http://feedbooks.com/list/184 Classic literature from, or about, China and Japan. Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan, Vol 2 Lafcadio Hearn http://feedbooks.com/book/2057 urn:isbn:160206489X en 1894 Non-Fiction History Essay Travel http://feedbooks.com/book/2057.png http://feedbooks.com/book/2057.pdf http://feedbooks.com/book/2057.epub http://feedbooks.com/book/2057.mobi Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan, Vol 1 Lafcadio Hearn http://feedbooks.com/book/2056 urn:isbn:1596056835 en 1871 Non-Fiction History Essay Travel A Japanese magic-lantern show is essentially dramatic. It is a play of which the dialogue is uttered by invisible personages, the actors and the scenery being only luminous shadows. Wherefore it is peculiarly well suited to goblinries and weirdnessess of all kinds; and plays in which ghosts figure are the favourite subject. -from "Of Ghosts and Goblins" In 1889, Westerner Lafcadio Hearn arrived in Japan on a journalistic assignment, and he fell so in love with the nation and its people that he never left. In 1894, just as Japan was truly opening to the West and global interest in Japanese culture was burgeoning, Hearn published this delightful series of essays glorifying what he called the "rare charm of Japanese life." Beautifully written and a joy to read, Hearn's love letters to the land of the rising sun enchant with their sweetly lyrical descriptions of winter street fairs, puppet theaters, religious statuaries, even the Japanese smile and its particular allure. A wonderful journal of immersion on a foreign land, this will bewitch Japanophiles and travelers to the East. http://feedbooks.com/book/2056.png http://feedbooks.com/book/2056.pdf http://feedbooks.com/book/2056.epub http://feedbooks.com/book/2056.mobi The Art of War Sun Tzu http://feedbooks.com/book/168 urn:isbn:0762415983 en -514 Non-Fiction Philosophy War The Art of War is a Chinese military treatise that was written during the 6th century BC by Sun Tzu. Composed of 13 chapters, each of which is devoted to one aspect of warfare, it has long been praised as the definitive work on military strategies and tactics of its time. The Art of War is one of the oldest books on military strategy in the world. It is the first and one of the most successful works on strategy and has had a huge influence on Eastern and Western military thinking, business tactics, and beyond. Sun Tzu was the first to recognize the importance of positioning in strategy and that position is affected both by objective conditions in the physical environment and the subjective opinions of competitive actors in that environment. He taught that strategy was not planning in the sense of working through a to-do list, but rather that it requires quick and appropriate responses to changing conditions. Planning works in a controlled environment, but in a competitive environment, http://feedbooks.com/book/168.png http://feedbooks.com/book/168.pdf http://feedbooks.com/book/168.epub http://feedbooks.com/book/168.mobi Tao Te Ching Laozi http://feedbooks.com/book/215 urn:isbn:0679724346 en -600 Non-Fiction Philosophy Religion The Tao Te Ching is fundamental to the Taoist school of Chinese philosophy and strongly influenced other schools, such as Legalism and Neo-Confucianism. This ancient book is also central in Chinese religion, not only for Taoism but Chinese Buddhism, which when first introduced into China was largely interpreted through the use of Taoist words and concepts. Many Chinese artists, including poets, painters, calligraphers, and even gardeners have used the Tao Te Ching as a source of inspiration. Its influence has also spread widely outside East Asia, aided by hundreds of translations into Western languages. http://feedbooks.com/book/215.png http://feedbooks.com/book/215.pdf http://feedbooks.com/book/215.epub http://feedbooks.com/book/215.mobi The Book of Tea Kakuzo Okakura http://feedbooks.com/book/991 urn:isbn:1933330171 en 1906 Non-Fiction Philosophy The Book of Tea was written by Okakura Kakuzo in the early 20th century. It was first published in 1906, and has since been republished many times. In the book, Kakuzo introduces the term Teaism and how Tea has affected nearly every aspect of Japanese culture, thought, and life. The book is accessibile to Western audiences because Kakuzo was taught at a young age to speak English; and spoke it all his life, becoming proficient at communicating his thoughts to the Western Mind. In his book, he discusses such topics as Zen and Taoism, but also the secular aspects of Tea and Japanese life. The book emphasises how Teaism taught the Japanese many things; most importantly, simplicity. Kakuzo argues that this tea-induced simplicity affected art and architecture, and he was a long-time student of the visual arts. He ends the book with a chapter on Tea Masters, and spends some time talking about Sen no Rikyu and his contribution to the Japanese Tea Ceremony. According to Tomonobu Imamichi, Heidegger's concept of Dasein in Sein und Zeit was inspired — although Heidegger remains silent on this — by Okakura Kakuzo's concept of das-in-dem-Welt-sein (to be in the being of the world) expressed in The Book of Tea to describe Zhuangzi's philosophy, which Imamichi's teacher had offerred to Heidegger in 1919, after having followed lessons with him the year before. This work is available for countries where copyright is Life+70 and in the USA. http://feedbooks.com/book/991.png http://feedbooks.com/book/991.pdf http://feedbooks.com/book/991.epub http://feedbooks.com/book/991.mobi Tales of Old Japan Lord Redesdale http://feedbooks.com/book/2726 urn:isbn:0804833214 en 1871 Short Fiction History Collections Tales of Old Japan is an anthology of short stories, compiled by Algernon Bertram Freeman-Mitford, Lord Redesdale, writing under the better known name of A.B. Mitford. These stories focus on the varying aspects of Japanese life in centuries past. The book, which was written in 1871, is still regarded as an excellent introduction to Japanese literature and culture, by virtue of its ease of access and supplemental notes by the writer. Also included are the author's eyewitness accounts of a selection of Japanese rituals, ranging from the harakiri and marriage to a selection of sermons. This book had a lasting influence on the Western perception of Japanese history, culture and society, particularly because of just one widely known tale about samurai revenge. This work is available for countries where copyright is Life+70 and in the USA. http://feedbooks.com/book/2726.png http://feedbooks.com/book/2726.pdf http://feedbooks.com/book/2726.epub http://feedbooks.com/book/2726.mobi