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Chinese Whispers: Why Everything You've Heard About China is Wrong
By examining the central myths, or 'whispers', that have come to dominate our view of China, Ben Chu forces us to question everything we thought we knew about world's most populous nation. The result is a surprising, penetrating insight into modern China.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published October 10, 2013
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February 7, 2015
I picked up this book at my local library recently, having seen it in Waterstones a while ago and been intrigued, but not quite enough to buy it outright. I'm generally interested in politics, culture and history and don't know a great deal about China, which is one reason I wanted to give this a go. Another is that I enjoy myth-busting, perhaps because I'm an insufferable pedant, perhaps because I'm way too keen on being right about everything. There's another reason, though, which requires another anecdote.
I went to an event back in 2009 called "Talent Matters", which brought together young people involved with various organisations to take part in workshops and listen to talks, one of which was about the future. One of the speakers (I can't recall who he was) was asked a question about emerging economies, such as China, how they may come to dominate the world in the future and what effect that would have on Britain. Part of his answer: "I wouldn't trust a Chinese engineer to fix my radiator".
This was perhaps a somewhat inflammatory way to word his point: that the Chinese education system isn't at the level it needs to be to rival universities elsewhere in the world. This idea is one of the seven that Ben Chu covers in "Chinese Whispers" in a far more balanced, fair and articulate way. While many of the myths he's dispelling are positive stereotypes, he doesn't just belittle Chinese people, but at the same time he doesn't paint them as saints when tackling negative stereotypes. Neither the Chinese, nor people in the Western world, are presented as all good or all bad. I also didn't feel like the book was ranty as some reviewers have; though the book was clearly driven by a desire to set the record straight, it has plenty of facts to back up its hypotheses. It's very articulate and systematically written, going into real depth.
Chu also points out the problems associated with believing the myths; for example, the idea that "the Chinese live to work" means that exploiting their labour is more easily accepted and ignores their many calls for better work conditions. At the same time, he doesn't simply dismiss all the positive myths, giving a nuanced portrait that starts with the fact that, when we talk about the Chinese, we're talking about over a billion people. Which is kind of a lot. If I had one negative thing to say, it's that the personal anecdotes that Chu includes in this book aren't needed and could serve to dilute his point (I know, I've got no room to talk). I did enjoy reading them, and felt the balance between them and the more reliable evidence was decent, but they didn't necessarily contribute.
Overall, though, this was a really interesting and well-researched book that did a great job of cutting through myths about China, as well as tracing their sources. I would definitely recommend it.
I went to an event back in 2009 called "Talent Matters", which brought together young people involved with various organisations to take part in workshops and listen to talks, one of which was about the future. One of the speakers (I can't recall who he was) was asked a question about emerging economies, such as China, how they may come to dominate the world in the future and what effect that would have on Britain. Part of his answer: "I wouldn't trust a Chinese engineer to fix my radiator".
This was perhaps a somewhat inflammatory way to word his point: that the Chinese education system isn't at the level it needs to be to rival universities elsewhere in the world. This idea is one of the seven that Ben Chu covers in "Chinese Whispers" in a far more balanced, fair and articulate way. While many of the myths he's dispelling are positive stereotypes, he doesn't just belittle Chinese people, but at the same time he doesn't paint them as saints when tackling negative stereotypes. Neither the Chinese, nor people in the Western world, are presented as all good or all bad. I also didn't feel like the book was ranty as some reviewers have; though the book was clearly driven by a desire to set the record straight, it has plenty of facts to back up its hypotheses. It's very articulate and systematically written, going into real depth.
Chu also points out the problems associated with believing the myths; for example, the idea that "the Chinese live to work" means that exploiting their labour is more easily accepted and ignores their many calls for better work conditions. At the same time, he doesn't simply dismiss all the positive myths, giving a nuanced portrait that starts with the fact that, when we talk about the Chinese, we're talking about over a billion people. Which is kind of a lot. If I had one negative thing to say, it's that the personal anecdotes that Chu includes in this book aren't needed and could serve to dilute his point (I know, I've got no room to talk). I did enjoy reading them, and felt the balance between them and the more reliable evidence was decent, but they didn't necessarily contribute.
Overall, though, this was a really interesting and well-researched book that did a great job of cutting through myths about China, as well as tracing their sources. I would definitely recommend it.
