Acknowledgements
The original title of this book is A Comparative Study of Metaphors in English and Chinese Political Discourse,but I need to make a compromise and get the title changed due to some unspeakable and you-know-what-I-mean reasons. Fortunately,there are still the people in my life that encourage me to move forward and persevere till the destination.
First and foremost,I would like to dedicate this book to my supervisor Liu Fagong,without whose patient guidance,insightful suggestions,fatherly encouragement and exceptional support,a study in this discipline would not have been completed in reasonable time.
I also appreciate the scholarly help I have received from Chai Gaiying,Chen Mingyao,Fan Zhenqiang,Jia Aiwu,Pan Zhangxian,Shang Biwu,Wang Lei,Wang Shuwen and Yang Xianju,whose teaching and lecturing are of great significance to the fulfillment of this research. But their help of course means a lot more for me than just taking scholarly advice.
Special thanks are given to Liu Yuhong at Nanjing Normal University,Lai Yan and Qian Yufang at Communication University of Zhejiang,Lin Youmiao,Zhang Qi and Zhu Changhe at Huzhou University,Zhejiang province,for their continued encouragement and care all the time.
This book would not have been possible without grants from Zhejiang Federation of Humanities and Social Sciences Circles (grant number:NDJC164YB),Postgraduate Research and Practice Innovation Program of Jiangsu Province(grant number:KYCX17_1965) (I am especially grateful to my supervisor Wang Jun and my brother Wang Xiaoping at Soochow University,for their help with the application process),Scientific Research Program (ZC17XJ024) and English Language and Literature of Communication University of Zhejiang where I have had the privilege of teaching for the past years.
Chen Xiaojing,the beautiful lady at China Social Sciences Press is exceptionally helpful and supportive at all stages in the publication of this book.
Finally,I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to my family,for the endless love and support in other ways.
Nick C.Lau
Yunbinwan,Powerlong
January 2018