The best Chinese Biographies: Reddit reviews

From 3.5 billion Reddit comments

“Into Thin Air” by John Krakauer is an incredibly detailed ascent on Mt. Everest; and also a first hand look at how things can go horribly wrong. It’s a gripping read.

Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster https://www.amazon.com/dp/0385494785/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_Z6MWRVDB1MSW9ZGZEZ9T

You should read Bill Porter's book Road to Heaven: Encounters with Chinese Hermits.

https://www.amazon.com/Road-Heaven-Encounters-Chinese-Hermits/dp/1582435235

Most are members of a Buddhist or Daoist lineage that help support them. They also usually have some land they use for growing vegetables. They will go down and buy supplies from a village, too. Most 'hermits' live in networks where they support each other.

People who read have this funny habit of learning things. You should give it a try some time, you might learn something, too.

Maybe this one? I read it like ten years ago from my high school library. I remember it being in first person and being non fiction.

I was focusing on was the requirement for his people to show him their extreme loyalty and devotion - or face torture/death - and the “disastrous results for millions of people”. My info comes from:

Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China https://www.amazon.com/dp/0743246985/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_U5YgFbJJ4FS7P

That, and the fat part.

No, just an amateur historian. I suggest you read "Son of the Revolution" https://www.amazon.com/Son-Revolution-Liang-Heng/dp/0394722744/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2850XKV17K4JX&keywords=son+of+the+revolution&qid=1647718120&sprefix=son+of+the+revolution%2Caps%2C143&sr=8-1

Well, it is still around in society, speaking as a Western Chinese person. I mean…the term was even popularized due to a book published by a Chinese mother: https://www.amazon.com/Battle-Hymn-Tiger-Mother-Chua/dp/0143120581

Yeah mo absolutelynsanda is damn fine fighting art. Have you ever read "American Shoalin" really a great look into their life in the temple from an outside perspective. American Shaolin: Flying Kicks, Buddhist Monks, and the Legend of Iron Crotch: An Odyssey in theNew China https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001FWXRF2/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_AX81MSAF84J4TJHJM5MT

I'd recommend the book, Son of the Revolution by Liang Heng. It's a memoir and first person account about life during and participating in the Cultural Revolution. It might give perspective on how people can get sucked into a self-destructive movement like both the Cultural Revolution and MAGA.

https://www.amazon.com/Son-Revolution-Liang-Heng/dp/0394722744

I find that Buddhism,stoicism,cynicism, and Epicureanism play well together...different focuses, but not opposed.

In the book https://www.amazon.com/Road-Heaven-Encounters-Chinese-Hermits/dp/1582435235 my favorite quote from an old Taoist hermit is “the Buddhists probably meditate better than us, but I like the Tao- I use some things I’ve learned from monks”

Henry Kissinger's World Order is a book that's worth reading. The first half is a history of different world orders that have existed throughout history. The second half dives more into his personal thoughts on the future. The sections pertaining to China are particularly interesting. I found it to be a very quick and easy read despite being very information dense.

You can read a review of the book in The Guardian if you are interested.

Also recommend

https://www.amazon.com/Prisoner-State-Secret-Journal-Premier/dp/1439149399

Premier during tiananmen, tried to argue for leniency. Was sacked afterwards and under house arrest the rest of his life. Secretly recorded tapes and got them out to be published.

I read in a book that they retract their testicles into their body, and tuck their penis into their waistband.

The book in question https://www.amazon.com/American-Shaolin-Flying-Buddhist-Odyssey/dp/B001FWXRF2

> I bet you tell everyone how you just are so accepting of everyone and everything and don't ever judge.

The fact that you think this is how normal people act is a sign of just how out-of-touch you are.

You've voluntarily put yourself in a box of conspiracy and paranoia. I'm the guy looking down the well, and I actually do sympathize with you even if you don't want to hear that and are gonna take that as super-condescending. I've been so far down that rabbit hole and now I have people accusing me of being "Team Clinton" whatever that means. It's amazing.

What books have influenced your world view? I will tell you the last one I read, and it will probably piss you off https://www.amazon.com/World-Order-Henry-Kissinger/dp/0143127713

Name a conspiracy book you've read or heard of.

There is this book called Road to heaven you should check it out. Some of those people have lived alone for longer than you've been alive.

Here's some other info on the Bilderberg 's:

The Juice Media 's Interpretation of the Bilderberg and enlightenment :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4nSjPdT788

Henry Kissinger book "World Order". In short, society is a mob without the inheritance of leadership.

btw I got ya covered OP. You're lookin' for Jon Krakauer.

Into Thin Air and Into the Wild. Both things that happened and both enthralling without being in the least abstruse.

