简介:FOREIGNERSwhowriteaboutChinausuallyliveinbigcitieswherethelanguageiseasytounderstandratherthanaslewofdialectsfromvariousplaces,andlifethereiscolorfulenoughtobeseenasaminiaturerepresentationoftheentiretyofChina.However,Americannon-fictionwriterMichaelMeyercasthiseyesontothetranquilruralareas–hisChinesewife’shometown,thenortheasternChinesevillagenamedDahuangdi,meaningagrandwastelandorWasteland,inJilinProvince,rentingasingle-storyhouse,sleepingonitsheatedbrickbed,chattingwithlocals,andteachingEnglishasavolunteerinanearbyprimaryschool.