Customer Reviews

A Thousand Pieces of Gold: Growing Up Through China's Proverbs

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Having just read her other book, "Falling Leaves", I was instantly struck by how well the two books go together. Anyone who has read "Falling Leaves" and loved it should read this book. In it she ties ancient and recent Chinese history together in an enjoyable and approachable way while including more detail from her own life.

I have read many other books on China. Most of them have been dry and unexciting. This book, however, brings Chinese history to life and applies it to the modern world. Finally I understand why Mao Zedong and the first emperor of China are so often compared. Yen Mah brings it all together and binds it with proverbs that I well remember hearing from my own travels in China.

If you are a student of Chinese history, or you're simply curious, definately read this book. It will bring you in and give you a unique insight into not only China of the past, but China now and in the future.

I'm an overseas Chinese. I tried reading this book through the eyes of a "guai low" (foreigner) to see if it was a book that would open the eyes of the westerner to the thoughts of a Chinese.

If you aren't Chinese, grew up in a western civiliation, and want to try to understand something about how the Chinese think, this is a great introductory book.

What I felt could have been done better is the explanation of the proverbs (cheng yu). I feel strongly about this possibly because Chinese proverbs has defined my life and values. Then again, that might have made the book unnecessary lengthy and boring.

There are 3 stories in this book. That of the first emperor of China - Chin Shih Huang, Mao Ze Dong and the author herself. All 3 are important stories.

Kudos to the courage of Adeline. Only another Chinese can understand what it took to write her books.

I purchased this book by mistake thinking it was the Thousand Pieces of Gold by Mah. Each chapter is based on a Chinese Proverb with analogies between Chinese historical events and the author's life. Some attempt is made to equate some of these proverbs to English sayings, such as Pearl Harbor, some with more and some with less success. We generally don't go around saying "... a Pearl Harbor ..." or "... a Kennedy Assasination ..." as the book seems to imply. The book itself is a good reading from an historical perspective with explanations of how Chinese think. BTW my Chinese wife has not heard of some of these proverbs which makes me question their modern usage but then again China is a country about the same size of the US with a lot more people and the culture varies by province (changing though).

Adeline Yen Mahs latest book is a perfect interweaving of personal reminiscence and ancient Chinese history. She has translated accounts from Shiji, a historical record published in China in the last century BC and therefore referring to events in the two centuries before that, and related them to contemporary events in her own life. Accounts of the First and Second Chinese Emperors, their wars and the intrigues of their courtiers, are interspersed with original proverbs which are depicted in the Chinese script. This English reader, relying on the English translations of these proverbs, was impressed with their universal truth. Why should that be a surprise when human beings worldwide are a single species with emotions and actions that are universal? William Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe sixteen centuries later, encapsulated similar human frailties in their plays. Even the characters of the two Emperors, the weaker following the stronger, show parallels in English history: for example, the weaker Edward II followed Edward I, the weaker Richard II followed Edward III, the weaker Henry VI followed Henry V. There is a lot of Chinese wisdom in these texts. - Paula Alderson

Adeline Yeh Mah is an amazing author as her autobiography "Falling Leaves" reveals. This book weaves the meaning of various chinese words and expressions into her personal story in such a way that the reader more clearly understands the historical context and contemporary meaning of each. Very very enjoyable and informative reading!

This book is composed of two interwoven tales: an autobiography of the author's life from the 1950s to the 1990s, and the history of China's formative years. These two tales are joined together at crucial points to illustrate how the lessons of life, love, war, and diplomacy practiced 3000 years ago by fuedal warlords are still applicable today, in this case in the life of the author.

The author has had a challenging life as she had to put up with an unloving stepmother as a child and scheming siblings as an adult. She bore this anguish and torture quietly for most of her life until she finally quit her medical career and put her pain to words. The result was several books, with this as the latest. This illustrates various parts of her life and her relationships with various people, including family, friends, and people she met in her career. This latest offering shows how her relationships had parallels in the relationships between the various warlords and politicians involved in China's synthesis from 6+ various kingdoms about 3000 years ago.

The text itself is broken into chapters, each of which is named after a famous Chinese proverb. Each chapter is then dedicated to the historical origins of that proverb, and how that proverb has applied to the author's life and to life in general.

Overall, the book is good reading. It provides insight into the foundations of Chinese culture, how Chinese think, and the mindset of the Chinese people. To a lesser degree it also serves to illustrate the differences between Chinese and Western cultures.

Adeline Yen Mahs latest book is a perfect interweaving of personal reminiscence and ancient Chinese history. She has translated accounts from Shiji, a historical record published in China in the last century BC and therefore referring to events in the two centuries before that, and related them to contemporary events in her own life. Accounts of the First and Second Chinese Emperors, their wars and the intrigues of their courtiers, are interspersed with original proverbs which are depicted in the Chinese script. This English reader, relying on the English translations of these proverbs, was impressed with their universal truth. Why should that be a surprise when human beings worldwide are a single species with emotions and actions that are universal? William Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe sixteen centuries later, encapsulated similar human frailties in their plays. Even the characters of the two Emperors, the weaker following the stronger, show parallels in English history: for example, the weaker Edward II followed Edward I, the weaker Richard II followed Edward III, the weaker Henry VI followed Henry V. There is a lot of Chinese wisdom in these texts. - Paula Alderson

A thousand pieces of gold: Adeline Yen Mah's latest book is a perfect interweaving of personal reminiscence and ancient Chinese history. She has translated accounts from Shiji, a historical record published in China in the last century BC and therefore referring to events in the two centuries before that, and related them to contemporary events in her own life. Accounts of the First and Second Chinese Emperors, their wars and the intrigues of their courtiers, are interspersed with original proverbs which are depicted in the Chinese script. This English reader, relying on the English translation of these proverbs, was impressed with their universal truth. Why should that be a surprise when human beings worldwide are a single species with emotions and actions that are universal? William Shakespeare, sixteen centuries later, encapsulated similar human frailties in his plays. Even the characters of the two Emperors, the weaker following the stronger, show parallels in English history: for example, the weak Edward II followed Edward I, the weak Richard II followed Edward III and the weak Henry VI followed Henry V. There is a lot of Chinese wisdom hidden in these texts.
Paula Alderson ...

Being a big fan and have read practically every novel of hers (Peony in Love, my fav) ATPOG is her only non fiction done primarily by constant requests from her family. Uniquely intimate details are shared and vivid situations are revealed from one of the few female asian authors out there. I've come to know and learn of China, in ways never taught in school.

A Thousand Pieces of Gold: Growing Up Through China's Proverbs

This is the third book of Adeline Mah's that I've read. Her books are autobiographical in nature as well as historically based. She is a wonderful story teller, a gift she learned from her grandfather. Through her life story and his, Her intense connection and love for her grandfather, his knowledge of Chinese history and proverbs and his intentional attention to teaching his granddaughter, Adeline Mah tells her family's history as well as centuries of Chinese history. Her story is engaging, sad, and heartening. Her historical references are enlightening, thorough, and tells the Chinese history in a concise and precise way. Her methodology using the historical reference of the proverbs tells the Chinese history as well as her own family's history. A thoroughly enlightening book to sit down with.