In case you were looking for a historical book about some of these European wars and the recipes & diplomatic actions that led to world wars

Absolutely read "Son of the Revolution" by Liang Heng. His parents were educated, his father worked for the newspaper, and the book deals with the effects the Cultural Revolution had on his family, and himself as he was swept up in it as a young boy. Absolutely one of the most terrifying things I've ever read.

http://www.amazon.com/Son-Revolution-Liang-Heng/dp/0394722744

> No its not. It is acknowledge by pretty much any military historian of China that the siege happened.

> And starving thousands of men, women and children to their death is magnitude way worst than killing belligerents.

Yes, a siege happened. But they certainly won't acknowledge the events the way you described it. Try harder.

> Li Mi, Sun Li Jen, Liu Yu zhang, The 3 Mohamed of the North West (Which were ethnic Hui that commanded a mix of Turkic Salars, Han Chinese and Hui soldiers).

Let's just say I found it tremendously interesting that I asked you to name one great leader, and you chose to name military leaders and not one stateman. I'd say that speaks more about you than me.

> Now lets play the same game, name me one PRC leader that has half the political and military clout as Ma Bu Fang that is part of an ethnic minority.

Feel free to look into He Long of the Tejia ethnic minority.

> Do you have any family that were part of the 1989 protests? I do, they were students at Fudan and Beida. Of course they would not shoot up a place were EVERYONE in the world was looking over with camera. They did however shoot up much of Beijing and conducted terrible massacre in Chengdu, were they cleaned up and massacres everybody.

Want to tell us more about what happened in those areas? Did students commit any crimes? How long were they there? How long before government forces moved in?

> Read this book when you have the time.

> http://www.amazon.com/Prisoner-State-Secret-Journal-Premier/dp/1439149399

No problem. If it's an objective source, I may even make a purchase. Otherwise, I'd be happy to make a trip to the library and treat it the same as any political hack job like from Ann Coulter or Michelle Malkin.

Into Thin Air?

>We'll have to agree to disagree. War is hell, and while any loss of life is regrettable, war was never a dinner party. Men do die during war. Plus the account of the events is questionable in itself.

No its not. It is acknowledged by pretty much any military historian of China that the siege happened.

And starving thousands of men, women and children to their death is magnitude way worst than killing belligerents.

>With the exception of Sun Yat-sen, name one great leader that came from the ranks of the KMT.

Li Mi, Sun Li Jen, Liu Yu zhang, The 3 Mohamed of the North West (Which were ethnic Hui that commanded a mix of Turkic Salars, Han Chinese and Hui soldiers).

Now lets play the same game, name me one PRC leader that has half the political and military clout as Ma Bu Fang that is part of an ethnic minority.

>Funny how the passage of time continually validates the CPC's account of history time and time again.

Top kekt.

Do you have any family that were part of the 1989 protests? I do, they were students at Fudan and Beida. Of course they would not shoot up a place were EVERYONE in the world was looking over with camera. They did however shoot up much of Beijing and conducted terrible massacre in Chengdu, were they cleaned up and massacres everybody.

Read this book when you have the time.

http://www.amazon.com/Prisoner-State-Secret-Journal-Premier/dp/1439149399

I can recommend you look into "Road to Heaven" book. Bill Porter interviewed various hermit practitioners of Zen, Dao and Buddhism. It will shine the light and answer most of your questions.

In the Heart of the Sea was excellent. I'm also a fan of similarly harrowing nonfiction. Here are a few others to check out:

<em>Into Thin Air</em> by Jon Krakauer is about a disaster on Everest. Lots of freezing to death in this one.

<em>Alive</em> by Piers Paul Read is about a plane crash in the Andes. Features both freezing to death and eating each other.

I thought we were talking about OP's Golden Age of Zen? I did read Merton's Seven Storey Mountain way back in the day. I remember being impressed with the rawness of his writing compared to the spiritual treacle I was used to. Not much else stuck with me though. Whatever it takes to connect with god in that way I just don't have.

>You do not find Zen Buddhist doing anything to help the needy of the world.

Given that the Diamond Sutra specifically mandates charity (detached charity, but charity none the less) as a part of Buddhist practice, I'd say that the author isn't too well read on Zen.

If you're looking for a Christian perspective on Zen, read John C. Wu's <em>The Golden Age of Zen.</em> Technically, it's a Catholic perspective, but still.

Yes. Cause hiking Everest is casual enough to have litter patrols.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effects_of_high_altitude_on_humans

Also try reading:

http://www.amazon.com/Into-Thin-Air-Personal-Disaster/dp/0385494785

The Eight Gates of Zen is one of my favorites by far.

And I just started to read The Golden Age of Zen which seems excellent so far, it is about Chinese Zen (Chan) and the old masters.

I know you asked for novels, but I'm going to recommend an autobiography: Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China by Jung Chang. The 381 Amazon reviews is an indication of just how good it is.

Also, Krakauer's Into Thin Air, where he recounts his experiences on Mt. Everest during the tragedy of 1996.

Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All Night Runner by Dean Karnazes.