This book reviews the basic process of China's fourteen five-year plans with systematic theoretical overview and rich historical data and moves on to discuss the theoretical logic of plan-based state governance. The authors hold that the five-year planning system with Chinese characteristics is a flexible planning system; through adaptive macro-planning and incentive target governance, it mobilizes government, market and social forces to work together to fulfill national objectives and is a representative mechanism of the state governance system and a symbol of modernized state governance capacity.

From an academic point of view, it theoretically answers questions about what, why and how concerning the five-year plans. From an interdisciplinary perspective, it explores the theoretical logic and experience of plan-based governance by combining Marxism, western theories, and the science of history. Also, it tries to represent historical facts based on a vast literature about the history of CPC and PRC, reviews historical details of the previous thirteen five-year plans, and describes the great journey of the plan preparation and implementation under the CPC leadership.

This book has been published in Simplified Chinese (Peking University Press) and Traditional Chinese (Hong Kong Open Page Press). It has won the 2021 Annual Books of China Economics Education and Research Network, the first prize of excellent Works of the First Young Marxism Prize, 100 "Red Classic Reading" recommended reading books of Jiangsu National Reading Activity Leading Group celebrating the Centennial of the Founding of the Party, and Jintai Good Books of People's Daily Library.