On the Chinese internet, millions of writers and readers fantasize about going back in time and changing their country’s fate. One envisions saving the Southern Song Dynasty from the Mongols and turning China into a capitalist democracy. Another portrays a contemporary traveling to 1905 and sparking a communist revolution before the Chinese Communist Party was even founded. These stories share a theme of national revival that echoes both the official narrative of the “Chinese dream” and populist movements around the world. Why is alt-history so popular in China, and what does it reveal about politics and culture under authoritarianism? This book examines the production and consumption of online alt-history fiction in China, offering new insight into how authoritarian rule gains popular consent. Combining in-depth digital ethnography with analysis of dozens of alt-history novels, it explores how state intervention, market forces, and consumer preferences interact. It argues that citizens play a crucial role in constructing and maintaining the state’s dominance. Introducing readers to the uncanny world of alt-history, this book underscores how aspirations for the rebirth of the nation can bolster undemocratic politics—in China and elsewhere.