Tibetan macaques (Macaca thibetana) are just beginning to be known in primatology, but some unique aspects of their morphology, ecology, behavior, and phylogeny indicate that they can play an important role in comparative studies of macaques. Here, we present a summary of their social and life history strategies based on continuous observation over more than 30 years of a study group at Mt. Huangshan, China. We first review the history of this project and then characterize this species’ morphology, social organization, and behavioral repertoire. We also describe their dominance style and reproductive system, discussing similarities and contrasts with other macaque species. We argue that some of the unique features of their life history and sociality, such as bridging behavior and male social relationships, offer opportunities for additional comparative studies in macaque social evolution and beyond. Our review also highlights the value of long-term studies of individually known animals in such long-lived species with complex social systems.