CHINA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP88-01350R000200830008-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 20, 2004
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: May 3, 1968
• Content Type: MAGAZINE

Approved For Release 200510r/$:6:IA-RDP88-01350 0200830008-5
3 MAY 1968
group questioned every tourist, husi-
nessman and teacher who came through
Peking about his travels inside China,
then sent the information out of China
CHINA
A Vicarious Trip
year task was finally compl,gted, a copy
of the book was sent to Chou, who
found only two things to complain
about: that the book called Chiang Kai-
slick's regime in Taiwan. a "government"'
in the safety of French diplomatic pack-
ets. Forbidden to visit the grave of
Confucius in Shantung, Girard con-
trived to overfly it in a small plane so
as to describe it better. When the two-
called it a "Chinese t6rritory occupied
by British imperialism, which China is
Not long after he was posted to Pe-
king as French cultural counselor in
1964, Marcel Girard met Premier Chou
En-lai and told him of an ambitious
plan. He would like, said Girard, to
put together the first guidebook to Chi-
na since the Communists took power
in 1949-and indeed, since the Jap-
anese railways tried to produce one in
1924. Chou looked at the Frenchman
in disbelief, saying only. "I wish you
Jots of luck."
Girard needed not only luck to gath-
er any meaningful information about
the vast, xenophobic country, but a lot
of patient plodding and unusual meth-
ods as well. His persistence paid off,
and the result, Nagel's Encyclopedia
Guide to China, was published in
French last year and has just appeared
in an English translation. A 1,504-page
compendium of hard-to-come-by infor-
mation on China, it should be a delight
both for China-watchers and for gen-
eral readers who want to shell out
$19.95 for a vicarious trip.
Girard first mobilized 20 youthful
Sinologists who had been admitted
to Peking on a cultural exchange pro-
gram, then set to work. Some parts
No Cheating, No Cheese. Though
the book pulls few punches to please.
the Chinese-it deplores, for example, '
the effect of Communism on China's
historic intellectual creativity-it is ba-
sically apolitical. Its 391-page introduc-
tion includes sections on the history of
Chinese art, literature, architecture, re-
ligion and philosophy, as well as an
analysis of Maoism as a cultural phe-
nomenon, a study of the organization
of Chinese Communism, pieces on how
to work an abacus and play Chinese
chess, and an informed article on "The
Principles of Chinese Gastronomy."
Two other sections describe some 200
Chinese cities and towns and tell how';
to get around in them, give a series of
practical hints to the traveler.
If the day ever conies when U.S.
tourists, start traveling' in ? any numbers
through 'China-travel there now is dis-
couraghd by both the State Department
and Peking-they will find a wealth of
practical information in Nagel. The
guide gives the number to call in Pe-
king (07), if you want to hear the
correct time in Chinese, reveals that in
China there is no cheating in com-
were easy. "The price list for food," merce, no cheese, no tipping, and "ab- t
says Girard, "was taken right off the solutely no night life"-and very few
stalls in the Peking markets, the sec flies, either. The trains run on time,
tion on Chinese cooking from actual .. and Chinese guests, one should be fore-
menus of banquets we attended." The. .. warned, usually arrive a few minutes
Approved
card anything of even residual value in i
China; it is bound to pursue him until
the Chinese can return it.
Calls to Calisthenics. The guide also
warns that a headwaiter will insist that i
a visitor take with him any food he or-
ders and does not cat (but fails to
t mention if he will provide doggy bags).
After a toast, it is polite to turn a glass 1
upside down (to prove that you have
drunk every drop). The guide recom-
mends travel by train rather than by
' airplane, though it warns the traveler.
that trains are equipped with loudspeak-
ers that incessantly give forth Mao
thoughts, martial music and calls to cal-
isthenics. For those who wish more
For Release (fi'P3 $/ ~ns~eF~tFR AB- yf'~,d~~0200830008-5 ,
maps an char fs include a o e-
king's bus lines-the first to be pub-
lished in or out of China.