Thinking through China

Being a Chinese reader myself, I am enjoying a lot reading the book , and oftern amused by the examples illustrated ,which are so typical of the Chinese way of life and its state of mind, of which I am more oftern unconsciouse . The authors of the book have explained very well why we Chinses are what we are now,by citing 10 key concepts of the Chinese culture and of which I find true indeed,..... So I feel this book is an unique one explaining the Chinese customas and culture ,,and I guess that western readers will also enjoy reading and will certianly find it very usefull understanding today's China

This work reveals key values in Chinese society. These values are often lifted side by side with Western values. Our differences expose misguided assumptions which hamper understanding. Well worth exploring.

excellent explanation of 10 core terms. second part of the book was less impressive.

Why did I read this book? I’m not an academic, nor a student of matters Chinese, just a college-educated retiree with a background in finance who recognizes that the 21st Century will be vastly different from the 20th, and that understanding what makes the Chinese tick might be important. First of all, let me say that the book is exceptionally well-organized and clearly written – there were chapters in which the clarity was exhilarating, as though little “a-ha” bulbs were lighting up my brain. Ok, maybe the double espresso helped... Seriously, this is anything but the feared slog through an impenetrable recitation of dates, emperors and dynasties. Rather, in Part I, the authors progress through ten interrelated concepts (such as “Where Is My Mind?” and “The Energy Unifying the World”) which are fundamental to the Chinese world view, offering explanation, as well as comparison to the corresponding (or conflicting) Western correlates. In Part II, four questions which we Westerners commonly pose about China are examined, in light of the ten foundational concepts previously explored: the place of Christianity in China, human rights, democracy and world domination. The authors’ answers to these questions are well-supported by the conceptual foundation they have built. Here is a quotation from the chapter entitled “Ruling The World?” (p.239) which, in my opinion, is representative: “…it is almost always a mistake to read Chinese ambitions as echoes of Western-style imperatives.” Finally, there is Part III, “Rethinking The West”, in which the authors use the description of Chinese culture which they’ve developed as a mirror in which we in the West can better see ourselves. They refer to “…a new mode of assessing, one that moves away from a rhetoric of finding ‘the truth’… to one that acknowledges, Chinese style, that one is continuously situated differently in relation to ‘truth’.” (p.260) And then they refer to the American tradition of Pragmatism, including reference to the American philosopher Richard Rorty. I was reminded of Rorty’s distinction between the Ironist and the Metaphysician: the Ironist is willing to question his/her “final vocabulary”, while the Metaphysician is not. “Final vocabulary”, in my simplistic definition, is merely that packet of first principles, fundamental concepts against which all others are measured. Thus, the authors are encouraging us to question our own most fundamental notions about China, about ourselves and how we see the world, and they portray this ongoing examination of “truths” as quintessentially Chinese, in opposition to the Western tendency to cling to the “Truth”. In the words of Voltaire, “Cherish those who seek the truth; beware of those who find it.” Or, as I would put it more bluntly, if you cannot look at yourself in the mirror every morning and accept the fact that everything you think and know may be complete bunk, then you run the risk of becoming roadkill… perhaps on a Chinese superhighway. If you have any curiosity at all about China in the 21st century and the relation of all things Chinese to the West, read this book.

"Thinking through China" is a fine book that I read with great pleasure. The arrangement of the argument isn't just novel, it's both winning and practical: it allows the authors to build up a series of interconnected explications, advancing the argument while turning back to thicken up its texture. Totally engaging! And the individual sections are finely written, moving easily from conceptual matter to wonderfully illustrative stories.

McCormack and Blair’s newest book should be mandatory reading for anyone who wants a better understanding of the nuances of the Chinese mind and Western perceptions of China. I generally read books on China written by Westerners with a skeptical eye because they look at China through a Western lens, but McCormack and Blair have hit the bull’s-eye. I am a Chinese American in education with extensive knowledge of the complexities of both the Chinese and American culture because I work in both cultures. This is an academic text, but a very approachable one with concrete examples and comparisons of the two cultures. There are many moments throughout the book that have me nodding in agreement, and many Chinese sayings that succinctly sum up a situation. McCormack and Blair use ten Chinese characters to elaborate on what makes the Chinese, well, Chinese. Other writers have used similar concepts but never really get to the innate level of understanding of a Chinese person. 'Thinking Through China' clearly explains why these ten words are quintessentially Chinese and how these characters are embedded in the Chinese psyche. China may be different now, but what these ten characters represent to modern China has not changed.

As someone who works with teachers through the National Consortium for Teaching About Asia, I can say that this is a fabulous resource. McCormack and Blair have spent years refining their ideas about the essential values underlying Chinese culture. Their goal has been to instruct Western students to better understand Chinese culture and its accompanying behaviors. Equally important has been their interest in teaching Chinese students to understand Western culture and the behavior of people from Western countries. Since the '90's plenty of books have been published to accomplish this goal for Westerners who want to "do business" with the Chinese. THINKING THROUGH CHINA is much more sophisticated, accessible, and valuable than most other books dealing with this topic. Of the ten key words identified by the authors, two of the most useful are "Guanxi", the People Network, and "He", Thinking through Harmony. In the "Western Questions, Chinese Responses" section their treatment of the Human Rights situation may prove of greatest interest to all readers and especially teachers. I think this is a wonderful book. Diana Marston Wood