China

China has captivated and attracted many people from ancient times to the present. Chinese people love to say that their civilization is «five thousand years old», and although this claim is controversial, the venerable age of Chinese civilization generally does not raise any doubts, as it is the only one that has existed continuously from its origins.

The Chinese have created their unique philosophy, culture, myths and legends, art, aesthetics, calendar, cuisine, and religious rituals, such as tea ceremony. The country exists «in itself» and often shows only one superficial side to the world, leaving many secrets behind closed doors that we still want to open.

That's why we introduce different China to you. The classical one through the philosophy of «Zhuangzi» and the treatise on tea and tea culture «The Classic of Tea» by Lu Yu, as well as through the medieval poetry of Li Bai and Du Fu or dozens of other poets translated by Yaroslava Shekera. The traditional Chinese calendar divides the year into 24 seasons. In the edition «24 Solar Terms», you will observe nature in the way that the Chinese have seen it from ancient times. How the surrounding world is connected: the lives of wild animals, the cultivation of agricultural crops, the movement of stars in the sky, the preparation of traditional dishes.

We want to introduce ancient Chinese myths and legends to children and their parents through our series «The Legends of China», which includes brightly illustrated editions of «The Monkey King», «Jingwei’s Legend», and «The Lotus Lantern». The legend of the Monkey King has captured the imaginations of generations of Chinese children and adults, and the myth of the brave bird Jingwei has been celebrated in the poetries of authors from different eras, as well as in novels and dramas.

Chinese traditional music drama is a unique form of art with numerous regional variations. Adaptations of the Beijing Opera and Cantonese Opera works «The Lucky Purse» and «The Princess’s Messenger» with exquisite illustrations will be a true aesthetic discovery for young readers.

We also want to present China through contemporary literature because without a tumultuous present, one cannot understand China in the 21st century. The tragedies that the country went through in the 20th century, the democratic revolution, the fall of the Qing Empire, the world and civil wars, the exodus of nearly two million Chinese to Taiwan, the victory of the communist party, collectivization and industrialization, famine, the «Cultural Revolution», the opening of China in 1978, and the beginning of reforms – in many ways resonate with Ukrainian history.

The fictional novel «Decoded» by Mai Jia evokes the atmosphere of the «era of change» in Chinese society during the first half of the 20th century and the first years of the existence of New China. The author portrays the life of an «other» person against the backdrop of the domination of standards and mass power.

And in the travelogue novel «The Ants Climbing a Tree», Kateryna Zavertailo presents a Ukrainian perspective on Chinese cuisine as a cultural phenomenon, showing how history, legends, and dishes are intertwined at the tables of the Chinese.

It is also important for us to convey to Ukrainians the importance of implementing and using Ukrainian practical transcription of the Chinese language in opposition to the Ukrainianized Russian Palladius system, which has become entrenched in Ukrainian academic circles. The use of Ukrainian practical transcription will contribute to the development of Chinese language education and research in Ukraine and will deepen the understanding of Chinese culture and history.