Fully revised, chapters cover key aspects of life in the People's Republic of China, including religion, the history and impact of the Communist Party, familial relationships, ethnicity, gender, the media, the environment, and the education system, and provides a user-friendly and comprehensive introduction to issues affecting Chinese society today. It also includes handy pedagogical features such as a chronology of the People's Republic of China; a glossary; further reading suggestions, related novels, films, and autobiographies.

Updates for this edition include new chapters on China's emerging civil society, rapid urbanization and environmental degradation, along with a new introduction.