The quest to interpret Chinese culture for a Western audience has taken various forms throughout the twentieth century, offering a tapestry of insights and personal narratives. Lin Yutang stands as a notable figure in this literary endeavor with his 1935 work, My Country and My People. Yutang sought to elucidate the essence of Chinese civilization, blending his deep-rooted cultural heritage with the perspective of a Westernized scholar. His work laid a foundation for the interpretive efforts that followed, offering Western readers a glimpse into the rich traditions that define Chinese society.

Dennis Bloodworth continued this exploration in The Chinese Looking Glass (1967). His approach was markedly personal, drawing from his life experiences as a husband to a Chinese woman and father to Chinese-American children. Bloodworth's narratives offer a window into the everyday realities of Chinese life, presenting a nuanced view that differs from purely academic examinations.

The 1980s saw journalists like Fox Butterfield and John Fraser turning their focus towards contemporary China under Communist rule. In works such as Butterfield’s China, Alive in the Bitter Sea (1982) and Fraser’s The Chinese: Portrait of a People (1980), they provided vivid accounts of life within a rapidly changing society, capturing the pulse of a nation in flux.

Francis L. K. Hsu’s Americans and Chinese: Passage to Differences (1981) offers yet another dimension to this exploration. As a professional anthropologist with personal ties to both China and the West, Hsu delved into the cultural dichotomies between the two nations. His analytical approach covered themes of home, marriage, religion, and gender, aligning closely with the thematic interests of Maxine Hong Kingston.

Kingston’s works, particularly The Woman Warrior and China Men, stand out in this landscape. They transcend the purely analytical or personal by weaving historical reconstruction with the narrative flair of a novelist. Kingston, a daughter of immigrants, invites readers into the intricate world of Chinese culture and the Chinese-American experience. Unlike her counterparts, her writing captures the profound and often poignant differences between Chinese and American cultural landscapes, offering an imaginative yet insightful journey for her readers.