CiNii Books - A history of China

Discover the complexity of China's past with this multi-faceted portrayal of the storied nation from a leading expert in the field The newly revised Second Edition of A History of China delivers a comprehensive treatment of the political, economic, social, and cultural history of China that covers all major events and trends that have shaped the country over the centuries. The book is written in a clear and uncomplicated style, sure to be of assistance to undergraduate students with little prior background knowledge in the subject matter. The text examines Chinese history through a global lens to better understand how foreign influences affected domestic policies and practices. It includes discussions of the roles played by non-Chinese ethnic groups in China, like the Tibetans and Uyghurs, and the Mongol and Manchu rulers who held power in China for several centuries. The distinguished author takes pains to incorporate the perspectives and narratives of people traditionally left out of Chinese history, including women, peasants, merchants, and artisans. Readers will also enjoy the inclusion of: A thorough introduction to early and ancient Chinese history, including classical China, the first Chinese empires, and religious and political responses to the period between 220 and 581 CE An exploration of the restoration of Empire under Sui and Tang, as well as post-Tang society and Glorious Song A discussion of China and the Mongol world, including Mongol rule in China and the isolationism and involvement on the global stage of the Ming dynasty A treatment of China in global history, including the Qing era, the Republican period, and the Communist era Perfect for undergraduate students of courses on Chinese history and Central Asian History, the Second Edition of A History of China will also earn a place in the libraries of students studying global history and related classes in history departments and departments of Asian studies. The Blackwell History of the World Series The goal of this ambitious series is to provide an accessible source of knowledge about the entire human past, for every curious person in every part of the world. It will comprise some two dozen volumes, of which some provide synoptic views of the history of particular regions while others consider the world as a whole during a particular period of time. The volumes are narrative in form, giving balanced attention to social and cultural history (in the broadest sense) as well as to institutional development and political change. Each provides a systematic account of a very large subject, but they are also both imaginative and interpretative. The Series is intended to be accessible to the widest possible readership, and the accessibility of its volumes is matched by the style of presentation and production.

