1 Introduction 2 The evolution of rule of law in China: the role of law in historical context 3 Post-Mao reforms: competing conceptions of rule of law 4 Rule of law and its critics 5 Retreat of the Party and the state 6 The legislative system: battling chaos 7 The judiciary: in search of independence, authority, and competence 8 The legal profession: the quest for independence and professionalism 9 The administrative law regime: reining in an unruly bureaucracy 10 Rule of law and economic development 11 Rule of law, democracy, and human rights 12 Conclusion: the future of legal reform