A Short History Of China: From Early Dynastic Rule To Modern China

Embark on a journey through three millennia of Chinese history, from the legendary sage-kings of antiquity to the last days of the Qing. This sweeping narrative traces the cyclical rise and fall of great dynasties, guided by the powerful concept of the Mandate of Heaven. Witness the casting of the first bronze ritual vessels, explore the foundational philosophies of Confucianism and Daoism, and stand in awe before the First Emperor’s Terracotta Army. Follow caravans along the Silk Road, sail with the epic treasure fleets of Zheng He, and explore the magnificent halls of the Forbidden City. The story chronicles eras of breathtaking achievement and cultural refinement, from the cosmopolitan Tang to the scholarly Song, as well as periods of shocking conquest by the Mongol and Manchu invaders who established their own powerful empires.
The narrative then plunges into the tumultuous modern era, chronicling the Qing dynasty’s violent collision with the West in the Opium Wars, the great internal rebellions, and the final collapse of the two-thousand-year-old imperial system in the 1911 Revolution. Navigate the chaotic Warlord Era and the bitter struggle between the Nationalists and the burgeoning Communist Party. Follow Mao Zedong through the epic Long March, the brutal Sino-Japanese War, and the founding of the People’s Republic. Finally, the book examines the profound upheavals of the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution, and concludes with the story of Deng Xiaoping's "Reform and Opening"—the dramatic transformation that set the stage for the global power China has become today.