Search results for ""Author Li Jian""

This beautifully illustrated multicultural children's book tells the story of two young brothers and a magical dog in both English and Chinese.Once upon a time, at the foot of the mountains called Zhongnan in the Shaanxi Province of China, there were two brothers who lived alone and depended on each other. One day, the elder one dug out a bronze dog while tilling which made the brothers very happy, as they could sell it for money. But unexpectedly, the bronze dog suddenly got bigger and swallowed the elder brother. Having seen this, the younger one rushed to find a hammer, intending to smash the bronze dog to save his brother. In order not to be destroyed, the bronze dog promised to give the young boy three gifts which he wanted most. But he told the dog he would rather ask for nothing but his brother. The bronze dog was deeply moved by the love between the two brothers, so it spat the elder one out and magically turned into a real dog. Luckily, the brothers got a new companion, and all of them lived happily ever after.Other books in the Chinese Zodiac Series (as well as the year of that animal) include: Little Pigs and the Sweet Rice Cakes—2007 & 2019 Magical Rooster—2005 & 2017 Water Dragon—2012 & 2024 Little Monkey King's Journey—2016 & 2028 Snake Goddess Colors the World—2013 & 2025 Horse and the Mysterious Drawing—2014 & 2026 Sheep Beauty—2015 & 2027 Little Rat and the Golden Seed—2008 & 2020 Little Calf—2009 & 2021

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This beautifully illustrated multicultural children's book tells a classical Chinese myth in both English and Chinese.Long long ago, the world was a colorless, gray place. It had stayed that way for thousands of years. People never expected anything different until one day, the colorful Snake Goddess, Nuwa, fell from the sky. She was determined to bring color and beauty to the gray nothingness of the earth, but all the colors kept running out through a giant hole in the sky. To fix the hole and bring color to the world, Nuwa would have journey near and far to find the five magical colored stones that were her only hope for fixing the sky. Join the Snake Goddess on her journey to bring color to a desolate world!Other books in the Chinese Zodiac Series (as well as the year of that animal) include: Little Pigs and the Sweet Rice Cakes—2007 & 2019 Magical Rooster—2005 & 2017 Water Dragon—2012 & 2024 Little Monkey King's Journey—2016 & 2028 Horse and the Mysterious Drawing—2014 & 2026 Sheep Beauty—2015 & 2027 Bronze Dog—2006 & 2018 Little Rat and the Golden Seed—2008 & 2020 Little Calf—2009 & 2021

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This fancifully illustrated multicultural children's book tells a famous Chinese myth about a young boy's quest to save his village.Long ago, in a remote village in China, there lived a kind and generous little boy. He spent his days in the forest, collecting wood to trade for food. One day, the boy made a wondrous discovery: a magic stone that caused his money jar and rice crocks to overflow, both of which he shared with the poor villagers.But strange things began to happen. It no longer rained. The crops died. The rivers dried up. A terrible drought had struck and would not release its grip. The brave young boy, full of dreams of a white, water-spewing Dragon, took his magic stone on a journey—and discovered how to save his village.Other books in the Chinese Zodiac Series (as well as the year of that animal) include: Little Pigs and the Sweet Rice Cakes—2007 & 2019 Magical Rooster—2005 & 2017 Little Monkey King's Journey—2016 & 2028 Snake Goddess Colors the World—2013 & 2025 Horse and the Mysterious Drawing—2014 & 2026 Sheep Beauty—2015 & 2027 Bronze Dog—2006 & 2018 Little Rat and the Golden Seed—2008 & 2020 Little Calf—2009 & 2021

