A pleasant surprise it was indeed to have in the last week come across our editorial desk a copy of “You Don’t Understand Our China”, authored by none other than previous staff writer for The Nanjinger, Renee Beaumont, together with her husband, Giles.
Lying therein is a frank guide to China mostly intended for those about to set foot in the Middle Kingdom, although much of the content therein will also be of use to those who have been here more than a bit.
As a former journalism student, Renee’s flair for prose that is both accessible and refreshing shines through. A conversational opening sets the tone for the following pages that ultimately leave no stone unturned in what is essentially a China 101.
And as we all know, the Middle Kingdom is a complicated place. Breaking it down into bite-sized pieces suitable for a general audience is perhaps what the authors have herein done best, through, for example, the “The Four Emotional Phases Foreigners Go Through When They First Arrive”.
On Chinese young people and their devotion to study and little else, Renee writes, “Many students graduate from university without even the ability to boil an egg or put together some rice and vegetables. Not so different to Western students living off pasta and baked beans”.
Then there are the insights of which perhaps only journalists can make the most; the link between Chinese philosophy and the concept of “face”, how that manifests itself when we, as foreigners, take a public bus and witness an incident that may be in any way embarrassing for the Chinese nation.
Particularly worthy of note is the section dealing Chinese food. For this publication previously, Renee penned a remarkable column showcasing Chinese cuisine culture, together with its many health benefits. It delights this editor to find parts of this column referenced in “You Don’t Understand Our China”.
Bringing us to the title, which has not been without controversy. Some who have been in China long enough to surely know better have found it arrogant, while, according to the authors, another has called it, “Awful by the way…just terrible”. Obviously both have not been around sufficient Chinese locals to in their time be accused of “你不懂我们的中国” (You Don’t Understand Our China), explaining why the natives to which The Nanjinger showed the book found the title a most appropriate choice.
If there be any criticisms, they would be that the end comes a little too abruptly and that the book appears a little out of date. The latter is hardly the fault of the authors; they departed Nanjing as recently as a year and a half ago. If you need proof of how quickly China changes, this is it.
You Don’t Understand Our China is available on Amazon in print (US$16.57) and Kindle (US$8.98) formats.
