Tracing the concept of human rights in Chinese political discourse since the late Qing dynasty, this comprehensive history convincingly demonstrates that_contrary to conventional wisdom_there has been a vibrant debate on human rights throughout the twentieth century. Drawing on little-known sources, Marina Svensson shows how these largely forgotten debates provide important perspectives on and contrasts to the official PRC line. By exploring the relationship between domestic and international human rights discourses, this study offers new insights not only into the Chinese but the Western human rights debate as well. Students and scholars of China and of human rights will find this work an important tool for understanding one of the great issues of our time.