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This beautifully illustrated, bilingual Chinese and English children's book invites you to learn a store inspired by the rare Ming Dynasty cup that's admired as the "holy grail" of China's art world.Known as the Chicken Cup, it's vividly decorated with a rooster and a hen tending to her chicks. This story tells the tale of a grieving young prince who has recently lost his parents. His uncle who becomes the Emperor decides to send him to the frontier. Upset by the news, the price accidentally smashes his mother's favorite cup…While the young prince is away he learns to appreciate the fine art of porcelain while recreating his mother's favorite cup.Porcelain evolved in China over 1200 years ago, and this book explains how it's made and its importance in Chinese history. Written in English and Chinese, this beautiful story follows the young emperor's journey from being ousted from the palace to his time in a ceramics workshop and to his victorious return to the palace as emperor.Find our years later how the prince creates a beautiful and flawless Chicken Cup when he returns to become Emperor. After admiring a famous painting of A Hen and Her Chicks, he designs a small porcelain cup with a rooster representing his brave father, a hen symbolizing his kind mother, and chicks that signified the young prince. This Ming Dynasty piece was recently sold at auction for an unprecedented $36 million in 2014. The Chinese words for chicken and lucky sounds like Ji which is why the chicken motif is thought to be a symbol of good luck and prosperity.

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This beautifully illustrated multicultural children's book tells a story about the Asia's most famous leader—his childhood and legacy.By the Onon River in the hinterland of Eurasia, Temujin (Genghis Khan) was born in a harmonious family of a tribal chief on Mongolian territory where the vast blue sky seemed to merge with the grasslands. At the age of nine, tragedy strikes the family when his father was murdered. In the aftermath, tribe members abandon his family and even steal their domestic animals. To survive, Temujin's mother takes him and his younger brother to pick wild pears and they fish by drilling holes on the ice-frozen river. This hard life strengthens the bonds of love within the family, enabling Temujin to become a bright and courageous child. Confronting the disintegrated tribes and continuous wars on the Mongolian grassland, Temujin was determined to bring peace and a comfortable place for his family to live. He becomes known as Genghis Khan after unifying a majority of the tribes there. Throughout his life, he fought in over 60 wars and won almost all his battles except a strategic retreat because his forces were out-numbered. He established an expansive empire across Eurasia, and brought political stability to the Silk Road which increased trade and communication between the East and the West.

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Learn how the clever Little Rat earned his place as one of the Chinese Zodiac Animals.This adorable Chinese-English bilingual children's book tells the story of the Little Rat and the Grandpa—unlikely allies who embark on an adventure to find a golden seed. They encounter rough seas, fierce guards and tall mountains, but—in the end—bring home a golden rice seed and save the village from going hungry.Illustrated with unique Chinese ink paintings, this book also includes a "cultural explanation" section. Readers can reference a chart to learn the years of the rat and read more about common characteristics of people born then. Birth years include 2008 and 2020. Other books in the Chinese Zodiac Series (as well as the year of that animal) include: Little Pigs and the Sweet Rice Cakes—2007 & 2019 Magical Rooster—2005 & 2017 Water Dragon—2012 & 2024 Little Monkey King's Journey—2016 & 2028 Snake Goddess Colors the World—2013 & 2025 Horse and the Mysterious Drawing—2014 & 2026 Sheep Beauty—2015 & 2027 Bronze Dog—2006 & 2018 Little Calf—2009 & 2021

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In ancient times under the reign of Yellow Emperor (about 2500 B.C.), people kept records by piling stones and tying knots. One day, Cang Jie, a historical official who tied knots to keep records under Yellow Emperor, unexpectedly made a big mistake. Feeling very guilty, he was determined to find out a better way for keeping records. He went back to his hometown to think it over for many days and nights. Inspired by the footprints of animals, he began to carefully observe the sun, moon, stars, mountains, rivers, lakes, seas, as well as birds and animals. At the same time, he traveled around collecting signs created by fishermen, farmers, hunters and soldiers. In the end, he succeeded in creating Chinese characters, which are still widely used today. In this multicultural children's story, kids will find out that there is a story behind every Chinese character. Children will also learn about basic Chinese characters and how to make them.

