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Peter Hessler - Bilingual quotes that celebrate the beauty of language, showcasing meaningful expressions in two unique perspectives.

Peter Hessler - Bilingual quotes that celebrate the beauty of language, showcasing meaningful expressions in two unique perspectives.
Peter Hessler is an American author and journalist known for his insightful writings on China and other topics. He gained prominence through his books that chronicle his experiences in China during his time as a Peace Corps volunteer and later as a journalist. His keen observations of Chinese culture and society have...
For some reason, it had become a tradition for tourists to throw money into the hole in front of the Sphinx. Of all the strange things that foreigners and rich Egyptians did at the ancient sites, this ritual most impressed Sayyid and his family.
Peter Hessler The Buried: An Archaeology of the Egyptian Revolution
For some reason, it had become a tradition for tourists to throw money into the hole in front of the Sphinx. Of all the strange things that foreigners and rich Egyptians did at the ancient sites, this ritual most impressed Sayyid and his family.
Average Egyptians take pride in their pharaonic history, but there's also a disconnect, because the tradition of the Islamic past is stronger and more immediate. This is captured perfectly by the design of Egypt's currency. Every denomination follows the same pattern: On one side of a bill, words are in Arabic, and there's an image of some famous Egyptian mosque. The other side pairs English text with a pharaonic statue or monument. The implication is clear: the ancients belong to foreigners, and Islam belongs to us.
Peter Hessler The Buried: An Archaeology of the Egyptian Revolution
Average Egyptians take pride in their pharaonic history, but there's also a disconnect, because the tradition of the Islamic past is stronger and more immediate. This is captured perfectly by the design of Egypt's currency. Every denomination follows the same pattern: On one side of a bill, words are in Arabic, and there's an image of some famous Egyptian mosque. The other side pairs English text with a pharaonic statue or monument. The implication is clear: the ancients belong to foreigners, and Islam belongs to us.
Nevertheless, Chinese drivers haven't grasped the subtleties of headlight use. Most people keep their lights off until it's pitch-dark, and then they flip on the brights. Almost nobody uses headlights in rain, fog, snow, or twilight conditions - in fact, this is one of the few acts guaranteed to annoy a Chinese driver. They don't mind if you tailgate, or pass on the right, or drive on the the sidewalk. You can back down a highway entrance ramp without anybody batting an eyelash. But if you switch on your lights during a rainstorm, approaching drivers will invariably flash their brights in annoyance.
Peter Hessler Country Driving: A Journey Through China from Farm to Factory
Nevertheless, Chinese drivers haven't grasped the subtleties of headlight use. Most people keep their lights off until it's pitch-dark, and then they flip on the brights. Almost nobody uses headlights in rain, fog, snow, or twilight conditions - in fact, this is one of the few acts guaranteed to annoy a Chinese driver. They don't mind if you tailgate, or pass on the right, or drive on the the sidewalk. You can back down a highway entrance ramp without anybody batting an eyelash. But if you switch on your lights during a rainstorm, approaching drivers will invariably flash their brights in annoyance.
Beijing maps featured cloverleaf exchanges that could have been designed by M. C. Escher.
Peter Hessler Country Driving: A Journey Through China from Farm to Factory
Beijing maps featured cloverleaf exchanges that could have been designed by M. C. Escher.
The Chinese people had invented the compass, paper, the printing press, gunpowder, the seismograph, the crossbow, and the umbrella; they had sailed to Africa in the fifteenth century; they had constructed the Great Wall; over the past decade they had built their economy at a rate never before seen in the developing world. They could return a rental car with exactly three-eighths of a tank of gas, but filling it was apparently beyond the realm of cultural possibility.
Peter Hessler Country Driving: A Journey Through China from Farm to Factory
The Chinese people had invented the compass, paper, the printing press, gunpowder, the seismograph, the crossbow, and the umbrella; they had sailed to Africa in the fifteenth century; they had constructed the Great Wall; over the past decade they had built their economy at a rate never before seen in the developing world. They could return a rental car with exactly three-eighths of a tank of gas, but filling it was apparently beyond the realm of cultural possibility.
One challenge for a foreign correspondent is to figure out how much of yourself to include: If a story is too self-centered, it becomes a tourist's diary. These days, the general trend is to reduce the writer's presence, often to the point of invisibility. This is the standard approach of newspapers, and it's described as a way of maintaining focus and impartiality. But it can make the subject feel even more distant and foreign. When I wrote about people, I wanted to describe the ways we interacted, the things we shared and the things that separated us.