November 18, 2017
3.5 rounded down
Wow. I can't believe that this was only 288 pages long. It felt more like 500 pages! This was an often fascinating collection of essay-style chapters where Chu debunks common myths about China, the "Chinese whispers" of the title.
There was SO much information in here, I think that's why it felt so dense and why I found it hard to read more than one chapter at a time, I needed time afterwards to process and think over all the information presented. It felt kind of like going to a museum, and walking around and reading the description of every. single. exhibit. Kind of like an information/factual overload, which if I ploughed through I wouldn't remember anything of. This shouldn't be a criticism though really, this is clearly an incredibly thoroughly researched book.
Having lived in China for almost 4 years, I thought most of this would not be new to me, but I did learn quite a lot - particularly about history and the education system. I found myself disagreeing with some of Chu's points earlier on (especially the parts about xenophobia), but the later chapters were all spot on. The chapters on education and work were the most interesting, and Chu made some compelling conclusions about how China will need to adapt to continue advancing and to overcome its current issues.
One problem I did have with this - and I see this has been mentioned by several other reviewers - were the personal anecdotes. They were occasionally interesting, but felt really out of place. Most of the arguments Chu presents were well researched, and the book was written like an extended newspaper article (which makes sense given that he wrote/writes for The Independent). So when a snippet that his grandma told him when they were driving around Guangzhou is dropped in to back up an argument, it really jarred. That said, most of these were in the earlier parts of the book, but I do think it would have been improved if they had not been included.
Wow. I can't believe that this was only 288 pages long. It felt more like 500 pages! This was an often fascinating collection of essay-style chapters where Chu debunks common myths about China, the "Chinese whispers" of the title.
There was SO much information in here, I think that's why it felt so dense and why I found it hard to read more than one chapter at a time, I needed time afterwards to process and think over all the information presented. It felt kind of like going to a museum, and walking around and reading the description of every. single. exhibit. Kind of like an information/factual overload, which if I ploughed through I wouldn't remember anything of. This shouldn't be a criticism though really, this is clearly an incredibly thoroughly researched book.
Having lived in China for almost 4 years, I thought most of this would not be new to me, but I did learn quite a lot - particularly about history and the education system. I found myself disagreeing with some of Chu's points earlier on (especially the parts about xenophobia), but the later chapters were all spot on. The chapters on education and work were the most interesting, and Chu made some compelling conclusions about how China will need to adapt to continue advancing and to overcome its current issues.
One problem I did have with this - and I see this has been mentioned by several other reviewers - were the personal anecdotes. They were occasionally interesting, but felt really out of place. Most of the arguments Chu presents were well researched, and the book was written like an extended newspaper article (which makes sense given that he wrote/writes for The Independent). So when a snippet that his grandma told him when they were driving around Guangzhou is dropped in to back up an argument, it really jarred. That said, most of these were in the earlier parts of the book, but I do think it would have been improved if they had not been included.
March 15, 2016
This book straddles well the gap between an academic tome and an informative book for the lay person. It's complex, and the author presents his arguments well. Highly recommended if you want to understand more about China and Chinese culture.
June 8, 2014
A well researched eloquently argued book. He takes some typical stereotypes of the Chinese and analyses them. If you have dealing with the Chinese ( and haven't been there first hand like me), read this and pop the bubbles.
January 29, 2016
Here Chu has written what I believe to be a hugely important book. It makes any glimmer of the misconceptions, or 'whispers', under scrutiny in the book appear ridiculous.
Chu emphasises the tradition in Europe of using China as a kind of Swiftian prism through which to view European culture, whether negative or positive. He argues that the forces of this tradition are still at play when we talk about how China will 'rule the world', or how China is supposedly being neo-colonialist in its business connections to some countries in Africa. These fears perhaps reflect a shame in Europe and the West about its colonial past.
The same tradition moulds the way people who are envious of Chinese institutions and companies talk. They praise the strong work ethic of the people, the low taxes on big business, and the strength of the state in its welfare capacities. But these people don't care about China, they only use these supposed facts to strengthen their arguments about what they want done in their country. Chu tackles lots of these arguments, showing how China is no poster child for many of the things they are supposed to be.
