What does Xi Jinping share with Mao Zedong? Why is Confucius still central to a communist state? What really happened in Tiananmen Square—and why is it still a taboo? In this accessible and politically astute primer, acclaimed historian Jeffrey Wasserstrom tackles the questions many are afraid to ask about China—or tie themselves in knots trying to answer. Drawing on decades of research and first-hand experience in Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong, Wasserstrom offers clear, unflinching answers to topics often shrouded in cliché, censorship, or moral panic.

  Structured as a series of conversational questions and answers, and reframed around key themes in Chinese history, politics, and culture, this is a necessary book for anyone seeking to cut through the noise. From personality cults and protest movements to censorship and soft power, Wasserstrom demystifies the People's Republic without exoticizing it—offering a vital starting point for understanding one of the most powerful and misunderstood countries in the world.