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This beautifully illustrated multicultural children's book tells the story of a young boy and his magical rooster in both English and Chinese—a great story for Chinese New Year!Long long ago, there lived a boy named Tang Yun. He studied very hard and was ready to take the imperial exam in the Capital City thousands of miles away. Yun's mother was worried about him traveling alone. After working day and night, she finished hand embroidering a rooster on Yun's outfit, hoping the magical rooster would be her son's guardian angel. During his trip, magic happened whenever Yun was in danger. With a crowing of "cock-a doodle-doo," the embroidered rooster jumped out of Yun's outfit. He was alive! He was brave, timely and kind. He helped Yun overcome many obstacles during his trip. Yun arrived at the Capital City safely and successfully passed his exam with honor. He eventually reunited with his mother. They lived happily together ever after.Other books in the Chinese Zodiac Series (as well as the year of that animal) include: Little Pigs and the Sweet Rice Cakes—2007 & 2019 Water Dragon—2012 & 2024 Little Monkey King's Journey—2016 & 2028 Snake Goddess Colors the World—2013 & 2025 Horse and the Mysterious Drawing—2014 & 2026 Sheep Beauty—2015 & 2027 Bronze Dog—2006 & 2018 Little Rat and the Golden Seed—2008 & 2020 Little Calf—2009 & 2021

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In this colorfully illustrated multicultural children's book a little boy and his father get lost on a visit to the Great Wall!After Ming's exciting adventures in the Forbidden City, Ming and his father travel to the Great Wall to learn more about the creation of the longest structure ever build by humans. On their way, they take a wrong turn, leading to a great adventure as Ming and his father get to tour the wall and encounter all sorts of important figures from history and literature!The patron saint of the Great Wall shows Ming all the important passes and Ming even gets to meet the very emperor who had the Great Wall built! But when the emperor runs into a tricky situation at the beacon tower, it's up to Ming and some important information to save the day.Children will love to travel the wall with Ming as this delightful adventure brings to life the Great Wall and how it has influenced China over its 2000-year life span.

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Long long ago, an old magic stone suddenly cracked open after lying in the sunlight and moonlight for thousands of years. From the shell of the stone, a little Monkey was born. Adopted by the Monkey King in the mountain, Little Monkey was very naughty and playful. One day, while playing in a tree, he fell. When the Monkey King tried to save Little Monkey, he was terribly injured. To save the Monkey King, Little Monkey had to journey across the ocean in search of the immortal pill. With help from the Immortal Turtle, the Phoenix, the Dragon King and the Immortal, the Little Monkey gained a powerful body. Could he find his way home to save the Monkey King?Other books in the Chinese Zodiac Series (as well as the year of that animal) include: Little Pigs and the Sweet Rice Cakes—2007 & 2019 Magical Rooster—2005 & 2017 Water Dragon—2012 & 2024 Snake Goddess Colors the World—2013 & 2025 Horse and the Mysterious Drawing—2014 & 2026 Sheep Beauty—2015 & 2027 Bronze Dog—2006 & 2018 Little Rat and the Golden Seed—2008 & 2020 Little Calf—2009 & 2021

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This beautifully illustrated multicultural children's book follows Ming as he discovers the birth of Kung Fu.After Xiao Ming participates in a martial arts exercise at school, his parents take him on a trip to the Shaolin Temple—the birth-place of kung fu—in the central Henan Province of China. The temple is situated in the forests of Shaoshi Mountain, one of the seven mountains of Song Mountains. With a history of over 1,500 years, the grand Shaolin Temple has precious stone-carvings in its many buildings. At the Warrior Monks School (Wuseng Yuan), he sees monks practicing kung fu and jumps in to learn some martial arts skills. He then goes into a stone cave by mistake and meets a monk who turns out to be Bodhidharma, the founder of Zen Buddhism, according to legend. Bodhidharma takes him onto the mountain to see peach flowers, small birds and big trees. He tells Ming how the Shaolin Temple became the birthplace of Zen in Buddhism.

