Details

Subject(s)

• China—History [Browse]
• China—Civilization [Browse]

Summary note

"'The Cambridge Illustrated History of China' is an account of the full sweep of Chinese civilization - from prehistoric times to the intellectual ferment of the Warring States Period, through the rise and fall of the imperial dynasties, to the modern communist state. Written by a leading scholar and lavishly illustrated, its narrative draws together everything from the influence of key figures, to political innovations, art and material culture, family and religious life, wars and modern conflicts. This book will be appreciated by anyone interested in Chinese history. This third revised edition includes new archaeological discoveries, and fuller treatment of environmental history and Chinese interaction with the wider world, placing China in global context. The final chapter brings the story into the twenty-first century, covering the transformation of China into one of the world's leading economies and the challenges it faces."--taken from back cover.

Notes

Previous edition: 2010.

Bibliographic references

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Contents

• List of maps
• Preface
• Chapter 1. The Origins of Chinese Civilization : Neolithic Period to the Western Zhou Dynasty. Origin myths
• The natural environment
• Prehistory
• Bronze Age
• Writing
• Bronzes
• The Zhou conquest
• In Focus. Ancestors ; Lady Hao's Tomb ; Animal and human imagery in bronze vessels
• Chapter 2. Philosophical Foundations : The Eastern Zhou Period. Rival states
• Confucius and the moral way
• Later Confucians
• Mozi
• Daoism and the way beyond the human realm
• Strategists of power
• Regional cultures and ethnic identities
• In Focus. The Analects ; Music ; Silk
• Chapter 3. The Creation of the Bureaucratic Empire : The Qin and Han Dynasties. Unification by Qin
• The two Han dynasties
• The steppe and the Silk Road
• The spirit world
• The agrarian economy
• Confucianism, the state, and the educated elite
• Colonizing the south
• The fall of the Later Han
• In Focus. Sima Qian and the historical records ; Houses ; Ban Zhao and women's education
• Chapter 4. Regional Regimes : Buddhism, Aristocracy, and Northern Rulers. The Three Kingdoms and the Jin dynasty
• Regimes n the south
• Regimes in the north
• Armies and warfare
• Clients, retainers, serfs, and slaves
• Buddhism
• Daoist religion
• In Focus. Tao Yuanming and the art of Chinese poetry ; The Han River Valley and the Man ; Early Buddhist art
• Chapter 5. A Cosmopolitan Empire : The Sui and Tang Dynasties. Empire-building
• Elites and examinations
• The outer world
• Cultural confidence
• The penetration of Buddhism into Chinese life
• Life far from the centre
• Political, economic, and intellectual realignments
• In Focus. Calligraphy as a fine art ; Love stories
• Chapter 6. Shifting South : The Five Dynasties and Song. War and peace in a multistate context
• The commercial economy
• Loss of the north
• The physical environment
• Printing, knowledge, and authority
• The literati elite
• Intellectual trends
• Town and village life
• In Focus. Gunpowder weapons in the Song-Jin Wars ; Su Shi ; Landscape painting
• Chapter 7. Inner Asian Rule : The Liao, Xi Xia, Jin, and Yuan Dynasties. Post-Tang Inner Asia
• The Khitan Liao Dynasty
• The Tangut Xi Xia Dynasty
• The Jurchen Jin Dynasty
• Chinggis Khan, the Mongols, and the Yuan Dynasty
• Chinese society under Inner Asian rule
• Elites old and new
• East-West cultural contact
• In Focus. Yelü Chucai ; Demons and demon quellers ; Drama and the performing arts
• Chapter 8. The Limits of Autocracy : The Ming Dynasty. Ming Taizu and his successors
• Beyond the borders
• The southwestern frontier
• The economy --- Literati life
• Philosophical currents
• Popular culture and local society
• Overseas connections
• Political, environmental, and fiscal crises
• In Focus. The Great Wall ; Book illustration ; The kilns at Jingdezhen
• Chapter 9. Manchus and Imperial Expansion : The Early Qing Dynasty. Manchu rule
• Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong
• Military institutions and territorial expansion
• Governance
• Culture and society
• Trade with European nations
• In Focus. Imperial ethnography ; A dream of red mansions
• Chapter 10. Decline Sets In : The Late Qing Dynasty. Population growth and environmental degradation
• Opium, the Opium War, and the unequal treaties
• Internal adversaries
• Restoration and reform
• The Chinese diaspora
• Shanghai
• Total humiliation, 1894-1900
• In Focus. Muslim rebellions ; Illustrating the news ; Photography
• Chapter 11. Taking Action : The Early Twentieth Century. Undermining the Qing Dynasty
• Dislodging authority
• Building a party-state
• Widening women's worlds
• Defending against Japanese aggression
• The Communist victory
• In Focus. Lu Xun on Chinese characteristics ; War's environmental cost ; Modern Chinese painting
• Chapter 12. China Under Mao : The People's Republic. Imposing control
• Collectivizing agriculture
• New China
• Subordinating intellectuals
• The Great Leap Forward and its aftermath
• The Cultural Revolution
• Daily life under socialism
• In Focus. Ding Ling ; Taiwan under the Nationalists ; The cult of Mao
• Chapter 13. Engaging the World : China Since 1976. The Reform Programme from Deng Xiaoping to Xi Jinping
• The party-state and its critics
• Migration and city living
• Alleviating rural poverty
• Environmental costs
• Shrinking families
• Culture and the arts
• China and the world
• In Focus. Zhejiang's factory towns ; Religion returns ; Tibet
• Notes
• Further reading
• Index
• Picture acknowledgements.

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Other title(s)

• Illustrated history of China
• China

ISBN

• 9781009151429
• 1009151428 ((hardcover))
• 9781009151443 ((paperback))
• 1009151444 ((paperback))

OCLC

1314282903

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