Chinese Rules: Mao's Dog, Deng's Cat, and Five Timeless Lessons from the Front Lines in China Hardcover – November 4, 2014

Excellent introduction to Chinese culture and business conduct. The author is an experienced China hand with a deep understanding of the history, language and culture of the country learned from years of doing business on the ground. A highly practical, readable and entertaining book. Heartily recommended.

Tim's second book about China a bit abruptly switches back and forth between fascinating insight on Chinese history, and the PRC "projects" of a fictional London based investment fund. Fiction aside, with history story telling at its best and cool details, all the way from George Macartney's frustrating-in-the-extreme trade delegation to the Qing court, to Deng's reforms, the author neatly laid out the five pivotal "China Rules": 1. China doesn't play by anyone else's rules. 2. Stability (through intimidation and bribes) has always been the key for government officials. 3. Never attack directly. 4. Stick to practicalities and never get hung up with side arguments on principles. 5. (For outsiders especially) Know yourself and the other. Other than some impressively refreshing history, in its most bloody/funny form (fitting for a British author), there are just a handful of new thoughts, and Rule 5 is especially weak. The book quotes Madeleine Albright: "China is in its own category -- Too big to ignore, too repressive to embrace, difficult to influence, and very, very proud." That, is about right. A reluctant four star.

A great book to understand differences between Chinese and Western cultural and business norms. Values can be relative and the Chinese approach to strategy and negotiations, although difficult to understand from Western lenses, has invaluable lessons that can be applied to a number of situations in business and in Life.

There aren’t too many Westerners that can write about China with such understanding and authority. This book is tremendously insightful. The historical parts give a great perspective on today’s events and tie it all together.

Great book. Clissold wrote from a personal level ie doing business with the Chinese. And it wasn't a book 6" thick. You could read, put down, then read more. We, USA, need this info.

Tim Clissold is a businessman with a long history of working in China. In Chinese Rules he presents a set of five “rules” for understanding and dealing with the Chinese. The format of the book is that Clissold recounts his personal experiences regarding a business transaction he undertakes with the Chinese, and at the same time relates portions of Chinese history especially including the Mao and Deng years. The rules are:1. China has its own set of rules and will follow them and not adopt Western rules and values. China is a civilization, not a country.2. Stability and harmony are paramount. The group is more important than the individual.3. Criticism is always indirect and nuanced4. Practical approaches are preferred to values. As Deng is famed for saying, “it does not matter if a cat is black or white; what matters is can it catch mice.”5. It is important to know yourself and others.One interesting story Clissold tells is that Mao, Liu Shaoqui and Zhou Enlai were discussing how to get a cat to eat hot chili. Liu says to shove it down the cat’s throat (use force); Zhou says to wrap it in a piece of meat (use deceit) and Mao says to rub the chili on the cat’s behind and it will lick it off (use manipulation). He concludes that Mao’s approach was accepted.As someone who lived and worked in China recently as a teacher for four years I found Clissold’s rules to be generally true. I also found them to apply as well in Vietnam where I have been working more recently and thus perhaps they are a reflection of Asian culture more broadly. For example the way to tell if a meeting is going well or not is from the tea. If the meeting is progressing the host will continue to serve you tea, but if he stops then you know the meeting is not going well. This book is useful for anyone wanting to understand China and Asian more generally, not just business people. I rate it at four stars, and not five, because of Clissold’s focus on business and failure to apply the rules more broadly.

The writing style in combination with the quality content made for a delightful read. Anyone doing business in China should consider this book required reading.

The book actually consists of two sections, which alternate from chapter to chapter. One of these consists of 'Chinese rules' derived from very interesting historical events and figures. Among these are Macartney's visit to the Qing court, The Taiping rebellion, Mao Zedong's Cultural Revolution and Deng Xiaoping's opening up and reform. I have read about of of these many times before but I still found these chapters highly enjoyable, well written and informative. The way they conclude with a clear learning that still applies to (doing business with) China today is very useful.The other half of the books tells about Clissold's trials and tribulations as a carbon credit trader. Maybe it's the fact that carbon trading is a rather dry subject matter which I have no real interest in, but I found these chapters to be dragging and boring. With the exception of a case of forged documents by one of Clissold's business partners and a disastrous baijiu night there's not much that stuck from these chapters. Also, the way they are supposed to illustrate the five rules that are described in other chapters feels forced.I would have loved to read about another 5 lessons instead of Clissold's personal business dealings.I found the narration of the audio book enjoyable because it comes with a typical English delivery that suits the book. Stephen Critchlow’s pronounciation of Chinese words and names is not very good but I found it less annoying than with other performers.