"Work In Progress" is a multidisciplinary publication that brings together a number of China's most influential contemporary writers, photographers and critics to assess the scope of Chinese culture and its recent, rapid industrialization. Culled from the pages of "Urban China," a monthly magazine that covers politics, sociology, mass media, architecture, art and literature, the book offers an intimate view of a century of radical modernization in China. It covers a broad range of topics oriented around three basic themes--society, family and education--offering personal perspectives on a culture that is hugely influential, and increasingly discussed, but little understood. Presented here for the first time in English, this fully-illustrated compilation features essays, photos, maps, diagrams and illustrations that establish a new paradigm for the study of Chinese culture, presenting local commentary on politics, history, art and urban life.