This course introduces the history of modern China, concentrating particularly on the early twentieth century. No previous knowledge of Chinese history is necessary to take it, and all the texts are in English. The course looks at the politics, society and culture of China during a period when the country experienced a constant battering by war, foreign imperialism, and economic and social crisis. The late nineteenth century saw China wracked by one of the bloodiest civil wars in history, the Taiping rebellion, as well as widespread addiction to opium, popularized by British traders. As China became a republic after the 1911 Revolution, nationalism and anti-imperialism emerged as strong forces, and the Communist Party, which would eventually rule over a quarter of humanity, began its rise to power. The early twentieth century also saw the emergence of a mass popular culture (novels, films, cartoons), the growth of the modern city, huge changes in the position of women, an increase in the role of the underworld and triad gangs, and not least, the massive upheavals of the 1937-45 war against Japan. The course ends by considering the effect of the Chinese experience of war and revolution in shaping the communist victory in 1949. Lectures, classes and tutorials are combined to give a thorough grounding in the issues that have shaped this important and influential nation. Students will be encouraged to develop particular interests with further reading. In the examination, candidates will be required to answer at least one question in relation to the prescribed texts.