This volume brings together a group of historians of modern China and East Asia, based in Italy and abroad, who, as colleagues or former students, have shared with Guido Samarani the intellectual and human experience of studying China in the last thirty years and engaging in the development of the field. It has no ambition to reflect the vast range of research topics and interests Samarani has contributed to and to represent the whole community of scholars who have collaborated with him during his long career. It represents just a small tribute by some of them to a friend and colleague, whose outstanding research activities have greatly increased our understanding of Chinese modern and contemporary history, as well as inspiring and influencing students and academics active both in Italy and abroad.