Did you know that... -there are over 50,000 Chinese characters in existence today? -Chinese is the oldest written language still in use today in the world? -many Chinese babies are named after important historical events? -the Chinese names for dumpling and sleep sound almost exactly the same? Chinese is a fascinating and mysterious language that has captured the attention of scholars and linguists for centuries. This book explores many of the language's idiosyncrasies and its place on the world stage. You will learn how Chinese characters are invented and discover different aspects of life relevant to the Chinese language-how it's tied to the country's history, art, customs, and culture. A reader without any knowledge of the Chinese language will have no trouble understanding it.