Kingdom of Characters: The Language Revolution That Made China Modern

Jing Tsu’s Kingdom of Characters explores the modern history of the Chinese script and its role in shaping China’s place in the world. Tsu traces the efforts to adapt the complex writing system to typewriters, telegraphs, and computers, showing how language and technology intersect. The book is both a cultural history and a story of innovation, revealing how scripts and characters carry national identity. Tsu writes with clarity and erudition, making a specialized topic accessible and fascinating. It’s a reminder of how deeply language structures our reality.