The Heart of the Dragon Author:Alasdair Clayre Promoted as a companion to the PBS series of the same name, this beautifully written and well-organized book may be enjoyed in its entirety. The author explores 11 areas of Chinese life: remembering (emperors), believing, marrying, meditating, eating, living, working, correcting, understanding (the body and the universe), creating (fine arts) an... more »d trading. Lovely and recent color photographs embellish each chapter, whether they show a family eating a simple meal or the traditional customs of a remote region. Pencil and charcoal drawings from past centuries show a variety of scenes also. The chapters are well-defined in scope and manageable in length. Clearly and in a straightforward style, Clayre blends the realities of modern China with a great deal of information about its past.« less