Chu sets out all his arguments clearly and engagingly. The core of the whole thing is not to see people as some great ethno-cultural entity, but as individuals and as groups of people under certain specific conditions. This may seem obvious, but when it comes to ways that Chinese people are popularly perceived it is rife. They are seen as homogeneous in culture, race and feelings. We should see people as individuals; China has as much variety in people and ideas as anywhere else in the world. This book is a somewhat lonely one in the cacophony of books on China's ascendency and 'threat', so I recommend this to all who wish to understand the world better and see humanity for its true multiplicity.
Chu emphasises the tradition in Europe of using China as a kind of Swiftian prism through which to view European culture, whether negative or positive. He argues that the forces of this tradition are still at play when we talk about how China will 'rule the world', or how China is supposedly being neo-colonialist in its business connections to some countries in Africa. These fears perhaps reflect a shame in Europe and the West about its colonial past.
The same tradition moulds the way people who are envious of Chinese institutions and companies talk. They praise the strong work ethic of the people, the low taxes on big business, and the strength of the state in its welfare capacities. But these people don't care about China, they only use these supposed facts to strengthen their arguments about what they want done in their country. Chu tackles lots of these arguments, showing how China is no poster child for many of the things they are supposed to be.
Chu sets out all his arguments clearly and engagingly. The core of the whole thing is not to see people as some great ethno-cultural entity, but as individuals and as groups of people under certain specific conditions. This may seem obvious, but when it comes to ways that Chinese people are popularly perceived it is rife. They are seen as homogeneous in culture, race and feelings. We should see people as individuals; China has as much variety in people and ideas as anywhere else in the world. This book is a somewhat lonely one in the cacophony of books on China's ascendency and 'threat', so I recommend this to all who wish to understand the world better and see humanity for its true multiplicity.
October 11, 2014
On the plus side:
+some interesting ideas
+quite interesting topic
The not so good:
First, it does not read like a story, more like a collection of ideas that are loosely organized around some themes, but without following a logic reasoning or a narrative. The book seems to have been rushed, without going through enough editing or reflection. Here are some examples of how the ideas are presented, in rough quotation:
>"'people' are overestimating the future economic power of China, because ... China's economy is not there yet, has some shaky foundations and is expected to be bigger than US, W-Europe, Japan and a couple of others put together ... but no more than 50% of the world economy ... so rest assure"
> "you should not be afraid of nationalism in China because the majority is not expressing extremist views ... and they have reasons to hate Europeans for the abject interventions done by UK, Germany etc. in the last 2 centuries."
In some cases, a relevant argument for an idea discussed in the middle of the book is delivered at the end of the book.
Second, while the main claim of the book is stop believing in superficial arguments based on anecdotes, he is using quite often personal anecdotes as arguments (just because they are yours, doesn't make them more true/ representative). I.e. what his cousins/ uncle/ his personal friends say or did. It's useful for giving color, nuance, imagery to the arguments, but sometimes they are used as arguments 'per se'.
And by the way, grouping Europeans all together might work for simplifying the narrative ... but I thought the book was advocating for a more nuanced, accurate understanding of very different groups of people (in this case even worse, nations) bunched together under a stereotype.
+some interesting ideas
+quite interesting topic
The not so good:
First, it does not read like a story, more like a collection of ideas that are loosely organized around some themes, but without following a logic reasoning or a narrative. The book seems to have been rushed, without going through enough editing or reflection. Here are some examples of how the ideas are presented, in rough quotation:
>"'people' are overestimating the future economic power of China, because ... China's economy is not there yet, has some shaky foundations and is expected to be bigger than US, W-Europe, Japan and a couple of others put together ... but no more than 50% of the world economy ... so rest assure"
> "you should not be afraid of nationalism in China because the majority is not expressing extremist views ... and they have reasons to hate Europeans for the abject interventions done by UK, Germany etc. in the last 2 centuries."
In some cases, a relevant argument for an idea discussed in the middle of the book is delivered at the end of the book.
Second, while the main claim of the book is stop believing in superficial arguments based on anecdotes, he is using quite often personal anecdotes as arguments (just because they are yours, doesn't make them more true/ representative). I.e. what his cousins/ uncle/ his personal friends say or did. It's useful for giving color, nuance, imagery to the arguments, but sometimes they are used as arguments 'per se'.
And by the way, grouping Europeans all together might work for simplifying the narrative ... but I thought the book was advocating for a more nuanced, accurate understanding of very different groups of people (in this case even worse, nations) bunched together under a stereotype.
