The language situation in China engages with a wide array of topics on the language situation, or ‘linguistic life’, in contemporary China. The edited volume consists of twenty-seven chapters contributed by over fifty authors organized into five parts: ‘Special focuses’, ‘Special fields’, ‘Hot topics’, ‘Words and passages’, and ‘Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan’. In his preface, Li Wei points out that language planning and policies should embrace ‘a mentality of diglossia and bilingualism’ and calls for training for diglossic and bilingual people in this multicultural society.

Part 1 comprises a single chapter devoted to the Table of General Standard Chinese Characters recently published by the State Council, centring on the preparation work and its rationale. The issuance plays a significant role in the standardization of the national spoken and written language.

Part 2 focuses on a range of topics including dialects, minority languages, neighbouring languages, sign language, Chinese language education, and language use among migrant workers and healthcare professionals. Most importantly, these studies point out areas for improvement and thus have implications for China's language planning. For instance, Wu Xiaojun (chapter 8) examines the conflicts and changes of migrant workers’ language, calling for language guidance and support for rural workers. Liu Yanhong, Gu Dingqian, Cheng Li, & Wei Dan (chapter 11) suggest that a general sign language be formulated to avoid confusion caused by insufficient vocabulary and inconsistent movements, based on a large-scale survey across eighteen provinces.

Part 3 is devoted to practices that recently emerge and gain popularity, such as the rise of emoticons in daily communication and the promotion of approachable language in the media known as ‘stylistic movement’. These chapters enrich the discussion of linguistic life by including the most trendy practices in everyday life. As pointed out by Li in his preface, an understanding of such ‘developmental trends of linguistic life’ is crucial in language planning.

Part 4 turns to neologisms and popular phrases on Chinese social media. For instance, Zou Yu & Hou Min (chapter 22) discuss the wide acceptance of the term PM2.5 and a debate on the choice of word between PM2.5 and its Chinese counterpart. While other chapters also examine phrases and slang that rise to popularity, Feng Xuefeng & Chen Xi (chapter 23) draw readers’ attention to the loanwords frequently used in foreign media and press, which have long been neglected.

Part 5 broadens the scope of this volume by addressing contexts beyond the Chinese Mainland, including the Chinese linguistic associations in Hong Kong, the use of Putonghua in multilingual Macau, and programs that promote reading and preserve linguistic diversity in Taiwan.

The discussion is further supplemented by appendices including a chronology of key events and government policy documents promoting the Table of General Standard Chinese Characters. This volume is a comprehensive collection of insights into the dynamic and multifaceted ‘linguistic life’ in China. This collection can serve as a window into the current language situation in China and will be of interest to those who wish to gain insights into the formulation of language planning.