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You may be wondering why this book titled The Magic Four...
The magic is that with just four Chinese characters, you can take a wide peek into the rich history and culture of China.
Chinese idioms, or Chengyu, are like little time capsules - each one of these 20 idioms carries stories of former dynasties, from intrigue and mind games in the royal court, to generals strategising on the battlefield, to glimpses of daily life in ancient China.
This volume – the first one in a set of three – is based on animals. The idioms include a mantis who thinks it is strong that it can stop a carriage; a farmer who thinks he can just wait for a rabbit to crash into a tree so he can take one home for dinner every night; and even mythical creatures such as the dragon who unexpectedly pays its superfan a visit only to be disappointed.
Not only does the book have the literal meaning of each Chinese idioms, it also shows what the idioms actually mean today. A similar idiom in the English language is provided with an example of its use; in addition, four extra English words and two English idioms/phrases used in each story are explained, and sentences examples of idioms/phrases are given to show how they are used in the correct context.
Reading these stories will help you gain a greater appreciation of Chinese wisdom accumulated over thousands of years. So, turn the page and get ready to be enchanted by The Magic Four!
Catherine Chan, Simon Lau & William Ma
