Considers the role of hiddenness in the history of cultural production in premodern China.This volume brings together fourteen essays that explore the role of hiddennessmdash;as both an object and a mode of representationmdash;in the history of cultural production in China from the Warring States Period (403ndash;221 BCE) to the end of the Qing Dynasty (1911) and beyond. The rhetorical use of various forms of hiddenness makes its appearance in literary; political; philosophical; and religious writings; as well as in the visual arts. Working in fields as disparate as traditional Chinese literature; religion; philosophy; history; medicine; and art; the contributors attempt to characterize one of the fundamental signifying practices in traditional Chinese cultural production. In the process; they not only reveal otherwise obscure patterns connecting longstanding social; political; aesthetic; and epistemological practices; but also contribute to ongoing discussionsmdash;well beyond the field of China studiesmdash;regarding the representation and communicability of knowledge; as well as the practices controlling its dissemination.Paula M. Varsano is Associate Professor of Chinese at the University of California; Berkeley and the author of Tracking the Banished Immortal: The Poetry of Li Bo and Its Critical Reception.
#253339 in eBooks 2017-01-03 2017-01-01File Name: B01NBNKKEY
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Insightful and entertainingBy Kindle CustomerIrsquo;m of two minds about Steven Spielberg. I share the general belief that hersquo;s a brilliant showman. I think that "Jaws." for example. might be the best adventure film ever made. On the other hand. I hold Spielberg largely ndash; if indirectly ndash; responsible for the sorry state of Hollywood today. with its glut of ldquo;franchiserdquo; movies and over-emphasis of special effects. Not to mention studiosrsquo; ldquo;will teenage boys like it?rdquo; marketing mentality.The publisher was wise to assign this short-but-insightful Spielberg biography to Haskell. a renowned critic who appreciates the filmmakerrsquo;s talent and influence but is not. by her own admission. a die-hard fan. Haskellrsquo;s chapters are chronological. linking Spielbergrsquo;s personal life and evolution to the plots and themes of his movies. I didnrsquo;t always agree with her evaluations. but her prose is unfailingly thought-provoking.To me. the book is most interesting in the chapters about early Spielberg. when the wunderkind was setting the world on fire with energetic. imaginative blockbusters like "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" and "Raiders of the Lost Ark." Later films like "Empire of the Sun." "Amistad." and "Lincoln" might hold more appeal for a serious analyst like Haskell. but Irsquo;ve always felt that when it comes to a Steven Spielberg movie. popcorn is more palatable than polemics. ndash; grouchyeditor.com0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. A biography that intertwines film criticism and JudaismBy Michael JollsMolly Haskell tackles the task of outlining the correlation between Spielbergs films and own life story - evident when following his interviews. "E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial"; "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade"; and "Catch Me If You Can" openly reflect Spielbergs own life story. which Haskell does an excellent job of articulating. whereas pictures like "Amistad" and "Munich" are a product of his own agendas. My paperback is still dripping yellow ink from all the highlighted marks.Sadly. the Academy Award inaccuracies ("Saving Private Ryan" did not win Best Picture; Chiwetel Ejiofor did not win Best Actor for "12 Years A Slave") are unforgivable - yet that mistake reflects poorly on the editing team. Direct blame to Haskell is unwarranted. "Saving Private Ryan" losing Best Picture remains the greatest faux pas amongst the Spielberg fans. and it shows a lack of interest on the part of the publishing team for not knowing one of the hot-button-issues on its subject.Personally. while Haskell should be commended for giving extensive treatment to "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" and "Bridge of Spies". to see "War Horse" reduced to mere paragraph was the most disappointing aspect of the book.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Connecting the dots in a long career.By AxeManAfter watching. I thought. almost all of his films for decades. I was shocked to know about what I had missed or not known that he had his hand in. Haskell has told the story in a very interesting way. making him so much less of a mystery. Dots were connected. failures and victories were given substance. even if I disagreed with her evaluation of one film or another. Makes me want to re-watch several. and I have seen many several times. His Jewish journey was a familiar story that made me consider my own. which was entirely different and has turned out to remain that way. Reading a film critic looking at her colleagues. past and present. was a satisfying experience.
