This book examines old and new China - from its early history to its ascendance as the modern nation of . billion people it has become today. For a quick understanding of China, this is an ideal, concise, and easy-to-read primer for students and laypersons interested in China. The main contents include China's age-old heritage, uniquely fascinating cultural tradition, and Chinese people's spiritual world, unprecedented prosperity brought by reform and opening, and Chinese people's lifestyle.It is a basic reading material to understand China.