This engaging book highlights 49 prevalent myths about China's past, present, and future and weighs their truth or fiction. Leading a thoughtful and entertaining tour, the authors debunk widespread "knowledge" about Chinese culture, society, politics, and economy. Their timely work offers an illuminating window on a rising power we often misunderstand.

IntroductionPart I: The PartyMyth 1: Communism Is Dead in ChinaMyth 2: China Is Centrally ControlledMyth 3: The Leadership Is Deeply DividedMyth 4: The Communist Party Is a MonolithMyth 5: The Military Is Gaining Political InfluenceMyth 6: The Communist Regime Lacks LegitimacyMyth 7: The Falun Gong Is an Apolitical Movement Persecuted for Its Religious BeliefsMyth 8: The Chinese Media Is Merely a Mouthpiece of the Communist PartyPart II: The PeopleMyth 9: Chinese Culture Is Incompatible with DemocracyMyth 10: Chinese Have No MannersMyth 11: Chinese People Are Not AltruisticMyth 12: The Individual Has No Value, Only the Collective DoesMyth 13: All Chinese Are Only ChildrenMyth 14: The Chinese People Are HomogeneousMyth 15: Communism Has Created Gender Equality in ChinaMyth 16: The Chinese Are AtheistsMyth 17: Shanghai Is More Liberal Than BeijingPart III: Business and the EconomyMyth 18: "China Inc." Is Buying Up the WorldMyth 19: China Has the United States over a BarrelMyth 20: China's Economy Is Export DrivenMyth 21: Chinese People Are Born MoneymakersMyth 22: Chinese Don't Take RisksMyth 23: The Chinese Are Just CopycatsMyth 24: The State Hinders to Economic Development in ChinaMyth 25: Unequal Distribution of Wealth Is a Source of Social and Political UnrestMyth 26: All Economic Development Is Happening in the Big Cities on the East CoastPart IV: China and the WorldMyth 27: The Chinese Are RacistMyth 28: The Communist Party Is Kindling NationalismMyth 29: China Will Once Again Dominate East AsiaMyth 30: China Is Colonizing AfricaMyth 31: China Is an Environmental BaddieMyth 32: The Chinese Could Tame North Korea-if They Wanted ToMyth 33: China Does Not Interfere in Other States' Internal AffairsPart V: The PastMyth 34: China's History Spans Five MillenniaMyth 35: China Is Called the "Middle Kingdom" Because Chinese People Believe Their Country Is the Center of the WorldMyth 36: China Discovered the World in 1421Myth 37: All Women Were Oppressed in Ancient ChinaMyth 38: China Has No Warrior CultureMyth 39: Chinese History Goes in CirclesMyth 40: Tibet Was a Shangri-la until the Chinese CameMyth 41: Mao Was a MonsterMyth 42: The Chinese Do Not Care about Their Own Historical HeritagePart VI: The FutureMyth 43: The Internet Will Topple the Communist PartyMyth 44: The End of the Communist Regime Is NearMyth 45: The Chinese Are Masters of Long-Term ThinkingMyth 46: The RMB Will Eclipse the Dollar as the World's Reserve CurrencyMyth 47: China Is a Military ThreatMyth 48: Chinese Will Replace English as the World's LanguageMyth 49: The Twenty-First Century Belongs to ChinaNotes on TransliterationBibliography