China is a land like no other, a land of over 1 billion souls and over 3,000 years of history. Ruled for millennia by mighty dynasties, its people are industrious and inventive, hardened by centuries of war, political upheaval and the ambitions of its leaders. From its early days under the First Emperor to the rise of Mao and the surveillance state being built by President Xi Jinping, this is the story of a fascinating nation that looks set to dominate the world of tomorrow.