A review by david_rhee
Shanzhai: Deconstruction in Chinese by Byung-Chul Han

3.0

Shanzhai explores Chinese concepts revolving around the differences and what is shared between original and copy or fake and genuine. Han clearly and directly explains Chinese ideas of cyclical regeneration and renewal and their role in defining the Chinese view and opinions on originals and the realness of copies. The application of the ideas mostly focus on art. Han briefly branched off into a potentially interesting application of those ideas to Chinese politics, but sadly the book abruptly ends.