China's status as an emerging superpower has captured the interest and attention of the entire world in recent times. Underlying the politics and economic structures, however, is a rich and deeply textured history of a people whose contributions to science, philosophy, mathematics, the arts, and a host of other subjects date back millennia. The events, ideas, religions, people, and places that have assumed a central place in the Chinese way of life are examined in depth in this comprehensive and far-reaching series.