{"product_id":"great-mute-swans-gang-xu-9781736519301","title":"Great Mute Swans: Habitat, Behavior, Faith, and Family--A Photographic Narrative","description":"\u003cp\u003eHow did the Chinese character \u003cem\u003eXi\u003c\/em\u003e, also a prominent family name in China, originate? The mute swan might very well hold the answer to the question. In 2014, the author, a former Harvard fellow, was stunned to come across a scene in which two mute swan parents disciplined and trained one of their three children, which precisely captured the original meaning of the character \u003cem\u003eXi\u003c\/em\u003e. His curiosity about the bird as an intelligent animal species was finally given an opportunity to flourish five years later, when more than two dozen mute swans wintered in the Chestnut Hill Reservoir in the west periphery of the city of Boston, Massachusetts. He soon discovered that mute swans have evolved a practice that can only be characterized as a religion or faith, indicating that religion or faith is not an experience unique to humans. His observations suggest that the bird has formed a primitive civilization with significant social structure.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis book is the fruition of his passionate inquiries and painstaking documentation over a full, intensive year. The most comprehensive book about the mute swan so far, it systemically presents various aspects of mute swans, from their habitat and other birds that share the same water with them, to their relationship with humans, to their behavior, their faith, and their family lives. It integrates photography, nature, sciences, and humanity, as well as tales of his encounters with mute swans and other birds: at one end of the spectrum, the book goes into great detail about mute swans' wing structure; at the other, it brings in early Chinese civilization--Chinese idioms, mythology, Taoism, and the oracle bone script--as relevant to birds.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAmong the book's most valuable features: \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e167 sets of beautiful photo illustrations\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA diligent case study on human, environment, and animals\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCareful photo annotations that promote critical thinking and discussion\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBrainstorm questions that encourage open-minded curiosity\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBilingual in English and Chinese; the two languages are printed side by side to be beneficial to language learners\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA complementary video series on YouTube, titled \u003cem\u003eDr. Gang Xu's Swan World\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eA book of stunning discoveries, \u003cem\u003eGreat Mute Swans\u003c\/em\u003e is for a broad audience. With its numerous photographic illustrations, the book is a great gift for families and children of a wide range of ages.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Gang Xu\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 1736519301\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781736519301\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Dr. Gang Xu Dogwood Tree Studio\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 02\/05\/2021\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 268\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 2.53lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.50h x 11.00w x 0.81d","brand":"Gang Xu","offers":[{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":44159499600127,"sku":"9781736519301","price":78.88,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_b205894e-3466-4ed6-b84f-a3a919ac635a.jpg?v=1689082970","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/great-mute-swans-gang-xu-9781736519301","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}