Things Chinese

China&apos;s art objects and traditionally manufactured products have long been sought by collectors&#8212;from porcelains and silk fabrics to furniture and even the lacquered chopsticks that are a distant relation to ones found in most Chinese restaurants. <i>Things Chinese</i> presents sixty distinctive items that are typical of Chinese culture and together open a special window onto the people, history, and society of the world&apos;s largest nation. Many of the objects are collectibles, and each has a story to tell. <br><br>The objects relate to six major areas of cultural life: the home, the personal, arts & crafts, eating & drinking, entertainment, and religious practice. They include items both familiar and unfamiliar&#8212;from snuff bottles and calligraphy scrolls to moon cake molds and Mao memorabilia. Ronald Knapp&apos;s evocative text describes the history, cultural significance, and customs relating to each object, while Michael Freeman&apos;s superb photographs illustrate them. Together, text and photographs offer a unique look at the material culture of China and the aesthetics that inform it.