Providing an indispensable resource for students, educators, businessmen, and officials investigating the transformative experience of modern China, this book provides a comprehensive summary of the culture, institutions, traditions, and international relations that have shaped today's China.

Series ForewordNote on TransliterationAbbreviationsPrefaceIntroductionChapter 1: GeographyOverviewClimateDisputed Islands and TerritoriesHimalayasHong KongHuang (Yellow) RiverMajor CitiesManchuriaNatural ResourcesPollution and the EnvironmentPopulationSouth China SeaTaiwanThe Three Gorges ProjectTibetan PlateauTransportation and Water ConservancyXinjiangYangzi (Yangtze) RiverChapter 2: HistoryOverviewTimelineCai Lun and Four Great InventionsChiang Kai-shekCixi and the Boxer RebellionConfuciusDeng XiaopingGenghis Khan and Kublai KhanHan Wudi (Martial Emperor)Hu JintaoJiang Zemin and Sino-U.S. RelationsKangxiLaozi (Lao-tsu)Lin Zexu and the Opium WarMao ZedongMarco PoloQin Shihuang (The First Emperor)Sun Yat-senSunzi (Sun-tsu)Tang TaizongTerra-Cotta ArmyZheng He (Cheng Ho)Chapter 3: Government and PoliticsOverviewChinese Communist Party (CCP)Civil RightsConstitutionCorruption and PunishmentCriminal LawDeath PenaltyFirst Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC)Human RightsLaw EnforcementLi KeqiangLiu XiaoboNational People's Congress (NPC)People's Armed Police (PAP)People's Liberation Army (PLA)Political DissentsProvincial and County GovernmentsSupreme People's CourtXi JinpingChapter 4: EconomyOverviewAgricultureCost ProductionEnergy IndustryExportsFinancial InstitutionsForeign InvestmentInternational Trade PoliciesJoint VenturesLand and Household PolicyManufacturingMigrant LaborersPirating and Copyright IssuesRenminbi and Currency ExchangeReserve and Foreign DebtsService IndustrySino-U.S. Trade and Other Trading PartnersState-Owned Enterprises (SOEs)Trade Union and Labor MovementWorkplace SafetyWTO and Stock ExchangesChapter 5: Religion and ThoughtOverviewBuddhismCatholicismChristianityConfucianismDalai LamaDaoism (Taoism)Falun GongFeng-ShuiIslamUnderground ChurchesChapter 6: Social Class and EthnicityOverviewAging PopulationHealth CareMajor Ethnic GroupsMiddle ClassMongolsMuslimsPovertyRetirement and Social WelfareRural-Urban ConflictsUrban PoorUyghurChapter 7: Gender, Marriage, and SexualityOverviewAll-China Women's Federation (ACWF)Child LaborDomestic ViolenceDowry and Bride-WealthFamily Planning LawGender ImbalanceGender InequalityHomosexualityHuman TraffickingMarriage LawOne-Child PolicySelective AbortionsSex TradeTraditional WeddingChapter 8: EducationOverviewElementary and Secondary EducationForeign Exchange ProgramsNational College Entrance Examination (NCEE)Peking (Beijing) UniversityPrivate vs. Public EducationProject 211 and Key UniversitiesQinghua (Tsing-hua) UniversityReturning StudentsChapter 9: LanguageOverviewChinese CharactersHanyu PinyinLocal DialectsMandarinChapter 10: EtiquetteOverviewChinese NamesChinese ZodiacChopsticksHeavenly Stems and Earthly BranchesKetou: BowingLunar-Solar CalendarSymbols of Auspice in TraditionTable MannersChapter 11: Literature and DramaOverviewAncient MythologyBa JinA Dream of Red MansionsFictions of the Ming and Qing DynastiesGuo MoruoJourney to the WestOutlaws of the MarshPeking OperaRomance of Three KingdomsTang-Song PoetryVari-Drama of the Yuan DynastyChapter 12: Art and ArchitectureOverviewChinese Silk and the Silk RoadThe Great WallJade CarvingPagodas, Palaces, and TemplesTang Pottery and Song PorcelainTraditional Chinese PaintingChapter 13: Music and DanceOverviewFolk DanceModern Chinese DanceTraditional InstrumentsChapter 14: FoodOverviewCantonese Dim SumHoliday FeastsHunan and Sichuan Cooking StylesChapter 15: Leisure and SportsOverviewAcupuncture, Moxibustion, and NarcotherapyAlcoholic BeveragesChinese ChessChinese Herbs and Alternative MedicineChinese TeaThe Game of GoQi-GongTai-Chi Quan2008 Beijing OlympicsWushu: Martial ArtsChapter 16: Media and Popular CultureOverviewCensor SystemCyber PolicingFreedom of SpeechInternet and Social MediaMovies and Film IndustryNational Broadcasting NetworksNetizen and Online GuerrillaState-Owned NewspapersAppendix A: A Day in the LifeA Day in the Life of a Factory WorkerA Day in the Life of a FarmerA Day in the Life of a High School StudentA Day in the Life of a HousewifeA Day in the Life of a PLA SoldierAppendix B: Glossary of Key TermsAppendix C: Facts and FiguresAppendix D: HolidaysSelected BibliographyIndex

It is refreshing to see a work that tries to provide a multitude of perspectives in understanding a nation's personality. Each entry is clear, well organized, and highly readable, making it accessible to readers without a background on China. Recommended for high school students and general readers looking for an introduction to modern China and its peoples.

Providing an indispensable resource for students, educators, businessmen, and officials investigating the transformative experience of modern China, this book provides a comprehensive summary of the culture, institutions, traditions, and international relations that have shaped today's China.

The Understanding Modern Nations series profiles individual nations that are of interest to high school students and undergraduates, focusing on countries that are often studied in school as well as countries that have made major headlines in recent years. With coverage of topics such as geography, history, politics and government, economy, society, culture, social media, pop culture, and personal accounts of daily life, these volumes serve as ideal resources for students of geography, social studies, anthropology, political science, and more. Additional topics examine religion, social classes and ethnicity, gender and sexuality, education, language, etiquette, literature and drama, art and architecture, music and dance, food, and leisure and sport. General overviews of each topic provide students with a basic foundation on the subject, and entries pertaining to the topic-such as biographies of significant people in the field, iconic events, and key ideas-follow each overview. Sidebars and photos, facts and figures that are integral to better understanding the countries, a glossary of key terms, and a holidays chart round out the coverage in each of these accessible, engaging volumes.