The Opening of the Chinese Mind - by Jing Lin (Hardcover)

About the Book

This book provides a systematic study of the political, economic, cultural, and educational changes that have taken place in China since 1978, and examines the impacts of these changes on the Chinese people's thinking and behavior. Jing Lin traces the gradual change of the Chinese from obedient, unquestioning citizens to critical and intelligent thinkers. She points out that with the more relaxed political and economic environment the Chinese people have gone through a period of reflection on their communist past, which has resulted in a new sense of identity and a more independent spirit. The book also looks at how the Chinese have begun to learn from other countries, resulting in an ongoing desire for openness and democracy.

Book Synopsis

This book provides a systematic study of the political, economic, cultural, and educational changes that have taken place in China since 1978, and examines the impacts of these changes on the Chinese people's thinking and behavior. Jing Lin traces the gradual change of the Chinese from obedient, unquestioning citizens to critical and intelligent thinkers. She points out that with the more relaxed political and economic environment the Chinese people have gone through a period of reflection on their communist past, which has resulted in a new sense of identity and a more independent spirit. The book also looks at how the Chinese have begun to learn from other countries, resulting in an ongoing desire for openness and democracy.

Review Quotes

?Lin, who was born and raised in China, has crafted a highly personalized account of the societal effects of Deng Xiaoping's reforms.?-The Annals of the American Academy

?The Opening of the Chinese Mind is written with much personal commitment and conviction, worth reading as an expression of how a confident Chinese intellectual looks at the experience of the past decade.?-The China Journal

"Lin, who was born and raised in China, has crafted a highly personalized account of the societal effects of Deng Xiaoping's reforms."-The Annals of the American Academy

"The Opening of the Chinese Mind is written with much personal commitment and conviction, worth reading as an expression of how a confident Chinese intellectual looks at the experience of the past decade."-The China Journal

About the Author

JING LIN is an Assistant Professor and M.A. Program Director in the Department of Administration and Policy Studies in Education at McGill University in Montreal. She is the author of The Red Guards' Path to Violence (Praeger, 1991) and Education in Post-Mao China (Praeger, 1992).