Asian Classics

An essential classic, now available in Hindi.

In this second of a planned five-volume series, David Roy provides a complete and annotated translation of the famous Chin P'ing Mei, an anonymous sixteenth-century Chinese novel that focuses on the domestic life of His-men Ch'ing, a corrupt, upwardly mobile merchant in a provincial town, who maintains a harem of six wives and concubines. This work, known primarily for its erotic realism, is also a landmark in the development of narrative art--not only from a specifically Chinese perspective but in a world-historical context.

Thrust by a mysterious portal into an unknown world, Nick Barnette does what anyone would do in his situation: he runs. Now separated from his friends, and being pursued by powerful forces he doesn’t understand, Nick must navigate the Kingdom of Lhasa and figure out how to get home. Through his trials and tribulations, Nick notices that he has developed a strange power that allows him to slow down time, vastly improving his combat ability. But he doesn’t have any control over the power.

Seth Kinnaman's dream has always been to become the best fighter the world has ever seen. After spending his entire life training, he's finally ready to test his skills in the biggest tournament on Earth, where hundreds of the fiercest competitors vie for the supreme title. In the semifinals, Seth is getting the upper hand when his opponent uses an illegal blow to take him out. Upon waking up from a coma, Seth finds out he's lost his sight. He's become blind, and he's completely devastated. All his dreams are now shattered, and he soon falls into depression.

The Most Venerable Book is one of the five classics. For many centuries it was a central work for anyone wishing to work for the imperial administration, with its prestige stemming from the belief that it had been assembled by Confucius himself. The first emperor tried to have all copies destroyed because of its subversive implication that 'the Mandate of Heaven' could be withdrawn from rulers who failed their people. For similar reasons it was also banned by Mao. Extraordinarily, it has been revived by the Chinese government of the 2010s.

Patrick Lafcadio Hearn, was an Irish writer known also by the Japanese name Koizumi Yakumo. His book Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things, comprises two parts, the first being the "Kwaidan Proper" and the second, "Insect-Studies", which consists of an essay each on ants, butterflies and mosquitos. According to the author, most of the folk tales and ghost stories in the first part were translated from old Japanese texts. The themes encompass resurrection, sacrifice, magic, and the realm of dreams.

Carlos Bulosan’s idealism and ambition would seem to position him for certain success in America, even given how young he is when he first makes the journey from the Philippines. However, after arriving in Seattle, employers are far more concerned with his Filipino background than they are with his character. Low-paying jobs - and an uncertain future - remain his daily reality.

Unveil the secrets of the Chinese language and culture as you embark on a captivating journey with Sun Tzu's renowned masterpiece, The Art of War for Language Learners. Immerse yourself in this comprehensive audiobook, which offers a contemporary approach to learning Chinese and presents timeless wisdom from China's most celebrated classic.

Long out-of-print, this novella is Ganymede's life story - unapologetic in its ribald details of Greek gods in disguise, trying to seduce the most beautiful youth in the Ancient world. When a prince of Troy is born with perfect proportions, not only does every man he meets desire him, but the Immortals want him as their lover. Ganymede loses his virginity to Hermes at 12, at 14 he captures the attention of Ares and Apollo...can Zeus be next?

В этот сборник вошли как принесшие Акутагаве мировую славу и автоматически ассоциирующиеся с его именем исторические рассказы и новеллы (включая легендарную "В чаще", послужившую основой для сценария бессмертного фильма "Расёмон" Куросавы), так и менее известные западному читателю, но почитающиеся на родине автора еще выше рассказы, действие которых происходит на фоне современной автору реальности Японии начала ХХ века, еще сохраняющей немало черт национального своеобразия, но жадно и стремительно "европеизирующейся".

"Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves", "Aladdin", "Sinbad the Sailor": These are just some of the strange and amazing stories that clever Scheherazade tells to captivate her husband, King Shahryar…and to save her own life. Each one is more fantastic than the last, filled with demons and dervishes, caliphs and genies, men transformed into dogs and monsters with eyes that glow. Like the king, children will find themselves enchanted by every tale.

Here is one of the best Japanese stories. This fairy tale tells of the creation of the modern jellyfish, which is such a strange transluscent creature; according to the legend, it was not always the case, and the jelly fish owns its peculiar appearance to a punishment inflicted by the Dragon King of the Sea. Delve into the legends and fables of old Japan, with a myth that will delight children and adults alike, and discover the riches of Japanese culture through its most authentic tales. Not unlike the western folk tales compiled by the Brothers Grimm, this myth is part of a series of stories faithfully preserving the spirit of medieval Japan; it is a peculiar travel through space and time, which will delight children and adults alike.

Pubblicato nel 1893, questo libro per ragazzi dell'orientalista Judith Gautier descrive usi e costumi orientali (il romanzo è ambientato in Siam e in India) attraverso una storia semplice e delicata. L'attenzione ai dettagli del luogo e dell'epoca contraddistinguono questo come gli altri romanzi della scrittrice.

We have selected for you nine of the best Japanese myths and fairy tales. Not unlike the western folk tales compiled by the Brothers Grimm, these stories faithfully preserve the spirit of medieval Japan, while rendered in a translation accessible to all ages.

6-12 yoshli bolalar uchun mo’ljallangan hayvonlar haqidagi sehrli ertaklar. Ertak tulkining ona laylak bilan do’stlashishi, yashirincha uning bolalarini yeb qo’yishi-yu, oxir-oqibat buning jazosini olishi haqida hikoya qiladi.

6-12 yoshli bolalar uchun mo’ljallangan sehrli ertak. Ertakda bir zolim shohning go’zal pari Mislabuni sevib qolishi-yu, uni dunyo bo’ylab 40 yil qidirishi, sohibjamol bilan uyga qaytganda esa voqealar o’zi kutmagan holda o’zgarib ketishi bayon qilinadi.

6-12 yoshli bolalar uchun mo’ljallangan odamlar haqidagi ibratli ertak. Ertak ikki ahmoqning baxs boylashi-yu, oxir-oqibat ikkalasi ham ahmoq bo’lib qolishi haqida.

If you're a Tagore fan, this is a feast!

ある朝夢から目覚めると、毒虫になっていた。突然虫になってしまった男と、その家族の生活という日常。あまりにも非日常的な出来事には、説明も何もない。ただ、【突然虫になってしまった】事実があるのみである。 「この子は虫じゃない。私達の家族だもの。」 そんなこと、現実では有り得ない。目の前に居るのは、どう見ても毒虫である。ただ、それだけ。家族を養えず、母親を気絶させ、下宿人を追い出そうとする、そんな虫が、家族である訳がない――。20世紀を代表する不条理小説として、現代でも必読書に挙げられることの多いカフカの「変身」。本作では実力派の朗読家が、非日常の日常を、淡々と冷ややかに読み上げる。人間のエゴや弱さを鋭く突く、問題作。

"Cion Cion Blu" è un contadino cinese che veste solo di blu e arancione; ha un gatto tutto blu e un cane tutto arancione. E un pesciolino, che si chiama Bluino. Una notte, la neve copre di fiocchi bianchi tutti i suoi alberi d'aranci: quanto buon gelato d'aranciata! Per venderlo al mercato Cion Cion Blu s'incammina...