Village Life in China: A Study in Sociology

"Village Life in China: A Study in Sociology" by Arthur H. Smith is a detailed look inside late 19th-century Chinese villages, investigating family dynamics, societal norms, and cultural traditions to provide a comprehensive view of Chinese people and their culture. Smith uses the Chinese village as a representation of Chinese society, recognizing both its distinct traits and the effects of outside influences, with a foreword that shares Smith's personal experiences in China, showing his respect for Chinese culture and the difficulties its people face. Smith starts by questioning the daily realities and thought processes of the rural population, contrasting this with popular misunderstandings of China and suggests that examining a single village in detail can reveal important understandings about the whole nation. Smith gears up the reader for a detailed tour of these Chinese communities focusing on institutions plus familial and communal connections.