PRESS RELEASE: enjoyable and effective, this new methodology of pain-free Chinese Character learning has been officially endorsed...

Enjoy Learning Chinese Characters is a brilliant new concept that supersedes traditional ‘learn-by-rote’ methods in helping students to HSK Level 3. It defines 250 component characters that lead to mastery over 856 in this book, and far more going forward.

Enjoy Learning Chinese Characters - Discover their Hidden Meanings    by Kun Ho Park & Kyung Yong Kong   (Kong & Park, Inc., 2013)   £20 Softcover   ISBN 978-89-97134-09-0

The mnemonic system created is one of visual and mental association on a number of levels:
* Clever use of a jigsaw pattern gives a clear and vivid impression of how different elements added to the central root create new meaning groups.
* Careful use of relaxing pastel colours pull the different constituents of the book together,   such as yellow for the background ‘game-board’ upon which the jigsaws containing the characters and elements are placed, then red for the root element, grey for the additional elements, from which blue compound characters are formed. Brown is used for historical characters, green for explanations and bright yellow to highlight new roots or elements. This serves to subconsciously help the brain assimilate the different pieces of information in the right order.
* Each of the 250 ‘component’ characters has a unique meaning, to which is appended a storyline, so that the different characters that grow from it in the jigsaw also have a narrative association.
* All the characters fall into 3 themes:   ABOUT PEOPLE     ABOUT LIFE     ABOUT NATURE, further sub-divided into constituent parts.   This creates a simple framework into which the mind can place each character and its subsequent combinations and morphs.
* Cartoons and drawings are used throughout as a further boost to memory and recognition.

Extremely clever and extremely effective, the book’s basic premise is that while characters may be simple or complicated, it is the sheer number that students find daunting. So the authors felt the need to devise a teaching method that effects painless memorization.   They have succeeded in doing this without in any way compromising the basics that students expect, such as stroke order, radical-recognition and romanization.

The Chinese government has endorsed it, and a patent was applied for in 2008, and granted in 2012.

This beginners book teaches students 856 characters, slightly exceeding the number required for the HSK Basic examination.

For further details, please see the attached Press Release PDF.

** For a reading / review copy, please contact Kodansha Europe at info@kodansha.eu **

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