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The kindness and generosity of those born under the sign of the sheep in the Chinese zodiac is brought to life in this heartwarming multicultural fairy tale.Long, long ago, there lived a kind physician. He lived on a mountain in a small Chinese village where he practiced traditional Chinese medicine for all the villagers. On his way home one day, he found an injured sheep, rescued it and brought it home where he nursed the sheep back to life.One evening, after the sheep had been living with the physician for some time, a beast barged into the village, demanding payment of each household in the form of one child. If the villagers refused to hand over their children, the beast would eat everyone!In the blink of an eye, the rescued sheep transforms into a lovely girl, who, with a clever plan, manages to frighten the beast away and keep everyone in the village safe from harm. And so, with one simple act of kindness, an entire village is saved, reminding us that every action, no matter how small, has consequences.Other books in the Chinese Zodiac Series (as well as the year of that animal) include: Little Pigs and the Sweet Rice Cakes—2007 & 2019 Magical Rooster—2005 & 2017 Water Dragon—2012 & 2024 Little Monkey King's Journey—2016 & 2028 Snake Goddess Colors the World—2013 & 2025 Horse and the Mysterious Drawing—2014 & 2026 Bronze Dog—2006 & 2018 Little Rat and the Golden Seed—2008 & 2020 Little Calf—2009 & 2021

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With beautiful illustrations this multicultural children's book takes readers on a tour of China's most famous caves!The sandstorm was blowing hard over the Gobi Desert. Xiao Ming got separated from his parents on their way to the Mogao Caves. As it was getting dark Xiao Ming, along with the other travelers who were separated from the group, were huddling in the sand helplessly. In the darkness of the Gobi Desert, Xiao Ming vaguely saw a little light flashing in the dust. The light got closer and closer and, finally, he saw a deer with nine shades of color in his fur. His antlers were as white as snow and his body was wrapped with a touch of bright light. The nine-colored deer told Xiao Ming to follow him. The story unfolds with Ming being guided to the caves where ancient paintings come to life!

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Cai Lun was called into the Palace to serve the Emperor at the age of 15. He was smart and studied hard. Soon he was promoted to be an attending official in charge of documentation. At that time, documents were written either on tablets of bamboo strips or on silk. Bamboo strips were heavy and silk were expensive. The Emperor was very unhappy about it. Therefore, Cai Lun was determined to find another durable material that would be good for writing including a light-weight quality with a soft writing surface. Cai Lun began his experiments with all the cheap natural material that he could find such as dry grass, bark, fishnet and old ropes. With the support from the Emperor and the help of the imperial craftsmen, Cai Lun successfully invented "paper" after many attempts. The innovation of paper made it possible to keep records and also paintings.

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In this colorfully illustrated multicultural children's book a boy of today and a Little Emperor from the past find adventure and fun in the Forbidden City!On a visit to the Forbidden City, Xiao Ming somehow manages to lose his father. During his search, Ming finds a strange set of stairs. Perhaps his father went down them? Off he goes—down the stairs, across a strange pathway and through a hall where, rather than finding his father, Ming finds himself in the midst of the Qing Dynasty!The awed little boy is discovered by Imperial Bodyguards who take him to meet the Little Emperor. Ming described the airplanes and cars of the future and the Little Emperor shows Ming his treasures. The new friends are admiring a bronze dragon when suddenly the dragon comes to life and carries the Little Emperor and Ming up into the sky! The two boys and the dragon fly over the whole city, until Ming slips and falls from the dragon's tail into the city moat, bringing him back to the present—and his anxious father.A delightful tale of past meets present, Ming's Adventures in the Forbidden City will surely capture the imagination of children and parents alike.

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This beautifully illustrated multicultural children's book tells a story about China's most famous archeological site—the terracotta soldiers of Xi'an.When a special exhibition of terracotta warriors comes to town, Ming and his mother go to see them at the museum. To remember this exciting event, Ming's mother buys him a little figurine of a General to keep in his room at home. But at midnight, Ming wakes up and finds the General figurine is alive and he has a copper carriage ready to take Ming to his home in Emperor Qin Shi Huang's Tomb in Xi'an, China. In this mysterious underground world over 2,000 years old, Ming meets the General's army of terracotta warriors. Read and find out more about Ming's adventures with his new friends!

