Notes . . xi
Prologue: Crossing the Mannerheim Line . . xiii

EURASIA
1 ST. PETERSBURG: The Secret Agent . . 1
2 AZERBAIJAN: The Nobels' Prize . . 19
3 TURKMENISTAN: Fear and Loathing . . 39
4 UZBEKISTAN: The Great Game Redux . . 57
5 KYRGYZSTAN: Travels on the Synthetic Road . . 81

WESTERN CHINA
6 KASHGAR: Mission Impossible . . 109
7 TO KHOTAN: Oases and Outposts . . 137
8 TIAN SHAN RANGE : The Horse That Leaps through Clouds . . 155
9 URUMQI: The Banquet . . 177
10 TO DUNHUANG: Treasure Hunt . . 195
11 HEXI CORRIDOR: Barbarians Inside the Gate . . 215
12 LANZHOU: The Chinese Renaissance . . 241
13 LABRANG: Stoned . . 265

NORTHERN CHINA
14 XI'AN: Capitalism with Chinese Characteristics . . 289
15 HENAN: The Harmonious Countryside . . 313
16 TAIYUAN: Opium of the People . . 337
17 WUTAI SHAN: The Wanderer . . 359
18 INNER MONGOLIA: The Soot Road . . 375
19 BEIJING: Reawakening . . 395

Epilogue: To the Finland Station . . 427
Acknowledgments . . 441
A Note on Sources . . 445
Endnotes . . 443
Selected Bibliography . . 467
Index . . 477