The rise of China’s middle class offers a compelling interpretation of the concept of common prosperity and of Chinese-style modernization. Today’s Chinese middle class combines a strong drive for economic advancement with robust patriotism and a global outlook. At the same time, it provides independent and incisive observations and assessments of globalization, the waning of Western hegemony, and the turbulence in U.S.–China relations, and it possesses the candor and directness to offer forthright criticism and counsel. The rapid emergence and explosive growth of this middle class will propel China’s domestic development and directly shape its international stance. Focusing on the Shanghai middle class as a representative case, the author examines and analyzes the living conditions of China’s middle class across social, economic, academic, and artistic dimensions, using extensive data analysis and surveys as key entry points. The discussion adopts a rational view of China’s rise and development, foregrounding the middle class as a pivotal social force, and situates the analysis within the broader context of current U.S.–China relations and the evolving landscape of globalization.