Watching the Tree: To Catch a Hare - Reflections on Chinese Wisdom and Beliefs

She starts with ancient Chinese texts. In the I Ching and Tao Te Ching her spiritual journey uncovers (among some superstitions which she dismisses) many correlations between centuries-old Chinese teaching and modern science. The 64 hexagrams upon which the I Ching is based, for example, are a version of binary mathematics, such as Gottfried von Leibniz used in 17th-century Germany to develop the calculus and which eventually formed the basis of computer science. Leibniz described the I Ching, as "the oldest monument of scholarship".

Explaining that Confucian thought--family unity, parental respect and emphasis on education--arches over every faith and philosophy extant among Chinese people wherever they are in the world, Yen Mah draws examples from her own troubled past. When disinherited by her stepmother and conspired against by her siblings, it was deep conditioning with Confucian thought that made detaching herself so difficult. She goes on to write interestingly of a wide range of aspects of Chinese thought and culture. The cultural role of Chinese food, for instance. She quotes the old saying Yi Shi Wei Liao, which means "let food be medicine". Traditionally a Chinese doctor didn't prescribe pills or powders. He ordered that health-restoring ingredients be cooked into a healing broth and fed to the patient. As a retired, British-trained doctor who practised in anaesthesia for 30 years in California, she is well placed to discuss the health-giving properties of tofu, green tea and Chinese vegetables. The scope of the book is such that she also considers the grammar of the Chinese language--so different from European notions of grammar that Chinese can seem grammar-free to Westerners. The "shape" of the language colours speakers' thinking because, as Yen Mah's beloved grandfather taught her: "Ours is a pictorial language and every word is a picture of an image or an idea expressed on paper". Each symbol carries its own logic, history, meaning and several contrasting or complementary ideas. Not for the Chinese any single answer to anything. --Susan Elkin

She writes colourfully, humourously and clearly. I could not put this book down, I literally finished it in two days. I think that anyone who has a sincere interest in the Chinese culture to anyone who enjoys philosophy to anyone who just wants something entertaining to read, should definately give this a try.


The best   August 31, 2002
 3 out of 3 found this review helpful

I was born in Hong Kong and lived there till I was 14, and I'm totally gripped by this book! I have never realised before I read it that most of my beliefs of the world and the forces of Nature are so intrinsically Chinese. I love the idea of the one-ness of nature and Mah explains it very well. It's something all westerners should read and try to experience!


Not as good as Adeline's other books.   December 17, 2001
 0 out of 1 found this review helpful

When I first started reading this book it was hard to get into, but once I understood the way Adeline wrote it it becomes very educational and teaches you about Chinese folklore and culture. Chinese Cinderella is more about her life, whereas Watching the Tree is a mixture of her stories relating to the ways of the Chinese.


A very good book.   March 3, 2001
In the beginning it goes a bit slow but if you can get past this you would find the book great. I was reading it in a moment when I needed some peace and the book helped me.