October 24, 2016
Chinese Whispers is a book that ultimately puts forward the idea that what many say China 'is', is in fact a reflection on what point they wish to make on their own domestic front. China as a tool in an argument rather than the complex country it is (and ultimately, let's be honest, any country really is complex).
The simplified theories of China being 'an ancient culture that never changes', that 'cannot be understood by someone who didn't grow up there' and that 'ultimately China will rule the world' -are all addressed as the hyperbole it is. Part of this flows from the Chinese Government and others from our own prejudices as the author puts forward.
Taking a different (and wider) point of view, Ben Chu shows evidence of the conflicting and broader influences affecting China and the Chinese people (who are certainly not just 'one people' as the author points out).
An interesting literary approach, was Ben's quoting of historical authors (some from the 17th Century) and their views on China and how some of these views could almost be taken verbatim from articles written about China today.
I did find this book slightly subjective (some areas lacked as much research or evidence as others) but overall this wasn't the norm. Reading an iconoclast book, you expect this -noting however, it still offers more evidence than the media and book articles it identifies as poor analysis.
If you like to challenge perceptions, and are sceptical of short hand summaries of entire nations, I think you'll enjoy this book. It has certainly roused my appetite to learn more about Chinese history (both modern and old) and the factors shaping it now.
4.5/5
The simplified theories of China being 'an ancient culture that never changes', that 'cannot be understood by someone who didn't grow up there' and that 'ultimately China will rule the world' -are all addressed as the hyperbole it is. Part of this flows from the Chinese Government and others from our own prejudices as the author puts forward.
Taking a different (and wider) point of view, Ben Chu shows evidence of the conflicting and broader influences affecting China and the Chinese people (who are certainly not just 'one people' as the author points out).
An interesting literary approach, was Ben's quoting of historical authors (some from the 17th Century) and their views on China and how some of these views could almost be taken verbatim from articles written about China today.
I did find this book slightly subjective (some areas lacked as much research or evidence as others) but overall this wasn't the norm. Reading an iconoclast book, you expect this -noting however, it still offers more evidence than the media and book articles it identifies as poor analysis.
If you like to challenge perceptions, and are sceptical of short hand summaries of entire nations, I think you'll enjoy this book. It has certainly roused my appetite to learn more about Chinese history (both modern and old) and the factors shaping it now.
4.5/5
April 22, 2014
To be honest I struggled with this book. It is not the subject matter, or the writing really, just seemed a bit like Chu was just having a rant. I don't know really what I was expecting though, maybe I was just on a spending spree in Waterstones when I came across it. It is my own fault.
Chu rants about the Western view of China and the Chinese, and the Chinese view too. Arguments are reasonable, but much of what is stated is a viewpoint, and rhetorical rather than based on evidence.
Sure, I can accept that what we think we know about China (and what they might want us to think) is off base, but I am not sure this book provides much more insight than say reading a proper History book like Fenby's excellent History of Modern China (see https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...). & maybe that is the problem - it isn't Fenby's book so I got bored :(
Chu rants about the Western view of China and the Chinese, and the Chinese view too. Arguments are reasonable, but much of what is stated is a viewpoint, and rhetorical rather than based on evidence.
Sure, I can accept that what we think we know about China (and what they might want us to think) is off base, but I am not sure this book provides much more insight than say reading a proper History book like Fenby's excellent History of Modern China (see https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...). & maybe that is the problem - it isn't Fenby's book so I got bored :(
December 25, 2014
I started this book a year ago (on holiday) and have not finished. I've picked it up from time to time since and read a few more pages but have now decided that the time has come to put it down.
I thought it was fascinating to start with - a really interesting take on modern China from the perspective of someone of Chinese heritage with family still living there. The historical context is interesting, especially in the way it impacts those living there today and those trying to business with China.
However, the pervading tone of negativity began to wear me down. Not that I was arguing with any of the points the author makes - how could I from my limited experience? - just that it became rather monotonous and other books have appealed more.
Perhaps I will come back to it at some point. It remains open on my e-reader...
I thought it was fascinating to start with - a really interesting take on modern China from the perspective of someone of Chinese heritage with family still living there. The historical context is interesting, especially in the way it impacts those living there today and those trying to business with China.
