Includes bibliography.

Introduction: Background -- The Chinese people -- Part I. Social and political institutions: The fundamental conceptions -- The Chinese government -- The Chinese society -- The Chinese family -- The people's communes -- Chinese law -- Part II. Chinese thought and learning: The spirit of Chinese culture -- The development of Chinese philosophy -- Chinese religion -- Chinese literature -- The Chinese language -- The basic ideals of Chinese art -- Part III. Reform and revolution: Social changes in the past hundred years -- K'ang Yu-Wei and the reform movement -- Sun Yat-Sen and the Nationalist revolution -- Chiang Kai-Shek and Nationalism -- Mao Tse-Tung and communism -- The changing Chinese in a changing society -- Selected Bibliography -- Chronological table -- Index.