Jun 6, 2021
Book Recommendations of Jonathan Dermot Spence(史景迁）
Why do we need to know more about China? Because the 600,000 lives lost in the COVID-19 pandemic were the price paid by the United States for not understanding China.
Jonathan Dermot Spence, born in London, is a leading sinologist and expert on China in Western academia, and one of my favorite sinologists. I also had the pleasure of meeting him in Beijing and getting his autograph, which was one of the most exciting moments of my life. His writings have helped Westerners to better understand the formation of modern China and its history under Communist rule after 1949.
- The Gate of Heavenly Peace: The Chinese and Their Revolution 1895–1980 (天安门：中国的知识分子与革命)
Intellectuals play a pivotal role in the development of any country. In the Western world, intellectuals have driven social development and scientific progress. But in China, the role played by intellectuals is more complex. The fate of intellectuals is a microcosm of the fate of a nation. At any time, to understand a country, it is more intuitive to observe the lives of intellectuals.
Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/Gate-Heavenly-Peace-Chinese-Revolution/dp/0140062793
2. Mao Zedong (毛泽东）
To understand contemporary China, there is no way to avoid Mao Zedong. This tyrant, who was more brutal than either Stalin or Hitler, ruled China for decades. Jonathan Dermot Spence uses his writing to give a relatively complete profile of this rare tyrant in human history and to reveal his impact on Chinese society.
3. Treason by the Book (皇帝与秀才：皇权游戏中的文人悲剧)
The role played by Chinese intellectuals in history has always been very complex. In China under the imperial era, the relationship between the emperor and the intellectuals was very delicate. Why did China take a big step backward in political culture during the Ming and Qing dynasties? Why did a culturally highly developed country come to a tragic end? This book is the gateway to understanding Chinese political culture.
Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/Treason-Book-Jonathan-D-Spence/dp/0142000418
