Chinese Symbolism The Sublime Language Author:Peter Moss Pictograms, through which earliest mankind endeavoured to communicate, achieved their richest profusion in China, and gave rise to the world s most complex - and, many would argue, most artistic - written language. Symbolism still lies at the core of China s ancient heritage, in which certain animals and inanimate objects have long been regarded... more » as directly linked with particular human conditions. This book surveys some of the best recognised examples - not least of which are the dozen animal signs that comprise the twelve-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac.« less