The Gate of Heavenly Peace:

In this masterful, highly original approach to modern Chinese history, Jonathan D. Spence shows us the Chinese revolution through the eyes of its most articulate participants—the writers, historians, philosophers, and insurrectionsists who shaped and were shaped by the turbulent events of this century. By skillfully combining literary materials with more conventional sources of political and social history, Spence provides an unparalleled look at China and her people and offers valuable insight into the coninuing conflict between the implacable power of the state and the strivings of China's artists, writers, and thinkers.