The rise of China’s middle class is a compelling embodiment of the vision of common prosperity and the Chinese path to modernization. Today’s Chinese middle class combines forward-leaning economic dynamism, strong patriotism, and a broad global outlook. At the same time, they offer independent and keen assessments of globalization, the waning of Western hegemony, and the turbulence in U.S.–China relations, and they possess the capacity to deliver frank, direct counsel. The rapid and explosive growth of China’s middle class will drive domestic development and directly shape China’s external posture.



As China’s modern “gateway” to the outside world, a “bridge” between East and West, the “locomotive” of the Yangtze River Delta’s economic development, and a “key” to understanding the drivers of China’s rise, Shanghai plays an indispensable, pathbreaking role. To understand Shanghai is essential to understanding contemporary China.



Drawing on social, economic, academic, and artistic perspectives, Professor Li Cheng introduces and analyzes the lived realities of China’s middle class, represented by the middle class in Shanghai. Grounded in extensive data analysis and surveys, the book takes a sober view of China’s rise and development, focusing on the dual lenses of “middle class” and “Shanghai,” and situates the discussion within the broader context of current U.S.–China relations and the evolving landscape of globalization.



中國中產的崛起是對共同富裕理念和中國式現代化的有效詮釋。今日中國中產既有進取的經濟發展動力、强烈的愛國情懷與開闊的世界眼光，同時對全球化、西方霸權衰落、動盪中的中美關係有著獨立且敏銳的觀察、研判，具備坦率且直接的諫言能力。中國中產的迅速興起和爆發性增長，將驅動中國國内的發展，並直接影響中國的對外姿態。



上海作為近代以來中國通往外部世界的「門戶」、東西方之間的「橋樑」、長三角經濟發展的「龍頭」、了解今日中國崛起驅動力的「鑰匙」，發揮的開闢性作用不容忽視。了解上海，對讀懂當代中國至關重要。

李成教授從社會、經濟、學術、藝術等各個層面介紹分析了以上海中產為代表的中國中產的生活狀態，以大量的數據分析和調查為支撐，理性看待中國的崛起與發展，著眼「中產」與「上海」雙重焦點，並將之置於當今中美關係的大背景以及全球化新局勢中展開討論。