The papers presented here originated at a 2007 conference on writing, ritual and cultural memory held in Munich. Wang-Riese and Hölliman, both of the Ludwig-Maximilian University of Munich, selected essays on pre-Qin China that describe the rituals that influenced the creation of calendars and a sense of linear time. Some of these refute earlier ideas, others, such as the use of terms for each phase of the moon, confirm linguistic theories. Many of the conclusions are based on revisions of meanings for ancient terms. The ways in which politics could influence concepts of the measurement of the year and a sense of history and legacy are sub themes to this fascinating collection. Distributed in North America by The David Brown Book Co. Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)