There is a great deal of overlap between the two books. They both describe the rise and fall of the ancient civilization of China. They explore the poverty experienced under communist rule from 1949 to 1976, as well as various difficulties experienced on the mainland after the reforms of 1978. In several places there are illuminating contrasts.
兩書探討的內容範疇亦高度重疊，都觸及了中國這古老文明大國的興衰原因，亦探討了共產中國自 1949 至 1976 年的經濟貧弱，以及 1978 年大陸改革開放後的種種難題，其中有些有趣的對照頗值得一提。