Five-Fold Happiness: Chinese Concepts of Luck, Prosperity, Longevity, Happiness, and Wealth - Hardcover

Sung, Vivien

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 081183526X ISBN 13: 9780811835268

Publisher: Chronicle Books, 2002

Synopsis

Surround yourself with lucky objects, the Chinese believe, and good fortune will come to you. In word and image, this exquisite volume-a delight to hold in the hand-explores the bounteous meanings of the five-fold symbols of happiness: luck, prosperity, longevity, happiness, and wealth. Drenched in color and lavishly illustrated from ancient and modern sources, Five-Fold Happiness interweaves both Chinese and English text. Peaches, the number eight, the imperial color of gold, a cat with one paw beckoning, or the dragon dance-here are some of the familiar images now revealed in their rich significance. Whether readers choose to embrace these symbols in their everyday lives or simply enjoy them on these glorious pages, Five-Fold Happiness is altogether auspicious.

About this title

About the Author:

Vivien Sung was born in Sydney, Australia. She now lives in San Francisco, where she works as a graphic designer. She has studied in China and travels there frequently.

From Library Journal:

Graphic designer Sung's book belongs to the relatively new class of small, sensuously crafted books meant to be pleasing to the hand and eye as well as to the mind. Her contribution to the genre takes for its subject the Chinese concepts of luck, prosperity, happiness, and wealth: she discusses each concept, as well as the varied legends that surround them, in Chinese and English; for each symbol of each concept there are pictograms, photographs, and other illustrations. Sung's distinctive way with design is evident from the delightful, brilliantly red and yellow pages. Her writing is clear and engaging; her subject is too-little understood in the West. Highly recommended for all collections.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Chronicle Books
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 081183526X
• ISBN 13: 9780811835268
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 256