吾国与吾民《Chinese can know more about China》

Written in 1935 by Dr Lin Yutang who had been writing English works for over 30 years My Country and My People struck me at the first sight as it takes an overall view into China. I must say that it is a must read for both the foreign and the Chinese people who want to know China. Lin was a smart erudite and perceptive writer who was versed in both Western and Eastern cultures and was very influential on US perceptions of China in the 1930s. Born in Fujian in 1905 Dr Lin graduated from St. John’s University in Shanghai in 1916.Later he went to Harvard and received his Ph. D in Philology from Leipzig University of Germany. Among all his English works four of which are most brilliant: My Country and My People The Importance of Living Moment in Peking and Six Chapters of a Floating Life. My Country and My People one of the four most distinguished works provides an opportunity for foreigners or even us Chinese to know better about China. The book is written in idiomatic English with shining words and polished sentences and sets an example of how to introduce China to the world in a foreign language. There are a number of Chinese idioms poems stories that are elegantly and gracefully translated. In addition to the language the book itself is worthy of more careful reading and study. Clearly divided into two parts nine chapters the book penetrates into all aspects of China from ideology to daily life from literature to art. In a sense thebook is not only useful to foreigners but also helpful to modern Chinese. Actually the book sees Dr Lin’s care and concern for his motherland in wartime as he wrote “and I can lay bare her troubles because I haven’t lost hope.” Also between the lines we see he prided himself on being a Chinese. However some points in the book maybe right at the writing time seem old-fashoined now that the things have changed considerably. Some views only stand for the author’s own opinions therefore one must be independent-minded in reading. For example Chinese attitudes towards women have changed and the past biases against novels and dramas have disappeared and Chinese people have actually accepted western food. But My Country and My People is on the whole a book worth reading from which foreigners and modern Chinese can know more about China.