Today, China is a country of globalization, efficient economy and consumer boom. But this is only the tip of the iceberg, behind which is hidden the truth that can be seen outside the modernized cities. In this amazing book, Rob Gifford tells how he covered a distance of more than 3,000 kilometers on Route 312 from Shanghai to the border with Kazakhstan, talking to impoverished peasants , drivers and even Tibetan monks. It illuminates contemporary Chinese life in all its contradictions. The book contains real stories of ordinary Chinese, analyzing which the author asks himself and each of us the question: is China really the next world superpower? What will happen to its cultural traditions? And finally, who are the average Chinese of the 21st century?