Super Short Summary

Wolf Totem by Rong Jiang follows Chen Zhen, a young student from Beijing who is sent to Inner Mongolia during China's Cultural Revolution. Immersed in the vast grasslands, he learns to respect nature and wolf packs under the guidance of an old Mongol herdsman. As the Cultural Revolution's policies clash with traditional Mongol life, Chen witnesses and tries to bridge the divide between ancient customs and modern pressures. The book contains depictions of animal violence and cultural persecution.