Proverbs, those sage sayings and goblets of wisdom, invariably injected with gentle humour, are common to virtually all peoples and cultures on Earth.
The Chinese are no exception.
Gathered here are gems galore, which, while revealing much as to the Chinese national psyche, highlight particular traits and characteristics that span the globe.
We all know Chairman Mau’s infamous “It doesn’t matter what colour the cat, as long as it catches mice”, but most of us would only recognize an approximate English equivalent of “A mighty dragon cannot crush a local snake or, A Phoenix might come out of a crows nest”.
The beasts and birds of legend and folklore provide the inimitable Kathryn Lamb’s pen with a feast of hilarious subjects, not least a certain revolution at one ill-fated dinner party…
