancient doctrines on Chinese manners and institutions, all of which is deeply rooted in tradition.
This authoritative new work replaces the author's 1968 edition. It takes into account recent advances in scholarship with entirely revised notes on the text passages and improved and simplified explanations. The book's expansion also permits the author to continue the story beyond the fourth century B.C. and introduces the reader to the writings of the great Han Dynasty historian, Ssu-ma Ch'ien, who perfected a narrative style which became a model for future generations of Chinese writers.