Duncan, the protagonist, leaves America, where he is a “dropout,” and goes to China, where he is regarded as a “foreign expert.” His decision to leave for China comes out of an experience in a museum looking at Sung dynasty porcelain, where he remarks on the art’s “wholeness, confidence and supremely untortured air” (50). Duncan wonders if this history is still alive in his heritage and in him, and he takes a position teaching English at the coal mining institute in Shandong.

Duncan is overseen by Professor Mo, a member of the Cultural Revolution whose English saved him and secured him a job. Duncan feels that Professor Mo’s animosity toward him comes from his being a better-liked teacher. Duncan becomes close to a few students—William, Louise and Reginald—and gets to know them better when he invites them to his apartment for conversational lessons. Duncan quickly falls for Louise and organizes a field trip for him, Louise, and William to take, and Professor Mo insists on being the chaperone.

When the group gets to Tai Shin, Professor Mo settles into the hotel while Duncan, William, and Louise set off on their hike up the mountain, where others have journeyed to beg a favor of the Buddha.