Renowned historian Professor Yang Guoqiang’s latest work transports readers to the early 20th century, a pivotal era of transition from the Qing Dynasty to the Republic of China. With his evocative prose, he paints a vivid picture of Chinese society grappling with a legacy shaped by thousands of years of history: a fragmented empire clinging to ancient traditions while confronting the inexorable wave of modernity. Attempts to implement the New Law and Western legal systems failed miserably when confronted with China’s existing social and political realities. In this period of unprecedented upheaval, marked by the abolition of imperial examinations, constitutional reforms, the 1911 Revolution, and the New Culture Movement, China embarked on a rapid modernization push of unparalleled scale. Professor Yang delves into the contradictions and complexities of this era, weaving together a narrative that illuminates the causes, complexities, and consequences of this seismic shift. He navigates the turbulent currents of this transformative period, exploring the social ruptures, disruptions, and disintegrations that accompanied the radical modernization of the country.