A review by ludicucek
The Souls of China: The Return of Religion After Mao by Ian Johnson

5.0

An outstanding insight into the values systems, culture and beliefs of Chinese people. The books is written in the form of short stories following multiple families from different religious and cultural backgrounds. The structure of the book offers a greater inside into the way Chinese understand their belief systems which couldn't be achieved if the book was written in the form of a manual or textbook. The context of each belief system is shown through the eyes of a real person which makes it all the more interesting. All in all a great book for understanding the way Chinese people perceive religion and how and why it differs from the western approach. Besides that, the author also offers an insight into the wider historical, social and political context of religion in China, which is also really helpful.