As A Chinaman Saw Us: Passages from His Letters to a Friend at Home

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

22831

Title

As A Chinaman Saw Us: Passages from His Letters to a Friend at Home

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

A satirical collection of letters from an educated Chinese observer to a friend in China, offering a caustic and amusing critique of American society, customs, and institutions in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Summary up to 500 words

Published in 1904, *As A Chinaman Saw Us* is a collection of letters written between 1892 and 1902 by an anonymous, highly educated Chinese man living in the United States. Addressed to a friend in China, the work offers a sharp, satirical critique of American society, contrasting American 'fads and foibles' with the traditions of his homeland. The author, a graduate of an English school and a German university, challenges the American assumption of superiority, arguing that while the nation claims perfection, it often displays ignorance of world history, religious hypocrisy, and social absurdities. The text explores the concept of America as a 'dumping-ground' for the world's refuse, a 'melting pot' where diverse nationalities are ground into a new, energetic, yet often offensive 'American' product. The author details the peculiarities of American life, including the obsession with dancing, the nature of courtship and divorce, and the prevalence of superstition. He notes the inconsistency of American morality, where religious zeal is high but the practice of Christian virtues like turning the other cheek is rare. The work also highlights the deep-seated anti-Semitism and social ostracization of Jews in fashionable circles, as well as the absurdity of religious sectarianism, where different denominations despise one another despite sharing a common faith. Despite his initial cynicism and the exposure of American life as 'grotesque,' the author acknowledges the unique vitality and ambition of the American spirit. He uses wit and irony to expose the contradictions of a nation that claims to be the center of the world yet remains ignorant of its own history and the ancient civilizations of Asia. The book concludes that while America possesses a flawed vitality, it remains a fascinating, if inconsistent, experiment in human society.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• Travel
• Social Life and Customs