This comprehensive but concise narrative of China since the eighteenth century builds its story around the delicate relationship between central government and local communities. * Rejects the traditional view of China as a wholly harmonious society based on principles of stability - the Unwobbling Pivot of Ezra Pound's translation of the Chinese classic Zhongyong * Provides an original interpretation, arguing that developments can be explained through an understanding of China's surprising swings between centralization and decentralization, between local initiative and central authoritarianism * Serves as an introduction to the subject, while readers with a background in Chinese history will find the book offers a personal perspective and addresses long-standing interpretive issues * Supported by a variety of timelines, maps, illustrations, and extensive notes for further reading * Places China's history within the context of global change