I Stand Corrected: How Teaching Western Manners in China Became Its Own Unforgettable Lesson

As an American businesswoman in China, Eden Collinsworth came to realize that her Chinese counterparts were fundamentally uncomfortable in the company of Westerners. She collaborated with a major Chinese publisher to produce a Western etiquette guide. The book became a bestseller and prompted China’s Ministry of Education to suggest that she create a curriculum for the school system. In I Stand Corrected, Collinsworth now draws on her experiences to help American readers navigate Chinese business culture. She shows us how to present a business card, how to wield one’s guanxi (or social connections), and how to pace oneself when drinking 120-proof baijiu at a work function. She warns us not to be surprised at spitting on the street, and explains how, to the Chinese, being called fat can actually be considered a compliment. She also gives us a larger view of personal and professional ambition among the citizens of China. By turns informative, hilarious, and thought-provoking, I Stand Corrected is essential reading for those looking to understand the mores of this rapidly changing–and increasingly important–nation.