Whether revealing small-town superstitions or exposing Beijing's underworld, these works of literary fiction offer insights to modern China and its myriad of social, cultural, and human concerns. An expansive country, China is made up of numerous ethnic groups with a dizzying array of local dialects and subcultures. In addition, China is experiencing staggering change, which is explored in contemporary literature. From the idyllic mountains of West Hunan to the picturesque water townof Zhejiang, from the high plateau of western Sichuan to the harsh landscape of the northeast -- this compelling collection of short fiction represents the incredible diversity that is China.