This study aims to understand and capture the spirit of the immense, exasperating and ultimately lovable entity that is China. Peter Hessler recounts his two years spent teaching deep in the heart of the country. This text presents an account of American aid worker Peter Hessler's time spent in the town of Fuling on the Yangtze River during the late 1990s, a time of great change for China. He observes the natural beauty of the area and shares the lives of the local people. He directs a production of "Hamlet" and runs in the town marathon. He also discusses how national and international events such as the construction of the Three Gorges Dam and the return of Hong Kong to the mainland affected the people of Fuling.