By Nancy Hodes, Ph.D, Professor of Chinese Language and Culture, Soka University of America

I am greatly encouraged by the stories of these nine Beijingers and impressed by what all of these individuals exhibit: a straightforward honesty and the willingness to look tremendous obstacles in the eye and persist in "doing the right thing" no matter what.  

The women featured in the book, such as Professor He, Wang Zhiqin, and Zhang Zhimin, especially show both their own strength of character and powerful aspects of Chinese culture as a whole. Zhang's narrative struck me as the least outwardly upbeat, in that she describes effort after effort to create the right thing to help revitalize her community. A well-educated intellectual, she communicates and teaches by demonstrating to farmers the vital need to reconnect their lives to the land. At the same time, she defends the soil and the art of agriculture to urban citizens who are blind to such things, or simply uninterested. 

Yang Jing's expressive description of what it is like to fly his kite is a far different vision of modern Beijing than one might expect from a young man. Play is important to him, and has done more to inspire him than his work. This is not how Americans usually view Chinese people. The value placed on play, open-mindedness, putting your own stamp on globalization and making it successful demonstrates the wisdom, strength and care of ordinary people.     

Mac Fan's deep concern for food safety is something that arises several times throughout the book. Even when he is so clearly in despair he still is able to point to easy, feasible ways Chinese people can educate and defend themselves and lead healthy lives. The chapters on Jim Spear (and his family) and Betsy Damon are truly inspiring. These people are really making a difference, really building bridges between peoples and cultures, nature and humanity and go about this work with profound humility. 

The topics brought up by this book are important for people to know. Americans need to know what is really going on in China. They need to get a taste of what people are like in China, and what it takes to make a difference here. They must understand how Beijingers come to think what they think; what they hope for and dream about. They must see what it feels like to be conscious of 5,000 years of Chinese culture, and how this can positively influence not just our world today, but also our future. That is what these Beijingers are really achieving.

By Li Shujuan, Senior editor, New World Press

This is an oral record of sustainable urban development and environmental protection. Through interviews with nine ordinary people living in China (several of them based in Beijing), the author tells us their extraordinary stories, giving us insight into their thoughts and deeds. The author reflects on China's present society through a foreign lens, and through the book's stories, tells readers that every person on Earth should care for our planet, be concerned about the sustainable development of our cities, and dedicate themselves to improving our environment. The ordinary people featured in the book set good examples for the rest of society.

The interviewees include both Chinese people as well as foreigners who have made Beijing their second home. They include government officials, college professors, staff from environmental NGOs, retired teachers, and college students. All of these individuals love cities and nature, and care about the long-term, sustainable and balanced development of modern cities. They see coexistence with nature as the most important human pursuit.

Through interviews with these people, the author describes their enthusiastic efforts to promote the sustainable development of cities, and explains how Chinese wisdom and values are closely linked to Beijing's sustainable future. These individuals and others with insight into environmental issues have a direct impact on China's ability to create an ecological civilization. The book not only records interactions between the author and these people, but also showcases a debate between Chinese and Western thought on the relationship between man and nature. This is also a dialogue between people's hearts. It shows that such a conversation, whether public or private, can create practical cooperation, give people hope, and also provide a way for Beijing to build a sustainable society. As Zhao Peng from The Nature Conservancy wrote in his review, "reading this book will arouse people's desire for nature's wisdom, and inspire them to seek a future worth living." This truly captures the book's main message to readers: Let your heart return to nature.