Books published by Leiden University Press

This book is intended for Chinese Studies majors, China-focused students in other fields, heritage learners, and professionals. It will help improve vocabulary and grammar competence, and foster reading strategies and writing and translation skills, for use in academic and professional settings. Paint Feet on a Snake *is available in full-form and simplified character editions*is aimed at learners of Mandarin with a command of about 850 characters and 1200 vocabulary items*is suitable for language acquisition programs and for programs combining linguistic and cultural competence*has been optimized in pilot editions at Leiden UniversityLin Chin-hui is lecturer in Mandarin at the University of GöttingenMaghiel van Crevel is professor of Chinese language and literature at Leiden University

Persian in Use is an elementary Persian language and culture textbook designed for first-year language students at a university level and specifically focused on teaching contemporary Persian as it is actually used. With its colorful and lively design, the textbook offers an integrative approach combining new vocabulary summarized thematically and lexically, interactive dialogues, straightforward explanations of grammatical features, engaging classroom and homework exercises, and samples of literary and popular writings.

Abu ¿Abdollâh' Jafar ibn Mohammad Rudaki (c. 880 CE-941 CE) was a poet to the Samanid court which ruled much of Khorâsân (northeastern Persia) from its seat in Bukhara.He is widely regarded as "the father of Persian poetry, for he was the first major poet to write in New Persian language, following the Arab conquest in the seventh and eighth centuries, which established Islam as the official religion, and made Arabic the predominant literary language in Persian-speaking lands for some two centuries.In the tenth century the Caliphate power, with headquarters in Bagdad, gradually weakened. The remoteness of Khorâsân, where Rudaki was based, provided a hospitable atmosphere for a "renaissance" of Persian literature. Persian poetry¿now written in the Arabic alphabet¿flourished under the patronage of the Samanid amirs, who drew literary talent to their court. Under the rule of Nasr ibn Ahmad II (r. 914-943), Rudaki distinguished himself as the brightest literary star of the Samanid court.This book presents Rudaki as the founder of a new poetic aesthetic, which was adopted by subsequent generations of Persian poets. Rudaki is credited with being the first to write in the rubâi form; and many of the images we first encounter in Rudaki's lines have become staples of Persian poetry.