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Review of Tim Clissold, Tim, Chinese Rules; Mao’s Dog, Deng’s Cat, and Five
Timeless Lessons from the Front lines in China, New York: Harper Collins,
Asia Business Review, 2016

Article in Asia Pacific Business Review · June 2016

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Asia Pacific Business Review, 2016
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13602381.2016.1183277

BOOK REVIEW

Chinese rules: five timeless lessons for succeeding in China, by Tim

Clissold, William Collins, 2016, xii + 257 pp., £7.99 (Paperback), ISBN-10: 0007590288;
ISBN-13: 978-0007590285

Tim Clissold earned a Physics degree from the University of Cambridge and in this book
claims to have ‘worked in China for more than 25 years and travelled to almost every part
of the country’ (257). Having spent about half that time in China, I would say this may be the
most important book for any Westerner to read prior to coming to China – useful also after
having settled to work in China. Clissold’s style of writing includes a summary of his business
dealings with Chinese people, supported by intermittent digressions into Chinese history.
Clissold’s ability to explain some of the most intriguing historical events comes from both
his writing skills along with his personal reading of Chinese history, as written by both
Western and Chinese authors.
In this book, events such as the Taiping Rebellion, the Chinese Civil War of 1911–1949,
the Japanese invasion of China and the evolution of economic policy in the People’s Republic
of China, are reviewed vividly. Clissold’s transitions from the passages about Chinese history
and his business experiences are handled smoothly. The main business ventures discussed
have to do with carbon credits, whose implementation derives from the Kyoto Protocol and
similar international agreements. Carbon credits are mechanisms that enable countries and
firm operators in developed countries to obtain greenhouse gas reduction credits from other
so-called developing countries such as China. Through the efforts of Clissold and his col-
leagues, some Chinese firms polluting at a high level were able to lessen their amount of
pollution, thereby benefitting people, throughout the Earth, who breathe the air and use
other natural resources. Simultaneously, Clissold admits the business opportunities and
revenue afforded to himself, his partners and other parties to these business transactions.
At the core of the text (236–256), Clissold explains what he identifies as the five essential
rules – the ‘timeless lessons’ of the title – that Westerners need to understand in order to do
business successfully in China. To paraphrase: Rule 1: China is more than a country; China is
a civilization. China does not need to follow any other country or civilization model to achieve
greatness (67). Rule 2: Stability is the key for government officials in China (107–108). Rule
3: Never attack your opponent directly; bide your time (165–166). Rule 4: Stick to practicalities
and do not get hung up on side arguments about principles (220). Rule 5: Know yourself
while you get to know others and you will survive many battles (236–256). In fact, these five
rules count among several that Clissold presents and discusses in this book, interlacing each
with historical examples of applications in Chinese history and culture. Even readers who
are familiar with key events in China’s history should enjoy Clissold’s descriptions.
Another core message developed in this book involves the idea that Chinese culture may
appear sometimes different and not always better than Western cultures. The Chinese will
find their way towards achieving social goals in their own time, just as (for comparison) the
 2 Book Review

United States of America, the United Kingdom and other Western countries and cultures
continue to do. As individuals we can learn from Clissold’s example and be willing to learn
the rules of a new culture, accepting differences, investing time to understand rules that
initially appear new. As Clissold illustrates, this process is one of ‘culture shock’, and as edu-
cated Chinese understand well, culture shock is real and can be worked through. Whether
traveling from China to the West or to China from the West, people of all countries and
civilizations express a desire for some measure of stability.
Correspondingly, those readers who choose to discover more about author Tim Clissold’s
career will recognize how he routinely uses the aforementioned five rules to transact business
in China and in the UK. The results he claims demonstrate high levels of satisfaction for all
sides of a business agreement. Thus, in addition to offering the general reader vivid and
memorable insights into Chinese history and culture, this book functions as a handy and
accessible manual in support of forging successful business relationships with Chinese peo-
ple, in China and elsewhere in our increasingly globalized world.
Paul Gentle
NCC British Higher Education, Guangzhou, China
meiguorengentle@yahoo.com
© 2016 Paul Gentle
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13602381.2016.1183277

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