"For more than a century, from the closing of the Qin dynasty, whose last empress died in 1908, to the opening of the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008, many great photographers have turned their keen eyes on the ever changing China. And the 193 images collected here represent the best of the best." "Informative introductory text by a renowned China expert introduces each portfolio; then each section becomes a visual essay on landscape, history, tradition, modernization, and more."--Jacket.