Major themes in the history of finance in China reflect the persistent tension between a powerful state guiding the economy versus vibrant market forces operating according to basic commercial principles. Included is the continuity and discontinuity of financial developments in imperial and modern history; creation of a modern banking system beginning in the late nineteenth century; and emergence of complex and sophisticated financial institutions and products since the introduction of economic reforms in the People's Republic of China in 1978-1979.

The Historical Dictionary of the Financial System in China contains a chronology, an introduction, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has more than 300 cross-referenced entries on important financiers, entrepreneurs, and government officials involved in finance, large state-owned banks (SOBs), state-owned enterprises (SOEs), hedge funds, exchange-traded funds, and asset-management companies. This book is an excellent resource for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about the Chinese financial system.

Lawrence R. Sullivan is a professor emeritus of political science at Adelphi University, Garden City, New York and author and co-author of several books on China including Historical Dictionary of the Chinese Economy (2017).

Nancy Liu-Sullivan is a doctoral lecturer in the Department of Biology, College of Staten Island (CSI), City University of New York and is co-author of Historical Dictionary of Science and Technology in Modern China (2015) and Concise Encyclopedia of Green Technology in China (2023).