Containing over 200 entries written by scholars working in various disciplines both in the United States and in China, this two-volume resource provides current, accurate, and useful information on the politics, economics, society, and culture of both the People's Republic and Taiwan since 1949. Illustrated and offering both a detailed subject index and extensive cross-referencing, this easy-to-use encyclopedia contains essays on important Chinese leaders and events since 1949, as well as on recent and contemporary political and cultural policies; relations with foreign states; internal poltical, economic, and commercial structures; literature; religion; the role of women; and many other important and timely topics. As China's importance as a political power and an economic force grows so does the need for current, accurate information on the country's leadership, people, policies, and institutions. Containing over 200 entries written by scholars working in various disciplines in both the U.S. and China, this two-volume resource provides such useful information on the politics, economics, society, and culture of both the People's Republic and Taiwan since 1949. Illustrated and offering both a detailed subject index and extensive cross-referencing, the encyclopedia contains essays on important Chinese leaders and events since 1949, as well as on contemporary political and cultural policies; relations with foreign states; internal political, economic, and commercial structures; literature; religion; the role of women; and many other topics of interest to both general and academic readers.