{"product_id":"china-wasnt-the-problem-i-s-h-lee-9798285256496","title":"China Wasn't the Problem. I Was: From Spicy Streets to Quiet Truths - Thirty Encounters in a China in Transition","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWhy did my arrogance only surface in China?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis unexpected question marks the beginning of a candid, often humorous, and even philosophical journey into a country that many find intimidating or misunderstood. China's rapid rise can feel overwhelming, but perhaps the best way to understand it today is to revisit the years when its transformation first began-during the Reform and Opening-Up era.\u003cbr\u003eIn this book, the author offers keen insights into a nation in transition. From the streets and local parks to airports, restaurants, hospitals, banquet tables, and even meetings with Chinese top officials, he captures the moments that reveal how a society was remaking itself. And for anyone interested in doing business in China or learning Chinese, there are plenty of engaging stories along the way-insights into navigating Chinese business culture and fascinating tales about the language itself come as delightful bonuses.\u003cbr\u003eThrough 30+ vivid episodes, readers discover: \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat life looked like when the \"Reform and Opening-Up\" policy first reshaped the country\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow encounters with officials, taxi drivers, a doctor, or a caregiver revealed larger truths about a society in flux\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhy spicy food isn't just a flavor but a social hierarchy\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow Chinese officials, a doctor, a prosthetic eye maker, and even a caregiver reshape the author's perspective\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhy doing business in China demands more than strategy\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEven how learning the language became more than a linguistic challenge\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003eDeeper themes emerge: \u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhy China's path from the 1990s to the early 2000s still shapes how the world sees it today\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow a \"love-it-or-hate-it\" herb like cilantro-or even stinky tofu-became a symbol of cultural acceptance, a reminder that different doesn't mean wrong\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhy what once looked like outdated political slogans now feels, for many Chinese, like sacred reflections of life itself\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eIf you've ever wondered how China's changes began-or what life was really like back then... If you've ever felt uneasy about China but couldn't quite articulate why... Then this book is for you.\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eChina Wasn't the Problem. I Was\u003c\/i\u003e isn't a history book or an academic study. It's something rarer: a smart, funny, and emotionally resonant account of how encountering another culture can reshape our assumptions-not just about \"them,\" but about ourselves. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe author is one of the rare civilian experts on modern China. He began his journey in Chinese language and culture after majoring in Chinese in Korea and studying mass communication in Taiwan. His career began as a Korean-language announcer and producer for the Overseas Division of the Broadcasting Corporation of China in Taiwan.\u003cbr\u003eHe later worked across Korea, China, and the U.S. as a regional representative for LG and the LS Group, two major Korean conglomerates. His work occasionally brought him into rooms with China's top leadership, but it was the insights gained in airports, taxis, restaurants, streets, and even restrooms-in unexpected conversations with coworkers, strangers, and friends-that stayed with him the longest and taught him the most enduring lessons.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e S. H. Lee\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9798285256496\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Independently Published\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 07\/25\/2025\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 332\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.98lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.74d","brand":"S. H. Lee","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":47425691582719,"sku":"9798285256496","price":16.89,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_a600078d-7354-4867-b68f-ee35e5064573.jpg?v=1761540963","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/china-wasnt-the-problem-i-s-h-lee-9798285256496","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}