“CSS禅意花园”网站(csszengarden.com)的超常创意就已经足够让我们唏嘘不已——亘古不变的HTML文本，仅靠着数百个不同的CSS样式表，就成就了数百个风格迥异而又精彩绝伦的网页设计作品！而一本计算机技术著作的书名若是敢包含“禅( Zen)”，那么作者又将会对该技术有怎样的理解，对自己有着怎样的自信？
而此时此刻，这样一本讲述“CSS禅意花园”网站的、名为《CSS禅意花园》的书就这样静静躺在你手中！毫不夸张地说，它丝毫没有辜负“禅”这个美名的褒扬，加上“CSS禅意花园”在Web标准领域内无可争议的地位，二者相辅相成，交相辉映，让本书当之无愧地站在了Web标准设计领域中旁人难以企及的巅峰。
这本书是教我们学习CSS的么？不尽然。这本书是教我们学习Web标准的么？不尽然。这本书是教我们学习网页设计的么？不尽然。那这本书是做什么的呢？为什么要读呢？
Jargon and technical terms are kept to a minimum so that even someone with only a vague understanding of CSS can understand most chapters. We recommend that you read a companion book from the recommended reading list, available in the Closing Thoughts section at the end of this book, to first learn the syntax and basic concepts, then use The Zen of CSS Design to expand on those ideas and apply them to your work.
Some issues covered are basic Web design principles that are broadly applicable across many situations, but not all. It’s possible to build CSS-based Web pages with automatic layout tools like Macromedia Dreamweaver, but most of the CSS techniques we discuss are far more useful to those who code by hand in an HTML editor. If you rely on drag and drop for your Web design process, you may find the book overly technical in certain areas. However, we’d hope that won’t discourage you from broadening your knowledge.
实际上，这并不是一本用来入门的教科书，它已经跳出了某种技术或是某个主题的限制，涉及的范围异常广泛：从Web技术的发展到用户体验，从简单的模仿到富有灵性的创意，从心理学、人类学和社会学到深层次的艺术理念……无所不包却又大都点到为止，留给我们充分的思考空问——薄薄的300页篇幅、屈指可数的7个章节，寥寥的36个实例无一不体现了作者的精巧与良苦用心。所谓滴水藏海，阅读本书，我们将体会到的是一种开阔、超然的对技术、对美的总体把握能力——这或许也正是“禅”的真谛吧！全书始终围绕在符合Web标准的网页设计的方方面面，但却从没有任何枯燥的说教，抑或是冗长的代码，而是在更高的位置、从一个全新的角度娓娓道来，如涓涓溪流般潜移默化地让你体会到Web标准的好处。正如老子在《道德经》中所说的那样，大音希声，大象无形。
Those familiar with the ins and outs of the box model, floats, and selectors will still find plenty to learn. The visual focus, combined with practical CSS examples from some of today’s most innovative and creative designers, ensures a diverse range of topics that are bound to pass on new tricks to even the most seasoned of pros.
100个人眼中有100个哈姆雷特，本书也是如此。对于CSS、Web标准以及网页设计技术，无论你是初出茅庐的新手，还是渴望更进一步的提高者，抑或是浸淫多年的专家，都能在书中领悟到独一无二的意境，学到适合自己的知识。当然，你最好已经有了丰富的Web设计、开发经验，否则只被本书中那一个个漂亮精致的设计所吸引，而却对其背后隐藏的那片世界望洋兴叹，岂不遗憾？