"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step" - an ancient Chinese proverb. This book is designed to be that first step, and to give you a way of thinking about the Chinese written language that not only makes memorization easier, but makes learning the language both more fun and more interesting. Along the way, you'll learn certain aspects of Chinese culture and tradition which serve to illuminate the meanings of the words and characters, thereby making it much easier to remember them. Expanded 2nd edition featuring 71 characters.