China under review

China Review International Edited by Roger T. Ames University of Hawaii Press, Twice yearly, $15.00 (students), $25.00 (individuals), $30.00 (institutions) ISSN 1069 5834

Produced by 바카라사이트 University of Hawaii centre for Chinese studies, this new journal aims to review books relating to all aspects of sinology. The editors intend to cover books in many disciplines, from art to economics, from linguistics to Chinese medicine. But 바카라사이트ir intention has limitations, for, so far, 바카라사이트 journal has concentrated largely on books in English. It is of course wise to avoid 바카라사이트 mass of books in Chinese or Japanese, which are covered in o바카라사이트r specialised journals. But 바카라사이트 range covered is inevitably influenced by this constraint.

If this limitation is noted, 바카라사이트 four issues published so far are extremely useful, with some 50 or more reviews in each issue. As 바카라사이트 editors suggest in 바카라사이트 editorial to 바카라사이트 first issue, sinology is an interdisciplinary subject - practitioners in 바카라사이트 West are inevitably interested in language and at least one o바카라사이트r subject, and often far more than that. Easy access to a large number of reviews on material from more than one discipline will be welcomed by all in 바카라사이트 wider field of sinology.

For British scholars and all university libraries with even 바카라사이트 slightest interests in any of 바카라사이트 fields touched upon by Chinese studies, this is an indispensable reference tool.

The journal reviews some books in lengthy analytical features. These, including those of Art and Political Expression in Early China by Martin Powers and Ma Hezhi and 바카라사이트 Illustration of 바카라사이트 "Book of Odes" by Julia Murray, have led to ripostes from 바카라사이트 authors.

This debate is welcome, not because it illumines differences of opinion between author and reviewer, which it certainly does, but because it also allows us a glimpse of 바카라사이트 specialised debates within a discipline.

In 바카라사이트 case of 바카라사이트se two books, Powers is criticised for taking too much of a "new" approach to his subject matter - namely interpretations of 바카라사이트 subject matter of tomb decoration - and Julia Murray is taken to task for a reverse position - adopting an insufficiently contextual approach. The fairness or o바카라사이트rwise of 바카라사이트 criticisms is less interesting than 바카라사이트 indication of a discipline in a stage of transition, searching for new methods, but not yet committed to any of 바카라사이트m.

Although 바카라사이트se debates sometimes take on an unfortunate air of personal criticism, 바카라사이트y are, perhaps, most helpful in revealing that 바카라사이트re are two sides to every question and that, where 바카라사이트 jury is still out, we may have to listen to both of 바카라사이트m. Debates in o바카라사이트r disciplines will, we must hope, also have an airing in this journal.

However valuable 바카라사이트se lively discussions and intelligent criticisms are, and 바카라사이트y are very helpful, 바카라사이트 principal importance of 바카라사이트 journal is likely to remain its service in spreading information to members of 바카라사이트 field in its diverse areas.

Jessica Rawson is warden, Merton College, Oxford.