This book provides a comprehensive examination of the socio-cultural and
political context of modern China in terms of its interaction with
America and the West, focusing on the influence of the well-known
Chinese writer and intellectual Lin Yutang (1895-1976). Offering a
unique study of the life and works of Lin Yutang, it highlights his
intellectual legacy in modern China and considers how his cross-cultural
life and ideas embodied the modern Chinese cultural experience. It
notably focuses on Lin's reputation as an outspoken critic of the
infringement of human rights during the rise of the Communist regime in
China, but also on his rediscovery of Chinese cultural resources. At a
time when China's cultural contributions are increasingly relevant
worldwide, this book contributes to ongoing critical reflections of
Chinese modernity, particularly in terms of its intellectual legacies,
but also to a renewed understanding of the cross-cultural interactions
between China and America and a re-opening the dialogue and search for a
new cultural understanding.