This alphabetically organized volume is the first authoritative, scholarly source on directors, genres, themes, and actors from mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Including synopses of 300 Chinese films, the entries are heavily cross-referenced, and offer, where possible, annotated suggestions for further reading. Preceding the A-Z entries, an in-depth cultural perspective is provided in a substantial historical section dealing with the main studios and the impact of Chinese film abroad and at home in recent years. Three indexes have been included for quick reference, allowing readers to easily locate information on: * Film and TV titles, with year of release and directors' names * Names, including actors, writers, directors and producers * Studios. Other special features of this work include a classified contents list, a listing of relevant websites, an extensive film chronology and a glossary of pinyin romanizations, Chinese characters and English equivalents.