Customer Reviews

City of Heavenly Tranquility: Beijing in the History of China

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This book is packed with interesting information, delightful and astounding tidbits testifying to the huge amount of research that went into it. However, the delivery leaves quite a bit to be desired, which is surprising given that Mr. Becker, as a journalist, is a professional wordsmith. The narration in each chapter is splintered and whenever there is some story flow, it is uneven, which is exasperating. Despite these shortcomings it is still worth ploughing through because the topic is fascinating.

This is a fine, entertaining and interesting book that is chock-full of little tidbits of information, excellent portraits, mini-character studies and vignettes. In fact, the history of the city of Beijing is told through these vignettes, and this is an effective way of telling its story. (My favourite bit concerns Mao's decision to expand the city and make it industrial because it "only" had an industrial proletariat -- and I have no idea how that was defined -- of 3%, while Moscow's industrial proletariat comprised 30% of that city's population. Hence, "naturally" the central planning Mao insisted that Beijing be built up with factories and workshops, even though the city's geography -- particularly a lack of water -- made it ill-suited to serve as an industrial site.) What really struck me, though, were two things: the tonnes and tonnes of Tibetan artworks and artifacts confiscated and destroyed (usually melted down) by the Chinese from the 1950s and on; and the orgy of destructiveness wrought by the Cultural Revolution, which exacerbated the trend of selling Chinese art and antiquities. This remarkable civilization has created so many splendid works of art, and so many have been looted, destroyed, sold and otherwise disposed of, both by foreigners and by the Chinese themselves, especially the communists who did more to devastate historical Beijing. Tragic.

Regarding Becker's style, which another reviewer has criticized, I would say it is fine, even admirable. He's a good writer with a flair for the dramatic and with a deep grasp of history and detail. He's also chosen excellent pictures. In sum, a book sure to please the recipient, even if he or she isn't a sinologist.