Francois Laplantine's new book Une autre Chine: Gens de Pékin, observateurs et passeurs des temps, was published in May 2012. Looking beyond the distorted and simplified view of China that is presented by the Chinese and Western media, he examines everyday life in Beijing, Chinese literature and film to reveal the cultural wealth of contemporary China. He discusses the writers Mo Yan, Yu Hua, Yan Lianke, Chi Li, Liu Qingbang, Xu Xing (and sees links to Shen Congwen); and notes that the Sixth Generation of film directors (Jia Zhangke, Wang Chao, Liu Jie and Zhu Wen) have broken away from the "flamboyant lyricism" of directors like Zhang Yimou to show scenes of ordinary life, in a process devoid of frills, to film life as it is - in naked reality.