(The following review contains NO SPOILERS)
This is the story of the Chinese Jews of Kaifeng, stuck in a perpetual conflict between their individual hopes and the expectations of their community. The son of Ezra, a wealthy merchant from Kaifeng, falls in love with a Chinese lady and has to conciliate between this love and the pride of his people.
“do not break your mother’s heart. No, wait, I do not ask you to think of me, David. Think of our people!” (Ch. I)
“now—hear me—I am not your earthly father while I speak these words. I am your rabbi. I command you!” (Ch. III)
The Jewish individual, at his core, exerts the whole pressure of his people, blood and history upon himself, voluntarily or forcefully. He spends his earthly life in sorrow over the long gone past and reminisces about the lost homeland.
I find this picture of Judaism and the Jews to be common in the literature. I am reminded of Youssef Ziedan's The Nabatean, where an Arab Jewish proselyte is seen to be always grieving and his close ones didn't know why exactly.
On another note, Pearl S. Buck excelled at presenting historically accurate depictions of the Chinese Jews in the 19th century by blending historical events with fictional characters.
Personally, this book doesn't hold up to her well-acclaimed House of Earth trilogy, yet it's good enough.