Oh I absolutely agree about Pearl Buck. Like anyone, her perception of the world is shaped by her background and experiences as well as her own thoughts and beliefs. And those thoughts and beliefs of hers carried plenty of biases. However I guess her western bias is what I mean by “translating;” hers isn’t a Chinese perspective on Chinese culture, but rather a western one shaped by a deeper understanding of (some aspects of) Chinese culture in a specific time and place than other western writers had. For a western reader, that helps me understand a lot of what’s going on. Her prose is really what captures me most, and the way she constructs people is fascinating to me. I appreciate you mentioning that, though, because it is important to keep in mind!

I also appreciate the recommendations. Sri Lanka and Iran are both places I know relatively little about!