Recommend several good books that have a thorough and detailed study of the economy, people's livelihood and society during the Republic of China or before the founding of the People's Republic of China. There are really few books reflecting the Republic of China. I really want to read it, and I can only read the writer's articles to interpret society from words. For example, reading Lu Xun's articles. Here, I can also recommend some books about the economy, society and politics of the late Qing Dynasty to help you better feel the transitional society of the Republic of China.

Chen Xulu's The Metabolism of Modern China Society focuses on the social metabolism from the late Qing Dynasty to the Republic of China. Joseph W. Esherick's Reform and Revolution: The Revolution of 1911 is in the Two Lakes, focusing on the socio-economic changes in the two lakes before the Revolution of 1911, Zhang Jian's relationship with modern society and the development of Zhang Kaiyuan's national bourgeoisie, including Zheng Chuan of Xia Dongyuan, Study on the Westernization Movement in the Late Qing Dynasty, Biography of Sheng Xuanhuai, History of the Westernization Movement, A New Theory on the Development of Modern History, and Long Chronicle of Sheng Xuanhuai.