Choose an angle to understand China

For many folks who are willing to understand China, it's always a challenge where to start. It's such a large country, both in size and population, and yet it's mysterious not just for its over 2,000 years history but for the controversial media coverage by western reporters. The information you received could be overwhelming and confusing at the same time. For instance, I was often asked my local friends questions like:

1. For many year we have been told China is a 3rd world country with a huge population in poverty. How come China all of sudden became a super power?


2. Why did so many Chinese come to US and Canada when China is the fastest growing economy in the whole world?


3. How did you live in China without basic human rights? What kind of government is that?


4. How can I become part of China's growth without having to learn Chinese?


5. What's the best way to communicate with Chinese? How do I know what they really mean?


6. How come China is still growing fast while the western world is in depression? Don't they rely on exporting to us? ...

After living in the west for almost a decade, I started to understand where the questions come from. And I realized, to most westerners, it's almost impossible to have a fair view and a comprehensive understanding of China or Chinese by just reading what the western media have to say about the country and its people, because most of them are biased, one way or the other. Moreover, China is like an encyclopedia written in a foreign mindset. It's virtually impossible for anyone, including many native Chinese, to understand every aspect of it. The key is changing the mindset. To achieve that, you need a bridge, someone who can translate the encyclopedia from the oriental mindset to the western one.

Sounds familiar? The marketers who target mass consumers often say something like: "What we think is not important, but what our customers think is. So we have to tap into our customers' mind to understand what they want and need." To achieve that, the marketers would choose a category, studying their targets with multiple research methods, such as focus group or mall interception, and analyzing the research data before reaching any conclusions of what they should do next.

It's a similar process when you try to understand a country or a group of people. You have to choose a topic, typically the more specific the easier, and study it thoroughly. After getting enough "Aha!"s, you move on to the next, ideally a related topic. After a few topics, among which you inevitably will find connections, you'll get a few big "Aha!"s. Guaranteed.

Inspired by a Chinese idiom, a thousand-mile journey begins with the first step, my blog is dedicated to those who are willing to understand China in depth but with a big picture in their mind. I'll talk about some popular topics to help you get started. And you may certainly raise new topics for discussion. I will interview many experts and share many resources to ensure you have a comprehensive understanding of each topic.

Rome is not built in one day, neither your knowledge of China.