This engaging book highlights 49 prevalent myths about China's past, present, and future and weighs their truth or fiction. Leading a thoughtful and entertaining tour, the authors debunk widespread "knowledge" about Chinese culture, society, politics, and economy. Their timely work offers an illuminating window on a rising power we often misunderstand.
Inhaltsverzeichnis
Introduction
Part I: The Party
Myth 1: Communism Is Dead in China
Myth 2: China Is Centrally Controlled
Myth 3: The Leadership Is Deeply Divided
Myth 4: The Communist Party Is a Monolith
Myth 5: The Military Is Gaining Political Influence
Myth 6: The Communist Regime Lacks Legitimacy
Myth 7: The Falun Gong Is an Apolitical Movement Persecuted for Its Religious Beliefs
Myth 8: The Chinese Media Is Merely a Mouthpiece of the Communist Party
Part II: The People
Myth 9: Chinese Culture Is Incompatible with Democracy
Myth 10: Chinese Have No Manners
Myth 11: Chinese People Are Not Altruistic
Myth 12: The Individual Has No Value, Only the Collective Does
Myth 13: All Chinese Are Only Children
Myth 14: The Chinese People Are Homogeneous
Myth 15: Communism Has Created Gender Equality in China
Myth 16: The Chinese Are Atheists
Myth 17: Shanghai Is More Liberal Than Beijing
Part III: Business and the Economy
Myth 18: "China Inc." Is Buying Up the World
Myth 19: China Has the United States over a Barrel
Myth 20: China's Economy Is Export Driven
Myth 21: Chinese People Are Born Moneymakers
Myth 22: Chinese Don't Take Risks
Myth 23: The Chinese Are Just Copycats
Myth 24: The State Hinders to Economic Development in China
Myth 25: Unequal Distribution of Wealth Is a Source of Social and Political Unrest
Myth 26: All Economic Development Is Happening in the Big Cities on the East Coast
Part IV: China and the World
Myth 27: The Chinese Are Racist
Myth 28: The Communist Party Is Kindling Nationalism
Myth 29: China Will Once Again Dominate East Asia
Myth 30: China Is Colonizing Africa
Myth 31: China Is an Environmental Baddie
Myth 32: The Chinese Could Tame North Korea-if They Wanted To
Myth 33: China Does Not Interfere in Other States' Internal Affairs
Part V: The Past
Myth 34: China's History Spans Five Millennia
Myth 35: China Is Called the "Middle Kingdom" Because Chinese People Believe Their Country Is the Center of the World
Myth 36: China Discovered the World in 1421
Myth 37: All Women Were Oppressed in Ancient China
Myth 38: China Has No Warrior Culture
Myth 39: Chinese History Goes in Circles
Myth 40: Tibet Was a Shangri-la until the Chinese Came
Myth 41: Mao Was a Monster
Myth 42: The Chinese Do Not Care about Their Own Historical Heritage
Part VI: The Future
Myth 43: The Internet Will Topple the Communist Party
Myth 44: The End of the Communist Regime Is Near
Myth 45: The Chinese Are Masters of Long-Term Thinking
Myth 46: The RMB Will Eclipse the Dollar as the World's Reserve Currency
Myth 47: China Is a Military Threat
Myth 48: Chinese Will Replace English as the World's Language
Myth 49: The Twenty-First Century Belongs to China
Notes on Transliteration
Bibliography