However, the pervading tone of negativity began to wear me down. Not that I was arguing with any of the points the author makes - how could I from my limited experience? - just that it became rather monotonous and other books have appealed more.
Perhaps I will come back to it at some point. It remains open on my e-reader...
January 10, 2019
Rather depressing reading. Makes some very valid points at times, especially regarding China's education system, and also suggests some further reading (Lu Xun for example). He is rabidly anticommunist though, and that slants his reasoning, since a great party of his text is just condemnation, without trying to understand what has happened. He has very little to say about the Cultural Revolution for example, except denounce it as a crime perpretrated by a cynical Mao. It might have been a criminal enterprise, but, although he mentions the Chinese leaders fears of its rearing its head again, he does not elaborate at all on why they would fear it. All in all, the author seems too much of a centrist for my liking
January 29, 2015
orientalism updated for the 2015 or the deconstruction of 7 deadly myths about the chinese. I found it mostly funny. For instance, myth 5: China has an amazing education system. Their students do so well on standardized testing. Yeah, have you met graduates with ONLY a chinese education (i.e. not hong kong, not from harvard or cambridge). Nope, not so impressive when you meet them. Often, not much of a thinker.
But skip the last chapter - the Conclusion. It is a very poorly written meandering piece that doesn't add anything and fails to pull together the 7 themes.
But skip the last chapter - the Conclusion. It is a very poorly written meandering piece that doesn't add anything and fails to pull together the 7 themes.
April 3, 2018
There are several stereotypes that people trot out about China and the Chinese. Most people realise that although these stereotypes may be based on a kernel of truth they are no more reliable than the idea that all Frenchmen smell of onions or that Germans are very organised.
This book consists of a long list of anecdotes suggesting that the stereotypes about China are not always true. As the book covers a period of several thousand years it should not surprise readers to learn that there is no shortage of anecdotes to support arguments on both sides of each debate.
This book consists of a long list of anecdotes suggesting that the stereotypes about China are not always true. As the book covers a period of several thousand years it should not surprise readers to learn that there is no shortage of anecdotes to support arguments on both sides of each debate.
November 12, 2016
Interesting book to learn more about the Chinese culture, which I don't know much about.
It tries to counter-argue a number of common prejudgments/myths on Chinese held by Westerners by offering some insight on how Chinese really are. It kind of had the opposite on me that the author was intending though!
Wortwhile,quick read as I got to know more about the history and current culture in China. The author is a bit repetitive throughout the book, though enjoyed it.
It tries to counter-argue a number of common prejudgments/myths on Chinese held by Westerners by offering some insight on how Chinese really are. It kind of had the opposite on me that the author was intending though!
Wortwhile,quick read as I got to know more about the history and current culture in China. The author is a bit repetitive throughout the book, though enjoyed it.
October 1, 2015
The beginning of the book really intrigued me with its interesting ideas. However, the subsequent chapters seem to have a recurring tone of negativity, which sets me off a little - the education and work section are by far the most interesting chapters in the book. Despite the author's rant, some of the analysis of China's problems are good.
September 23, 2017
Some things could be explored deeper, but overall this is a good informative read, given the breadth of the subject. It seems like a good launching point for further discovery.
September 11, 2018
Well written, captivating and incredibly readable
April 27, 2019
I think this is a must read for anyone who is interested in understanding Chinese culture. It has a general overview.
July 7, 2018
We, or at least I, need to know more about China. This book is one point of view and I previously had none. The title is clickbait in that he doesn't really debunk the myths about China but rather he points to the nuances of each. For example in education is pretty clear that schools, up to high school, are of outstanding quality in China, and he doesn't dispute that, but rather the fact that most would go abroad to study pointing a weakness in higher education.
One things that bothers me is how often he argue using his friends and family as examples. First of all, I have no interest in them, but furthermore, I also have some chinese friends and I wouldn't dare to extrapolate what I know about them to the whole entirety of China. He makes the point that chinese people integrate in foreign nations and he has plenty of asian friends mixed with locals in his particular circle in UK. Well, I have an opposite first hand experience in American universities.
His main point though is a good one. Outsiders don't understand China. The cultural barrier is huge. So most of the times people use the idea of China to scare or to push on some idealistic agendas. Voltaire spoke highly of China and yet he never visited. He was just using it as a fantasy land where confucian values rule, even though he had no clue of how it was in practice. China is very handy when looking for an enemy to gain on votes during elections. Vote for me and my drastic changes in economical policies or China will eat us all. The old boogeyman.