Table of Contents

Series Editor's Preface x Preface xiii Acknowledgments xvii List of Illustrations xix List of Maps xxii A Note on Romanization xxiii Part I China Among "Barbarians" 1 1 Early History, to 1027 BCE 3 Land and Settlement 3 Early Mankind 5 Agricultural Revolution in the Neolithic Era 6 Xia: The First Dynasty? 11 The Shang and the Origins of Chinese Civilization 15 Oracle Bones 17 Ritual Objects as Historical Sources 18 Shang Society 20 Note 23 Further Reading 23 2 Classical China, 1027-256 BCE 24 "Feudalism"? 24 Changes in Social Structure 29 Political Instability in the Eastern Zhou 30 Transformations in the Economy 33 Hundred Schools of Thought 35 Daoism 36 Popular Religions 39 Confucianism 40 Mohism 46 Legalism 48 Book of Odes and Book of Documents 51 Secularization of Arts 53 Note 55 Further Reading 55 3 The First Chinese Empires, 221 BCE-220 CE 56 Development of the Qin State 58 Qin Achievements 60 Failures of the Qin 63 Han and New Institutions 66 Han Foreign Relations 70 Emperor Wu's Domestic Policies and Their Ramifications 75 Wang Mang: Reformer or Usurper? 77 Restoration of a Weaker Han Dynasty 78 Spiritual and Philosophical Developments in the Han 81 Han Literature and Art 85 Further Reading 92 4 Chaos and Religious and Political Responses, 220-581 93 Three Kingdoms 93 Rise of South China 95 Foreigners and North China 97 Northern Wei 100 Spiritual Developments, Post-Han 104 Buddhism Enters China 105 Literature, Science, and the Arts in a Period of Division 111 Note 115 Further Reading 116 Part II China Among Equals 117 5 Restoration of Empire under Sui and Tang, 581-907 119 Sui: First Step in Restoration 121 Disastrous Foreign Campaigns 126 Origins of the Tang 127 Taizong: The Greatest Tang Emperor 128 Tang Expansionism 131 Irregular Successions and the Empress Wu 133 Tang Cosmopolitanism 136 Arrival of Foreign Religions 138 Glorious Tang Arts 144 Decline of the Tang 146 Tang Faces Rebellions 150 Uyghur Empire and Tang 151 Tang's Continuing Decline 152 Suppression of Buddhism 155 Final Collapse 156 Efflorescence of Tang Culture 159 Notes 164 Further Reading 164 6 Post-Tang Society and the Glorious Song, 907-1279 165 Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms 165 Song: A Lesser Empire 169 A New Song Elite 171 Neo-Confucianism: A New Philosophy 173 Attempts at Reform 174 Women and the Song 180 The Khitans and the Liao Dynasty 181 Expansion of Khitan Territory 183 Preservation of Khitan Identity 183 Fall of the Liao 185 Xia and Jin: Two Foreign Dynasties 186 Song Arts 188 Southern Song Economic and Cultural Sophistication and Political Instability 192 Note 196 Further Reading 197 Part III China and The Mongol World 199 7 Mongol Rule in China, 1234-1368 201 Rise of Chinggis Khan 203 Legacy of Chinggis Khan 205 Expansion and Early Rule of Empire 205 Sorghaghtani Beki, Moengke, and Khubilai 206 Unification of China 208 Khubilai's Policies 208 Multiethnic and Multireligious China 210 Khubilai and Chinese Culture 211 Decline of the Yuan 216 Legacy of the Mongols 218 Note 220 Further Reading 221 8 Ming: Isolationism and Involvement in the World, 1368-1644 222 A More Powerful State 225 Opening to the Outside World 228 A Costly Failure 233 Conspicuous Consumption 233 Arts in the Ming 235 Neo-Confucianism: School of the Mind 239 A Few Unorthodox Thinkers 242 Ming Literature 242 Buddhism: New Developments 246 Social Development and Material Culture 247 Violence in the Sixteenth Century 249 Fall of the Ming Dynasty 251 Further Reading 255 Part IV China In Global History 257 9 Early Qing: A Manchu Dynasty, 1644-1860 259 Preserving Manchu Identity 262 Kangxi and the Height of the Qing 263 Western Arrival 264 Jesuits in China 266 Expansion of China 268 Qing Cultural Developments 271 Qing Faces Economic Problems 274 Stirrings of Discontent 277 The Western Challenge 278 Opium Wars 280 Explanations for the Decline of the Qing 285 Further Reading 286 10 Late Qing, 1860-1911 287 Nian and Other Minor Rebellions 288 Taiping Rebellion 289 Other Rebellions 293 Foreign Threats 296 Differing Court Responses to Challenges 298 Antiforeign Acts and Foreign Reactions 302 Losses in Southwest China 304 Japan Emerges 305 Sino-Japanese Conflict 306 Scramble for Concessions and US Response 308 China Humiliated and the Reformers 309 Boxer Movement 311 Court Reforms 313 Fall of the Qing 315 Note 316 Further Reading 316 11 The Republican Period, 1911-1949 317 The 1911 Revolution and Its Aftermath 319 Warlords in Power 321 The May Fourth Movement and Intellectuals in the Post-First World War Period 323 Communist Party 326 Rise of Chiang Kai-shek 330 Guomindang Dominance 333 Communist Party Revival 337 Long March and Aftermath 339 The Sino-Japanese War 341 The Pacific War, the Communists, and the Guomindang 343 Civil War in China 347 Further Reading 349 12 The Communist Era in China, 1949 Onwards 350 Early Pacification of Border Areas 352 Early Foreign Relations 355 Recovery from Wars 357 Cracks in the Communist World 360 Great Leap Forward 362 Return to Pragmatism 365 An Isolated China 366 Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution 368 China Reopens Its Doors 371 Dramatic Changes and Modernization 374 Tiananmen Disturbance of 1989 and Its Aftermath 378 The Present Status of China 385 Further Reading 395 Index 397

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A history of China

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