"Those of us who know Madsen's work have long looked forward to its publi- cation. The field work was based on a rare sensitivity to and rapport with infor- mants which reveals an aspect of village life never before exposed in published sources. Many of the issues he touches are controversial, not only because of their significance for China but also because they touch on fundamental American values and the way we look at China."

WILLIAM L. PARISH

"Specialists in the China field have been awaiting this book with eager an- ticipation. They will not be disappointed. a path-breaking contribution to our understanding of rural life in the People's Republic of China"

LOWELL DITTMER

"One of the most important books on China in recent years. It is of great value not only to students of contemporary China but also to students of traditional China as well. Madsen shows how traditional Chinese moral culture has sur- vived and been altered by the impact of Communist morality. His depiction of the Cultural Revolution and its aftermath in a Chinese village offers profound insight about the deepest aspect of contemporary Chinese life."

ROBERT N. BELLAH