Social rebuilding will be a long process　

Scholar Xiong Peiyun's new book is titled in English as China's New Revolution, but its Chinese title of Chongxin Faxian Shehui literally means "rediscovery of civil society". To accurately portray what the book is about, I think the literary translation of "rebuilding" is much better suited than "rediscovery".

"Revolution" is also not fitting not simply because the word is associated with violence. It refers to fundamental change in a radical way. That should never be how a civil society should be built. I prefer "rebuilding" because a lot of concrete efforts are needed for fledgling social organizations, voluntary bodies and institutions to become more functionary as the fabric of a civil society.

The word "rediscovery" is not appropriate because there has never been a civil society for us to rediscover. All elements of civil society vanished amid various political movements in the nearly three decades before 1978.