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The legend of Mulan and her bravery is captured in this beautifully illustrated Chinese children's book.Mulan is a folk story from China's Northern Dynasty (439-589) about the unusual tale of an ordinary girl named Fa Mulan. This book is illustrated based on the original ballad, which depicts her bravery through Chinese ink paintings. A long time ago in China, there lived a young girl named Mulan. Her father was a retired general who taught her many skills girls weren't normally allowed to learn, like martial arts, archery, sword play and how to ride a horse.One day, soldiers came to Mulan's village. They told everyone China was in danger, and that a man from each family must join the army and fight. Mulan was terribly upset. Her father was too old, but was honor-bound to fight. If only she had been born a boy! That night, Mulan came up with a plan to save the honor of her family and her father's life.Early the next morning, disguised as a boy, Mulan took a horse and her father's armor before leaving to join the army. No one recognized her, and Mulan was very careful to never let anyone know she was really a girl. Mulan's bravery, courage and the skills she learned from her father helped her to succeed. Over twelve years, Mulan fought against the threat to China before finally helping to win the war. When she was offered a reward from the emperor for her incredible courage, Mulan instead asked for a horse so she could return home to her family.Mulan's family was so happy to see her! And there, for the first time in twelve years, Mulan exchanged her armor for a dress, fixed her hair into an elegant girl's hairstyle and joined her family, a beautiful young woman once again.

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Learn how the kind ox earned his place as one of the Chinese Zodiac Animals.The little calf is very curious about the world, but hasn't experienced much of it in his young life. When he and his mother begin to help the aging grandfather that lives next door to their farm, that changes.In the spring, when the grandpa is struggling to plow the fields, the calf picks up the plow without saying a word. He runs up and down the fields, though his plowing is uneven. The calf soon learns from his mother cow how to plow the fields neatly. In return, the grandpa prepares fresh grass and sweet spring water for them. In the autumn, when the grandpa is too weak to grind wheat, the calf wants to help. He fails after his first attempt, but soon learns from his mother how to grind wheat into fine flour.In the winter, when the grandpa is too tired to pull his cart into town to sell his flour, the calf volunteers to help him. The cart is heavy and the calf has never pulled one before. Along the bumpy road, it is shaking so badly that the grandpa keeps bouncing around, but the calf soon learns from his mother cow how to pull the cart smoothly. When they finally arrive in town, the calf and grandpa exchange their flour for a cart full of goods for the Chinese New Year, which they celebrate together at home.This is a story about courage, diligence and being helpful. The "Cultural Explanation" section at the end of the book includes the characteristics of the people born in the year of Ox and the years they were born. It also includes an interesting Chinese idiom about the calf.Other books in the Chinese Zodiac Series (as well as the year of that animal) include: Little Pigs and the Sweet Rice Cakes—2007 & 2019 Magical Rooster—2005 & 2017 Water Dragon—2012 & 2024 Little Monkey King's Journey—2016 & 2028 Snake Goddess Colors the World—2013 & 2025 Horse and the Mysterious Drawing—2014 & 2026 Sheep Beauty—2015 & 2027 Bronze Dog—2006 & 2018 Little Rat and the Golden Seed—2008 & 2020

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A richly illustrated book featuring recent revelations about China’s first emperor, Ying Zheng, and his famous burial site containing an army of life-size terracotta soldiers and other artifacts First discovered by a farmer in 1974, the burial site of China’s first emperor, Ying Zheng, has yielded thousands of life-size terracotta figures and artifacts, and continues to be excavated today. This fascinating publication features more than 130 works including ten of these majestic terracotta figures, arms and armor, horse and chariot fittings, ritual bronze vessels, works in gold and silver, jade ornaments, precious jewelry, and ceramics. Dating from the Eastern Zhou dynasty (770–256 BC) through the Qin dynasty (221–206 BC), these objects represent the complex history, myths, and burial customs of ancient China. The texts introduce recent scholarship on this material culture to illuminate not only the first emperor’s burial complex, but also his powerful influence in Chinese history and the myriad ways in which his political and economic reforms transformed the daily lives of the Chinese people. Distributed for the Virginia Museum of Fine ArtsExhibition Schedule:Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (11/18/17–03/11/18)Cincinnati Art Museum (04/20/18–08/12/18)

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