Chronicles the author's 7,000-mile drive across northern China, following the Great Wall, during which he investigated a historically important rural region being abandoned as young people migrate to jobs in the southeast; his five-year stay in a small farming village; and his three years of research in Lishui, a small city slated to become a major industrial center. 60,000 first printing.

Author's Note xi
PART ONE
Artifact A: The Underground City 3(6)
The Middleman 9(28)
Artifact B: The Written World 33(4)
The Voice of America 37(20)
The Broken Bridge 57(20)
Artifact C: The Wall 75(2)
The Overnight City 77(24)
PART TWO
Starch 101(13)
Hollywood 114(35)
Artifact D: The Voice of the Turtle 135(14)
At Night You're Not Lonely 149(20)
Immigration 169(5)
The Courtyard 174(25)
Artifact E: The Bronze Head 189(10)
Anniversary 199(4)
Sichuanese 203(28)
PART THREE
Artifact F: The Book 221(10)
Asylum 231(28)
Artifact G: The Uncracked Bone 243(16)
The Games 259(16)
Sand 275(20)
Artifact H: The Word 289(6)
Translation 295(11)
Flags 306(4)
Straight to Video 310(25)
Artifact I: The Horse 325(10)
Wonton Western 335(17)
Election 352(17)
PART FOUR
Chinatown 369(24)
Artifact J: The Criticism 383(10)
State Visit 393(26)
Artifact K: The Lost Alphabets 401(18)
Encapsulate Prime 419(18)
Artifact L: The Misprinted Character 431(6)
Patton's Tomb 437(14)
Artifact Z: The Sold Words 443(8)
Tea 451(8)
Sources 459(10)
Acknowledgments 469(4)
Index 473