One things that bothers me is how often he argue using his friends and family as examples. First of all, I have no interest in them, but furthermore, I also have some chinese friends and I wouldn't dare to extrapolate what I know about them to the whole entirety of China. He makes the point that chinese people integrate in foreign nations and he has plenty of asian friends mixed with locals in his particular circle in UK. Well, I have an opposite first hand experience in American universities.
His main point though is a good one. Outsiders don't understand China. The cultural barrier is huge. So most of the times people use the idea of China to scare or to push on some idealistic agendas. Voltaire spoke highly of China and yet he never visited. He was just using it as a fantasy land where confucian values rule, even though he had no clue of how it was in practice. China is very handy when looking for an enemy to gain on votes during elections. Vote for me and my drastic changes in economical policies or China will eat us all. The old boogeyman.
November 24, 2017
I can imagine ‘Chinese Whispers’ is an extremely interesting and informative book, if you are into capitalism and economics. I, however, am not and so this was a real middle of the road read for me. I really expected a book from a more social / history / anthropology perspective, and whilst those things definitely featured here, they weren’t the main focus: economics was.
One thing I learned from ‘Chinese Whispers’ and my main takeaway from this book is that this author loves capitalism and thinks it’s the answer to literally all of China’s problems. I’m not an economist, it might be, but to get a bit childish here, I think that if capitalism were a person, Ben Chu would marry them.
There’s not much I can say about ‘Chinese Whispers’. It was an interesting, if sometimes slightly dull read, and if you’re really into a book about China’s economy, you’ll probably love this. However, if like me, you’re looking for a book more about Chinese society, look elsewhere.
3 / 5
One thing I learned from ‘Chinese Whispers’ and my main takeaway from this book is that this author loves capitalism and thinks it’s the answer to literally all of China’s problems. I’m not an economist, it might be, but to get a bit childish here, I think that if capitalism were a person, Ben Chu would marry them.
There’s not much I can say about ‘Chinese Whispers’. It was an interesting, if sometimes slightly dull read, and if you’re really into a book about China’s economy, you’ll probably love this. However, if like me, you’re looking for a book more about Chinese society, look elsewhere.
3 / 5
October 6, 2015
This books gives a useful history of western misconceptions about China over the last few centuries since European colonialism and the development over the communist period to the present. We may be hearing distorted Chinese whispers. It is also sad but true that we cannot see the future. Ben Chu is no more prescient that typical economists. His solution for current Chinese economic shortcomings: more Chinese. Abandon the one child policy to produce more young workers to provide more growth and assure the living standard of the aging cohorts of the Chinese population. No hint that we might discover other ways to increase productivity. We might discover better technology and better philosophy. But no one dares to hope we can be so lucky.
March 23, 2015
An interesting antidote to some of the contemporary China myths that are floating around. The subtitle, "Why Everything You've Heard About China is Wrong", is not quite on the mark. Chu is more nuanced than this. It is more a case of, "Why Everything You've Heard About China is Not Wholly Correct, and Why Things are More Complicated than You Thought..." This book is particularly strong on the way that discourse about China is used as a political tool for advancing what are largely domestic political concerns in the West. Well worth reading as a way of thinking through the rhetoric both of and about China.
January 17, 2019
Ben Chu's important book here takes 7 common myths about China and the Chinese and eloquently slays most of them and certainly contextualises them all. From race, to democracy, the unchanging nature of China and the supposed innate propensity for hard work, Chu carefully first of all documents the way these myths sprang up and then proceeds to demolish many of the their foundations by well marshalled evidence and facts, as well his own direct experience as a journalist and a person of half-Chinese heritage with family links to the country. Essential reading for those looking for an antidote to the pervasive Sinophobia about China's rise and what it means for the rest of the world.
January 17, 2015
Ben Chu did a great job in writing this book. He manages to put down an articulate argument on how the Western world views China, by systematically dissecting the primary assumptions that people often make about it. He doesn't just go skin-deep, but tries to put some historical context and provide a more in-depth, analytical look at the "real China."
Very well written, and a great read for people who are interested in the pursuit of what is really "true" instead of listening to Chinese whispers.
