Intimate Strangers

“For this brief moment, the two sisters could be ‘together in heart and affection’, and through such letters bridge the distance of empire.” We often learn about the commerce, diplomacy, and military campaigns of the British empire without reference to the intimate side of life in these times—the development of self, the position of women, and the importance of family. In this book, the story of empire, so often told from a man’s perspective, is given a unique vantage point through Eliza Hillier’s letters to her younger sister, Martha. Written largely from Hong Kong, Shanghai, England, and Siam, the letters allow us to become a member of her family and follow the daily tribulations associated with the life of a young British woman in the port cities of Asia. We are thus able to share Eliza’s experiences as she leaves home to embark on married life, starts and raises a family, grieves at the abrupt and tragic loss of her husband, Charles Batten Hillier, and then sets about re-building

…. to imagine a language means to imagine a form of life. ––Ludwig Wittgenstein (Philosophical Investigation, 1953) Whatever specific goal motivated people who study Chinese at first eventually dissolves into the larger Chinese world, and that world—its loves and joys, its stings and frustrations, in any case its incapability of being boring—takes over. This is a fascinating, insightful collection of essays by some of the world’s most renowned China experts, who share personal recollections of their time in China—often beginning in the 1970s, when foreigners were just beginning to navigate the linguistic and cultural terrain of that country—and reflect on what learning Chinese has meant to them in their careers and lives. These ten native English speakers share rare and, at times, humorous and intimate moments, of how learning and speaking Chinese has removed barriers, built rapport, opened doors and sometimes led them down entirely unexpected roads that have changed the course of th

Sam, working as a trainee waiter in a small Italian restaurant near the West End of London, was one day fooled by a bohemian sort of man with a bad sort of logic that led to his dismissal by the head waitress. Feeling lost and trotting along Regent Street he bumped into his girl friend Amy who had just been through a similar scenario, and that made them both laugh away their ‘misfortune’ to start afresh. Sam decided to take a critical thinking course run by a certain Professor Panggloss, a name that rang a bell for him, recalling Voltaire’s famous novel Candide, and the course turned out to be very useful, albeit puzzling at times, which therefore troubled Sam quite a lot, so much so that he had to share his critical thinking problems with Amy, even when she was already away from the UK, holidaying at her aunt’s invitation in Hong Kong. The lovers, separated by at least six thousand miles, carried on their intimate communication using state-of-the-art IT, frequently disturbing each o

This authoritative collection contains writings by some thirty of the most significant Chinese writers of the period between 1919 and 1949. The three decades from which these pieces are drawn encompass most of the Republican period, a tumultuous era in Chinese history in which modernization and republicanism coexisted with classical culture. Thematically, these xiaopin wen, or modern Chinese essays, differ significantly from the more social and political fiction of the May Fourth movement. Their scope varies, from ruminations on broader existential issues to more personal contemplations on everyday life, often delving into issues of morality and interpersonal relations. Although described as "essays," they are not restrained by the formal, expository connotations of this English term; rather, their tone is more intimate, reflective, and at times witty or tinged with melancholy.

現代人的旅行，都是從Google Maps、IG、旅遊網站開始， 沒有網路的中世紀旅人——難道都兩手空空就出發？ 不！中世紀的人也需要避雷、找好住好吃好休息的旅遊指南！ ★既是第一線經驗談，也免不了一些想像成分！一本充滿旅行家的真實經歷與參雜古老幻想的中世紀旅遊指南。 ★從歐洲出發，再從亞洲循環一圈世界（什麼！哥倫布這時候還沒發現新大陸）。以中世紀旅人的視角，經過52個中世紀最繁華、大家最想去的城市。 ★從中世紀的旅人指南裡，發現時間已經來到了21世紀，我們和他們的生活還是極為相似。 牙痛沒牙醫治療，大家都到這個教堂祈求治癒？ 出門旅行沒有人脈，一定要靠這個在各個城鎮通關？ 到異地水土不服怎麼解，這幾款良方請務必備在身上！ 罪孽太深如何消？這幾個地方都提供懺悔券，要幾年都有！ 「中世紀許多探索者、探險家、朝聖者、商人和十字軍，稱呼世界為『地球蘋果』，他們想嚐一嚐這個蘋果。」在中世紀人們抱著對於神的敬仰、財富的慾望、異國文化的好奇，而踏上旅行。倫敦大學中世紀研究學者安東尼．貝爾（Anthony Bale）在研究中世紀的朝聖與旅行過程，發現了中世紀的旅行與現代旅行許多的相似之處。比如都喜歡到處蒐集紀念品、可能一臉觀光客樣子而被詐騙、水土水不服吃壞肚子。本書精選了多個中世紀旅人必去的城市，從西邊到東邊，一路再回到西邊，像是一個旅人在想像、準備直到出發，然後再次返回的過程。這個世紀的旅人或許抱持著不那麼真實的想像，卻是和現代人一樣對於航向未知的路途既期待又戰戰兢兢。 國外好評推薦不斷： ★「這本極具娛樂性的歷史書，每一頁都充滿智慧。」——《紐約客》（The New Yorker） ★「一本迷人的中世紀旅行者記述。」——《蘇格蘭先驅報》（Scottish Herald） ★「為中世紀旅行者打造的《孤獨星球》指南，充滿了實用小撇步、貨幣兌換率和行李清單。」—《索引的歷史》（Index, A History of the）作者 丹尼斯．鄧肯 ★「《中世紀旅遊指南》巧妙地為讀者提供了兩種體驗。我們與那幾個世紀的歐洲人一起旅行，他們穿越歐亞大陸，有時甚至更遠。但是我們也前往他們的工作室、住宅、圖書館、城鎮廣場，那裡是他們想像和準備旅行的地方，也是他們返國後說故事的地方。」——米里．魯賓（Miri Rubin），《陌生人之城》（Cities of Strangers）的作者

This combination of translated Chinese documents, newspaper excerpts, and essays from other authors is a travelogue, memoir, and political commentary from 1899 by Mrs Archibald Little, a well-known British novelist and social campaigner.