Official Review: Dragon Bones and Dao by Shan-yuan Hsieh

Juliet+1 · Post by **Juliet+1** » 20 Feb 2020, 20:34

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Dragon Bones and Dao" by Shan-yuan Hsieh.]

4 out of 4 stars

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As its subtitle suggests, Dragon Bones and Dao by Shan-yuan Hsieh delineates "the origins of Chinese culture, language, and philosophy." It begins by tracing the evolution of the Chinese language and then shows how seven philosophers used that language to create theories of social morality.

Part I describes how archaeologists discovered the original "dragon bones" (really the shoulder bones of oxen), deciphered the symbols engraved on them, and then interpreted the meaning of each pictograph.

Part II examines the lives and works of seven ancient philosophers representing four distinct philosophical schools: Confucianism, Moism, Daoism, and Legalism.

Although the above may sound dry and dusty, the creative way in which the author presents information makes all the difference. He describes his technique as a "virtual journey of discovery," a dialogue method that turns an academic tome into an intriguing adventure. During this journey, Dr. Hsieh travels to China with two college students of Chinese descent, David and Mary. They visit historic sites dedicated to each of the seven philosophers and engage in a lively discussion of each sage's life and ideas.

How realistic is this expedition? Well, the book opens with Dr. Hsieh saying, "We'll first fly from San Francisco to Shanghai and then take a domestic flight from there to Zhengzhou." Whenever the three travelers go from one place to another, they talk about their destination and their transportation options. Similarly, they share opinions of the various historic sites so that the reader can see them too. The entire experience is much like reading a play. You don't actually see the actors onstage, but you know where they are and what they are saying.

The conversations evaluate each philosopher's interpretation of "Dao"(the way), "rén"(compassion), "Yi"(justice), and other important concepts. Occasional comparisons to the ideas of Western thinkers, such as Socrates, Machiavelli, and John Stuart Mill, add even greater interest to an already absorbing presentation. The writing is light and informal, as though three friends were casually brainstorming a topic. And since Mary and David want to improve their ability to read and speak Chinese, all quotations are provided in both Chinese and English.

Dragon Bones and Dao has earned 4 out of 4 points for its fascinating tour of ancient China and its innovative method of sharing knowledge. It is delightfully easy and enjoyable to read; best of all, the information sticks. It is impossible to forget Mozi's objections to offensive warfare or Han Fei's radical (for that time) theory that people should live by laws, not by the whim of a king. Professionally edited, this book would appeal to anyone who wants to know more about China. It would be particularly useful to those planning a trip to China. Students of the Chinese language would also find the parallel English/Chinese sections helpful.

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Dragon Bones and Dao
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JoyALB · Post by **JoyALB** » 12 Apr 2020, 08:09

This sounds amazing and your review has shed much light on this interesting book. I am looking forward to reading this! Well done on the review.

incendiotorus · Post by **incendiotorus** » 12 Apr 2020, 17:11

Thanks for the great review! As a Chinese American, I'm really interested in this book. I have never heard of it prior to this review, and I'll certainly have to bookmark it for future reading!

Damis Seres Rodriguez · Post by **Damis Seres Rodriguez** » 13 Apr 2020, 09:31

I'm not particularly interested in this kind of books, however I'm aware that Chinese culture is rich and full of amazing details, and your review makes the book look good. I might give it a shot. Thanks for the review.

Juliet+1 · Post by **Juliet+1** » 13 Apr 2020, 11:41

JoyALB wrote: ↑12 Apr 2020, 08:09 This sounds amazing and your review has shed much light on this interesting book. I am looking forward to reading this! Well done on the review.

Many thanks for the kind comments. I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did.

Juliet+1 · Post by **Juliet+1** » 13 Apr 2020, 11:44

incendiotorus wrote: ↑12 Apr 2020, 17:11 Thanks for the great review! As a Chinese American, I'm really interested in this book. I have never heard of it prior to this review, and I'll certainly have to bookmark it for future reading!

Thanks for stopping by to leave a comment.

Juliet+1 · Post by **Juliet+1** » 13 Apr 2020, 11:48

damis wrote: ↑13 Apr 2020, 09:31 I'm not particularly interested in this kind of books, however I'm aware that Chinese culture is rich and full of amazing details, and your review makes the book look good. I might give it a shot. Thanks for the review.

If it helps, "Dragon Bones and Dao" is a super easy read, much more so than I expected.

Post by **Diana Lowery** » 13 Apr 2020, 16:14

The title and the content don't sound interesting, but your review makes it sound like a great read. It is hard to imagine this type of non-fiction being light and informal.

Maria Esposito · Post by **Maria Esposito** » 14 Apr 2020, 05:52

China is a country rich in culture, history, archeology, and philosophy. I am very fascinated by it, and this book sounds like it does justice to the immense patrimony that China has. Thank you for your great review!

hasincla · Post by **hasincla** » 14 Apr 2020, 10:50

Wow, this actually sounds pretty interesting (and a bit dry as you mentioned, but I'm willing to get past that). I'm intrigued by Chinese history, culture, religion, etc and I think this book would be a great first step into a complicated past. Thank you for your thorough review!

Post by **Sushan Ekanayake** » 14 Apr 2020, 20:07

I am not much interested in educational books, but yyour review made me think otherwise. Thanks for the thorough review

funninessishappiness · Post by **funninessishappiness** » 15 Apr 2020, 15:18

This sound like a very interesting book. I know more about Japanese culture than I do Chinese, but I did take Mandarin Chinese in college (one semester) so I know a little bit. I thought it was a very fun and interesting culture. This sound like an enjoyable read to me; I love to learn new things. It seems to be a fun way for the author to help you remember all these facts about Chinese culture. Can't wait to read this! Thank you for the review!

Prisallen · Post by **Prisallen** » 16 Apr 2020, 08:17

It sounds as if the author did an amazing job of making something that potentially could be dry and difficult to read into an interesting and informative book. Great job with the review!

InStoree · Post by **InStoree** » 18 Apr 2020, 01:42

I'm drawn by the Chinese culture and history, and this book sounds like a great read to learn more about it. Thank you for the intriguing recommendation!

Erin Dydek · Post by **Erin Dydek** » 20 Apr 2020, 06:25

Wow! This sounds like a fun and inventive way to learn about Chinese history and language. Great job with this review! I enjoyed reading everything you shared about this book.