A Dictionary of Chinese Symbols
A Dictionary of Chinese Symbols: Hidden Symbols in Chinese Life and Thought

By Wolfram Eberhard. Translated from the German by G. L. Campbell.

Published by Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1986. Original German work published by Eugen Diederichs Verlag, 1983.

This is a 6" by 9" hardbound book running to 332 pages including a brief bibliography.

Because the written Chinese language is pictographic, a dictionary of Chinese symbols has a connection to the language that dictionaries of symbols usually do not. This book is not, however, a dictionary of the Chinese language that pays attention to the symbolism of its words, but a dictionary of symbolism that covers only about 400 Chinese characters. The author chose symbols that relate to everyday life rather than spirituality, and popular and folk culture rather than literary culture.

The book is ordered alphabetically by the English word that translates each symbol. For each entry the English word is given, followed by a simple transliteration of the Chinese word, the actual Chinese character, and then a discussion of the word and its symbolic meaning from ancient times to the present. The discussions of the symbols are clear and very interesting. See references are indicated with an arrow in front of the word referenced, pointing to it. Many entries refer to texts in the Chinese literary canon.

The purpose of the book is to communicate a better understanding of Chinese culture, and it does so in a very accessible and enjoyable way. It's also a useful reference book.