The Shortest History of China: From the Ancient Dynasties to a Modern Superpower--A Retelling for Our Times

Description

Journey across China's epic history--through millennia of early innovation to modern dominance As we enter the "Asian century," China demands our attention for being an economic powerhouse, a beacon of rapid modernization, and an assertive geopolitical player. To understand the nation behind the headlines, we must take in its vibrant, tumultuous past--a story of "larger-than-life characters, philosophical arguments and political intrigues, military conflicts and social upheavals, artistic invention and technological innovation." The Shortest History of China charts a path from China's tribal origins through its storied imperial era and up to the modern Communist Party under Xi Jinping--including the rarely told story of women in China and the specters of corruption and disunity that continue to haunt the People's Republic today. A master storyteller and exacting historian, Linda Jaivin distills this vast history into a short, riveting account that today's globally minded readers will find indispensable. Cover Acclaim for The Shortest History of China Also by Linda Jaivin Copyright Contents Dedication Introduction 1. ORIGINS: An Egg Hatches and a Civilization Is Born 2. THE ZHOU: From Ideal Rule to Warring States 3. THE QIN: Unification, Tyranny, and All Under Heaven 4. THE HAN: Intrigue, Innovation, and a Brief Interregnum 5. THE GREAT DISUNITY: Three Kingdoms, Two Women Warriors, Seven Sages, and a Five-Mineral Powder 6. THE TANG: From Golden Age to Everlasting Sorrow 7. THE SONG: Proto-Socialists, Neo-Confucians, and Urban Living 8. THE MONGOL YUAN: From “Glorious Slaughter” to the Splendid City 9. THE MING: Splendor and Decay 10. THE MANCHU QING: The Rocky Road to Modernity 11. THE REPUBLIC: High Hopes and Vicious Betrayals 12. JAPANESE INVASION AND CIVIL WAR: The Republic Disintegrates 13. THE MAO YEARS: Continuous Revolution 14. THE REFORM ERA: Prosperity and Its Discontents 15. THE NEW ERA OF XI JINPING: Rise of the Wolf Warriors Acknowledgments Notes Further Reading Image Credits Index About the Author Back Cover