Beginning with the mid-19th century, when China encountered the West and began to enter the modern age, this unique Encyclopedia offers a quick overview of the world's largest and most populous nation. The coverage includes not only major political topics, but also surveys the arts, business, literature, education, journalism, and other major aspects of the nation's social, cultural, and economic life. The Encyclopedia offers significant material on such neglected subjects as women and minorities, modern drama, Sino-French War, and Mongolian independence. Special emphasis throughout is on the dramatic changes that have taken place in the country since the end of World War II.

Introduction; Entries by Subject; Part Modern China; Chapter 1 A; Chapter 2 B; Chapter 3 C; Chapter 4 D; Chapter 5 E; Chapter 6 F; Chapter 7 G; Chapter 8 H; Chapter 9 I; Chapter 10 J; Chapter 11 K; Chapter 12 L; Chapter 13 M; Chapter 14 N; Chapter 15 O; Chapter 16 P; Chapter 17 Q; Chapter 18 R; Chapter 19 S; Chapter 20 T; Chapter 21 U; Chapter 22 V; Chapter 23 W; Chapter 24 X; Chapter 25 Y; Chapter 26 Z;

Ke-wen Wang is Associate Professor of History at St Michael's College in Colchester, Vermont. He received his undergraduate training at National Taiwan University and holds M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in East Asian History from Stanford University. A specialist in the history of the Nationalist era, he has published numerous articles on the subject and served as a consultant for the PBS documentaries China in Revolution and The Mao Years.