The result of painstaking research by a renowned Sinologist, this compilation consists of over 3,100 biographical entries and detailed descriptions of individuals who used to play a decisive role in the People's Republic of China, including: -- Government officials, such as ministers or ambassadors -- Provincial cadres and cultural commissioners -- Party officials and functionaries of mass organizations Covering recently deceased personalities as well as figures who have retired, been exiled, disappeared, or withdrawn from public life for other reasons, Bartke has created an invaluable working tool for both historical and contemporary studies.