Harmony: A Treasury of Chinese Wisdom for Children and Parents By Sarah Conover and Chen Hui

Order Book from Amazon

Review by Allison Martin

Do you know what the Chinese saying "monkeys dragging up the moon" means? The story goes that upon seeing the moon in a pool, a band of monkeys decide to save the moon, but in process they all fall into the pool and drown. This story teaches the importance of thoughtfulness before taking action, rather than blindly following. This saying or "chengyu" refers to a person who is bound to fail because their goals are unrealistic.

As Americans have expressions, such as "every cloud has a silver lining," teaching sayings are also popular in Chinese culture. These are well known expressions that every child grows up hearing, which teach attributes such as flexibility, steadfastness, dedication and honesty. Others are also used to make fun of people who are buffoons, tricksters or pompous.

Knowledge of the sayings and the stories behind them is an integral part of Chinese culture. From children to their elders almost everyone in China knows the "chenggyu" in this fascinating book. As the author writes to the young reader, "When you meet someone from China and you say you know the story about the farmer who pulled up all his sprouting plants so they'd grow faster, you'll have something to laugh about right away and you'll have made a new friend." Thus, Harmony, A Treasure of Chinese Wisdom for Children and Parents, is a wonderful resource for families with children adopted from China.

This enjoyable and scholarly collection for children and adults presents 24 common moral tales and their respective sayings from China, including well known Buddhist, Confucius, and Taoist teachings. A short synopsis is presented, followed by a longer, more detailed story. An informed discussion of the tales meaning (historical and present day) is intriguing and helpful, as it may not always be apparent to those not raised hearing them. Each story is well written and fun, with more than a touch of humor. The illusions are lovely colored ink and wash, in traditional Chinese fable style. Short articles on Chinese wisdom, philosophical and religious influences, a Chinese pronunciation guide, timeline and map provide helpful background information. I highly recommend "Harmony" to anyone interested in Chinese culture, as both children and adults are sure to enjoy this book immensely.

Order Book from Amazon