The quality of the Chinese people

Author: Arthur Smith [USA]
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2007-01-01
Features: This book summarizes twenty-six qualities of the Chinese people, with rich citations and vivid writing. Whether praising or criticizing, it is well-supported. Even today, reading it still makes one alert and thought-provoking. The Chinese people summarized in this book are from the late Qing period, and the book inevitably has more praise than criticism, so the tone is somewhat somber, and there are also biased remarks. As the author was a Western missionary, his stance and views were undoubtedly limited by this identity. His perspective and conclusions could not escape Western values. However, we should not be too harsh on the past. Fairly speaking, he did indeed have profound insights in revealing the deep contradictions between Chinese national character, the late Qing political system, and China's modernization. Today's readers can make their own judgments. This book is a record of a foreigner living in China for many years and studying the family life of the Chinese in their homes. The notes meticulously document numerous events that once attracted people's attention, especially those that seemed completely extraordinary, along with the special interpretations of the local residents of this country.