Luna Loves...

…. 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

Contrary to the general impression that wet markets are smelly, dirty, and slippery, Christine finds that they are actually fun places to walk around and shop. As a French lady, Christine’s learning experience has not been without disappointments, such as being overcharged, given old veggies or pushed to buy more. Nonetheless, in Hong Kong, most sellers are generally very kind. Like in France, vendors remember the preferences of their regular clients. _e kindness of many sellers help her overcome the fear of speaking Cantonese. They even take time to explain to her how to cook this and that. It is the warm atmosphere that she loves most. Christine finds it exciting to discover lots of new foodstuffs such as Chinese yam. She even discovers ingredients, such as lye water, a kind of alkaline solution that is not used in Western countries. Last but not least, this book helps us understand the real French lifestyle which often sounds so “elegant” and sometimes “mysterious” to most people,