ABSTRACT
No matter how much you read about China,4 ultimately you have to go there. But on arrival, China is too vast to comprehend. Many of the sights and experiences are too unfamiliar to grasp. Inevitably this brings us back to the books to make sense of it all. Reading up on China will not tell you everything you need to know, but it will provide background and context for your own impressions. When visiting the China offices of expatriates, look at their bookshelves. You can assume that those without books on China will not be staying in the country for long. Conversely, those very few you discover to be well-read are the ones whose advice you should most respect. One’s own personal experience and the knowledge acquired by it should
be complementary; one needs the other. The best learning blends personal experience and the researches and experiences of others in a single mix. We will return to what is essential at the end of the chapter, but for
the moment, let us assume the basics outlined in the last chapter. The Chinese, as we said, are justly proud of their long history and great culture, and expect foreigners to respect these things. Here we amplify:
the geography of China (where things are); the history of China (why things are); the ethnic make-up of China (who the Chinese are); the culture of China, with reference to particularly important points
such as language, food, literature and the arts; the current government of China and the political situation; the Chinese economy and its future prospects; Chinese attitudes to the West (both official and unofficial).
