Throwing the Emperor from His Horse: Portrait of a Village Leader in China, 1923-1995
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| Abstract |
This engaging book sketches an intimate portrait of the life of Wang Fucheng, an illiterate peasant who served for thirty years as Communist party secretary of an impoverished village on the north China plain. Born in 1923, Wang Fucheng rose under the Communists from extreme poverty to a position of power and prestige in his village. His account provides a fascinating illustration of the process of social mobility during the Maoist era, the interaction between central and local leaders, and the way central policies were adapted at the village level. —Amazon.com
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| Year of Publication |
1996
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| Number of Pages |
176
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| Publisher |
Westview Press
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| ISSN Number |
978-0813331317
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Reviews
Please login to review this resourceGreat resource to add to an advanced High School course
Louis Christian Dangelo, Grades 7 – 12, Social Studies, Geibel Catholic Junior – Senior High School
Reflections on the book; “Throwing the Emperor from His Horse”
The book, “Throwing the Emperor from His Horse,” is an interesting profile of rural Chinese life during some of the most tumultuous years in the national history of twentieth century China. It chronicles the life and times of Mr. Wang Fucheng and his family as they struggle to survive in an ever-evolving social and political structure as China endures a series of drastic and sometimes violent changes. The author provides a great deal of background knowledge in the preface/introduction to help the reader achieve a point of reference from which to better understand the history of China and the “Wang” family’s experience in it.
Unlike many books, which tend to spotlight the fantastic accomplishments of famous people, this book deliberately and effectively illustrates for the reader what life was like for the common man and woman in China. This is accomplished through a series of interviews between the author, Peter J. Seybolt, and Mr. Wang Fucheng who met periodically between 1987 and 1995. Wang Fecheng who was employed in China as the local communist party leader of a small rural town helps us to understand what life was like during the Japanese invasions of World War Two through various stages of the Communist Revolution.
The bulk of the information in this book centers on rural life in China from 1923 to the mid 1990s. Of particular interest to readers will be a realization of how the Communist Chinese government impacted the rural environment through land redistribution and the cooperative movement with an eye on future mechanization to modernize China. This is one example out of many as to how this book strives to provide the reader with a holistic vision of the Communist society. Furthermore, the book provides insights into how government policies were implemented at the local rural levels. Lastly, the discourse between Wang and the author provides a snapshot in time of how life was in china during the “Great Leap Forward” and the “Cultural Revolution” periods.
Overall, this book is an effective read and could be beneficial not only to those who simply have an interest in the topic of Chinese history, but also to students on all educational levels. More specifically, it could be used as a beneficial supplemental instructional aid for teachers of AP and Honors level World History courses who wish to provide their students with a deeper and richer opportunity to learn about the history of China. This book is one to definitely consider in order to expand one’s horizons.
