Thomas O. Hollmann is a professor of Chinese studies and ethnology at the Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich and a former vice president of the Bavarian Academy of Science. He is also the author of The Land of Five Flavors: A Cultural History of Chinese Cuisine (Columbia, 2013).
A competent, comprehensive look at the historical development of the Chinese writing system and its manifestations in literature, calligraphy, religion, and other aspects of culture. -- Victor H. Mair, University of Pennsylvania A well-researched, detailed book that provides broad yet concise information on the Chinese writing system's historical background, as well as its linguistic and artistic aspects. -- Peter Yang, Case Western Reserve University