The book offers a comprehensive overview of changes in Chinese society in the last seventy years, since the formation of the People’s Republic of China. Within its pages, several authors focus on Chinese policy, as to how China is perceived, its relations with other countries, and related topics, such as Chinese soft power. There are also valuable chapters that focus on the transformation of language, and the use of classical Chinese in modern society, reflecting aspects of Chinese culture, and in particular the challenges of creating contemporary literature. The book portrays China through an interdisciplinary approach, which is innovative and deserves acclaim. I highly recommend this book to all interested in China, its activity on international arena, its society and culture.

Head of Department of East Asian Studies
Director of Confucius Institute
Comenius University in Bratislava

This important volume makes a significant contribution to our understanding of the political, social, and cultural changes within mainland China since the founding of the People’s Republic seventy years ago. Organized according to four broad thematic categories and focusing on change in its many manifestations, the contributions examine the legacy of Maoism in contemporary China, the transformations of language and literature, and the constant rethinking of art and culture as well as China’s present-day political and economic aspirations. With its focus on macro- and micro-historical and cultural developments along with its inclusion of substantial Chinese-language scholarship, this volume offers a great deal both to sinologists and students alike.

Dr Andreea Chirita
Department of Chinese Studies
University of Bucharest