Very well written, and a great read for people who are interested in the pursuit of what is really "true" instead of listening to Chinese whispers.
February 9, 2014
Punchy and passionately argued. This is precisely the riposte to that culturally deterministic take on China that I felt was needed after reading Martin Jacques' great-but-susceptible-to-regime-pieties 'When China Rules the World'. Lots of sacred cows slaughtered (or at least get their arses slapped). A little chatty and excitable in places, but very welcome.
November 6, 2018
China China China
Following two visits to the country this book came as a revealing and refreshing corrective. China is not the inscrutable powerhouse of legend, but a complex history, which needs to be studied and understood.
Following two visits to the country this book came as a revealing and refreshing corrective. China is not the inscrutable powerhouse of legend, but a complex history, which needs to be studied and understood.
November 21, 2013
Insightful and thought provoking
February 17, 2015
I love this kind of thing.
August 4, 2024
This is what I wanted Tim Clissold's Five Rules for China to be. An actual breakdown of Chinese history, culture and society and where that may be leading them (and us) in the next half century.
September 24, 2023
This is a well-written book and a must-read for anyone interested in or wanting to learn more about Chinese culture, the economy, the education system, and a bit of Chinese history. However, the main focus of the book is to break stereotypes surrounding China and its inhabitants. The author presents a very compelling argument for why many of our preconceptions about China are actually false.
China is a country that is still trying to get on its feet. It is not immune to corruption and inequality. Living conditions for most of its citizens are relatively poor compared to developed nations. Politicians continue to enrich themselves, and there are growing tensions and mistrust between citizens and their political leaders. This is a country that is not so different from many others, as we tend to believe. The Chinese are, in fact, experiencing the same struggles as many of us around the world, and the country is not an isolated island separate from the rest of the world.
That said, it is worth mentioning that much has happened since this book was published. In Chapter 7, the author asserts that "Despite China's stellar growth, its economy has produced no world-class technology companies capable of competing with the likes of Apple, Rolls-Royce, or Sony." While this may be true to some extent, the rise of tech companies like Xiaomi and Tencent provides a clear example of how things are changing and why we may need to scrutinize those words more closely.
Overall, the book is a fantastic read.
China is a country that is still trying to get on its feet. It is not immune to corruption and inequality. Living conditions for most of its citizens are relatively poor compared to developed nations. Politicians continue to enrich themselves, and there are growing tensions and mistrust between citizens and their political leaders. This is a country that is not so different from many others, as we tend to believe. The Chinese are, in fact, experiencing the same struggles as many of us around the world, and the country is not an isolated island separate from the rest of the world.
That said, it is worth mentioning that much has happened since this book was published. In Chapter 7, the author asserts that "Despite China's stellar growth, its economy has produced no world-class technology companies capable of competing with the likes of Apple, Rolls-Royce, or Sony." While this may be true to some extent, the rise of tech companies like Xiaomi and Tencent provides a clear example of how things are changing and why we may need to scrutinize those words more closely.
Overall, the book is a fantastic read.
March 19, 2021
As a Chinese-Australian, it was fascinating to read about all the myths and other tall-tales that are perpetuated about China and the Chinese people/diaspora.
In an age of rampant misinformation, it's more paramount than ever to actually look at the facts; this book presents a well-rounded, iconoclastic picture of contemporary Chinese culture, politics and society. Is China really on track to become a new imperialistic superpower hellbent on world hegemony? Are the Chinese all nationalistic, bigoted workaholics? Is the Chinese education system the paragon of excellence and should other countries be adopting it? Be prepared to challenge your assumptions.
The book does get repetitive occasionally, but perhaps that is just the author trying to create emphasis. Another gripe I have is the frequent usage of personal anecdotes to justify his arguments, whereas it actually weakens his rationale.
In an age of rampant misinformation, it's more paramount than ever to actually look at the facts; this book presents a well-rounded, iconoclastic picture of contemporary Chinese culture, politics and society. Is China really on track to become a new imperialistic superpower hellbent on world hegemony? Are the Chinese all nationalistic, bigoted workaholics? Is the Chinese education system the paragon of excellence and should other countries be adopting it? Be prepared to challenge your assumptions.
The book does get repetitive occasionally, but perhaps that is just the author trying to create emphasis. Another gripe I have is the frequent usage of personal anecdotes to justify his arguments, whereas it actually weakens his rationale.
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