I have always been fascinated by other cultures, a love that I credit my parents for instilling in me. In my college days, I enjoyed deep friendships with Chinese international students and those among the Chinese diaspora (first and second+ generations) in the United States and Canada. Then when I moved to China and learned Mandarin, I developed close relationships with people in their homeland as well, be it mainland China, Taiwan, or Hong Kong. While in China, I ran an organization with team members diverse in age, culture, and ethnicity. I discovered that, just like in the United States, many interpersonal conflicts in China are left unaddressed and unresolved with individuals, organizations, churches, and families suffering as a result.
To better understand and address barriers people have to resolving conflict, I pursued doctoral research in China. I asked various people if they could introduce me to any potential interviewees who had experienced significant conflict but had also reconciled. They responded, “If you want to hear stories of people who are in the middle of unresolved conflict, I can introduce you to many research participants, but stories of reconciliation? Those are far more rare.” These responses were like fuel to a fire, motivating me to find reconciliation success stories. And I did!
As I interviewed 31 Chinese Christians, I heard the most incredible, inspiring, true stories of conflicts resolved and relationships restored. I felt compelled to share with others. Thus, a white American is writing a book on conflict, Chinese culture, and reconciling relationships.