Peter Hessler Strange Stones: Dispatches from East and West
One challenge for a foreign correspondent is to figure out how much of yourself to include: If a story is too self-centered, it becomes a tourist's diary. These days, the general trend is to reduce the writer's presence, often to the point of invisibility. This is the standard approach of newspapers, and it's described as a way of maintaining focus and impartiality. But it can make the subject feel even more distant and foreign. When I wrote about people, I wanted to describe the ways we interacted, the things we shared and the things that separated us.
But there were reports that Jiang and other members of the Old Guard were resisting retirement, and experts said that the Beidaihe meetings would be the first battleground of the political transition. Communist China had never had an orderly succession-for half a century, every transfer of power had involved coups or power struggles.
Peter Hessler Strange Stones: Dispatches from East and West
But there were reports that Jiang and other members of the Old Guard were resisting retirement, and experts said that the Beidaihe meetings would be the first battleground of the political transition. Communist China had never had an orderly succession-for half a century, every transfer of power had involved coups or power struggles.
The words of history are also the words of war.
Peter Hessler Oracle Bones: A Journey Between China's Past and Present
The words of history are also the words of war.
In the countryside, traditional parents avoid flattery, and the mother's responses were automatic-it was like knocking her knee with a rubber hammer. She didn't want to spoil the child, but there was also the Chinese superstition that pride attracts misfortune.
Peter Hessler Country Driving: A Journey Through China from Farm to Factory
In the countryside, traditional parents avoid flattery, and the mother's responses were automatic-it was like knocking her knee with a rubber hammer. She didn't want to spoil the child, but there was also the Chinese superstition that pride attracts misfortune.
a foreigner often feels most foreign while witnessing the early education of another culture.
Peter Hessler Country Driving: A Journey Through China from Farm to Factory
a foreigner often feels most foreign while witnessing the early education of another culture.
MIMI HAD ARRANGED A spot for Wei Jia in the children's ward of the Peking University Health Center Number Three
Peter Hessler Country Driving: A Journey Through China from Farm to Factory
MIMI HAD ARRANGED A spot for Wei Jia in the children's ward of the Peking University Health Center Number Three
I looked at the terraced hills and noticed how the people had changed the earth, taming it into dizzying staircases of rice paddies; but the Chinese looked at the people and saw how they have been shaped by the land.
Peter Hessler River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze
I looked at the terraced hills and noticed how the people had changed the earth, taming it into dizzying staircases of rice paddies; but the Chinese looked at the people and saw how they have been shaped by the land.
For a Politeness Monitor, these responses seemed awfully terse and uncommunicative, but who was I to judge?
Peter Hessler Country Driving: A Journey Through China from Farm to Factory
For a Politeness Monitor, these responses seemed awfully terse and uncommunicative, but who was I to judge?
mental institutions, rural health clinics. Once, he met
Peter Hessler Strange Stones: Dispatches from East and West
mental institutions, rural health clinics. Once, he met
The decorating scheme of Big World is simple in theme but complicated in execution. The theme is: things that shine and things that make noise. There are mirrors and glass railings and columns of polished steel; there are beeping lights and blaring loudspeakers; there are more reflective surfaces here than on a disco ball.
Peter Hessler Country Driving: A Journey Through China from Farm to Factory
The decorating scheme of Big World is simple in theme but complicated in execution. The theme is: things that shine and things that make noise. There are mirrors and glass railings and columns of polished steel; there are beeping lights and blaring loudspeakers; there are more reflective surfaces here than on a disco ball.
Every always says that their product is the best, said Mr.Wang. They have to talk about how much better they are than the competition, and usually they believe it. But the truth is that it's much easier once you realize that your product is inferior. Then you can focus on just doing business!
Peter Hessler Oracle Bones: A Journey Between China's Past and Present
Every always says that their product is the best, said Mr.Wang. They have to talk about how much better they are than the competition, and usually they believe it. But the truth is that it's much easier once you realize that your product is inferior. Then you can focus on just doing business!
When Chen Meizi had chosen her specialty, she didn't expect to find a job that matched her abilities; she expected to find new abilities that matched the available jobs.
Peter Hessler Strange Stones: Dispatches from East and West
When Chen Meizi had chosen her specialty, she didn't expect to find a job that matched her abilities; she expected to find new abilities that matched the available jobs.
In China, much of life involves skirting regulations, and one of the basic truths is that forgiveness comes easier than permission.
Peter Hessler Country Driving: A Journey Through China from Farm to Factory
In China, much of life involves skirting regulations, and one of the basic truths is that forgiveness comes easier than permission.
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