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This book traces the history of the Catholic Church in China since the country opened up to the world in December 1978. It comprehensively studies the Chinese Catholic Church on various levels, including an analysis of Sino-Vatican relations, the control over the Catholic Church by the Beijing government, the supervision of local Church activities, and the consecration of government-approved bishops, the formation of priests, and the everyday lives of Chinese Catholics.

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Introduction Doors Opened in the 1980s Modernization in the 1980s Becoming Prosperous in the 1990s The Dynamic 1990s The First Decade of the Twenty-First Century Chinese Society and Catholicism Conclusion

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"This is a timely, thoughtful, and illuminating analytical overview of the intriguingly complex and problematic experience of Chinese Catholicism in the supercharged decades following China´s momentous opening to the world in 1978, made available to us, propitiously, by an exceptionally able, articulate, and authentic Hong Kong Chinese Catholic scholar." - Stephen Uhalley, professor emeritus at the University of Hawaii, USA.

"This book is well written with a comprehensive treatment yet a simple and clear style. It is suitable for people who are interested in diplomatic relations, religion, politics, and society in contemporary China, as well as a history of Christianity in the Global South." - Zhifeng Zhong, Renmin University of China.

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Cindy Yik-yi Chu is a Professor in the Department of History at Hong Kong Baptist University.

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