本书为“岩波新书”的“中国近现代史系列丛书”第2卷,讨论时期为甲午战争到辛亥革命及中华民国北京政府,正好位于吉泽诚一郎的《清朝与近代世界19世纪》与石川祯浩的《革命与民族主义1925~1945》之间(该两本书在《中国研究月报》第65卷第2期有书评介绍)。正如书名所示,该时期的中国面临着何去何从的时代问题,处于不断“摸索”状态。该丛书的其他各卷均有一条较易明确的叙述主线,如清朝、国民党、 This book is the second volume of Series of Recent Series of Modern Chinese History of China by Yan Shui and the Beijing government of the Republic of China during the Sino-Japanese War, 19th Century “and Ishikawa Zhen’s” Revolution and Nationalism 1925 ~ 1945 “(the two books in the” China Studies Monthly “No. 65, No. 2 book reviews). As the book title shows, the question of where China is going to go from here is in a constant ”groping" state. The other volumes of the series have a more straightforward narrative of the main line, such as the Qing Dynasty, the Kuomintang,