These seven essays on the structure of Chinese society are based on articles contributed by Fei to Chinese newspapers in 1947 and 1948. Six case histories from a study of the gentry by Yung-teh Chow are appended.
"The chief interest and charm of this book lie in the fact that it is not directed to the Western reader; these were studies written in Chinese, by an erudite Chinese, for a Chinese public. . . . Mrs. Redfield is to be complimented for her own careful research in preparing this translation for a non-Chinese public." Robert F. Spencer, "American Anthropologist "
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This volume comprises some twenty articles, speeches and conversations of Fei Xiaotong from the late 1980s to the early 2000s. Their central connecting theme is how civilizations could co-exist against a backdrop of rapid globalization. Fei proposes his concept of "cultural self-awareness," summarized in the axiom "each appreciates his own best, appreciates the best of others, all appreciate the best together for the greater harmony of all." This is the result of many years of research and fieldwork, and represents a synthesis of his Western training and traditional Chinese thought. Professor...