Analysis

Set on the grasslands of Inner Mongolia at the height of the Cultural Revolution, Jiang Rong’s (the pen name of Beijing Sociology professor Lu Jiamin) story paints a vivid picture of the grasslands and the fragile balance between humans and their surroundings. Written more in a style of classical Chinese novels, Wolf Totem is a collection of stories and experiences lived by the character Chen Zhen which forms the background for a didactic description of man’s effects on his environment.

Since the Bible serves as the main source of Christian doctrine, the nature of its reception, interpretation and influence must be understood in order for us to comprehend the varying streams of Chinese Christian faith and practice and the different responses to Christianity among non-Christians.

A Reader on China expresses much that is lovely and winsome in Chinese civilization, as well as not a little that is annoying and even scary.

Of the several on traditional Chinese culture that I have read, this book seems to be both the most comprehensive and the most balanced. On the one hand, the writers and editor display great appreciation for the fine achievements of their high civilization; on the other, they stress the need for China to receive and absorb lessons and new things from other cultures.

China’s Millions contains much information that could be used for a concise, objective, and accurate history of the CIM under the leadership of Hudson Taylor. Alas, that book remains to be written.