China: Empire and Civilization [Hardcover]

Edward L. Shaughnessy (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0195216628 | ISBN-13: 978-0195216622 | Publication Date: October 19, 2000

To Western eyes, China is one of the most mysterious and intriguing of all civilizations. The legacy of its long dynastic rule, extending back more than 3000 years, includes fascinating contributions to philosophy, religion, art, science, and mythology that continue to influence the modern world. China: Empire and Civilization explores the ideas and achievements of this unique culture through a combination of authoritative, accessible scholarship and magnificent imagery.
Drawing on the most recent discoveries and theories, the book presents China's history, society, and beliefs from the legends of prehistory to the end of imperial power in 1912. It investigates the key cultural, spiritual, and artistic traditions of this vast civilization and describes the country's major scientific and technological innovations, such as gunpowder, printing, and the compass. An investigation of trading routes, both by land and sea, challenges the conventional view of China as an isolated, insular civilization, stressing instead the impact of its sophisticated society upon the world. A final section discusses the continuing legacy of the imperial period through the turbulent years of the twentieth century up to the present day.
A wealth of color photography and imaginative artwork, together with a lively and authoritative text, vividly evokes the pinnacles of Chinese civilization as well as the realities of everyday life, from life in the Imperial court to the most rural villages.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Anyone who has attempted to teach a collegelevel general survey course on China knows what a challenge it is to condense 5,000 years of history into a meaningful narrative. However, Edward Shaughnessy, a chair of Chinese language and civilization at the University of Chicago, along with a host of other highly distinguished contributors, here attempts to do precisely that-and in so doing redefines the textbook genre as well as the possibilities for teaching a China survey course.What emerges here is not so much a book about Chinese history as a penetrating exploration of the Chinese cultural pantheon....China is a fine book, breathtakingly beautiful in its presentation and admirable in its attempt to remap China's cultural landscape in a way that is accessible to nonspecialists.--History

About the Author

Edward L. Shaughnessy is Professor of Early Chinese History at the University of Chicago. A well respected scholar, his books include I Ching: The Classic of Changes and The Cambridge History of Ancient China. He lives in Chicago.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (October 19, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195216628
• ISBN-13: 978-0195216622
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #785,043 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great research and art, November 29, 2000

By 

"arguseye" (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: China: Empire and Civilization (Hardcover)

The team of historians headed by Edward Shaughnessy did a fantastic job on this book, covering the most interesting fascets of imperial China (and its legacy in 20th century China). But the illustrations were my favorite part. The Chinese were masters at fusing beauty with function. Some of their inventions, artworks, and everyday tools make the West seem so clumsy. The captions are meaty and provide for good reading as well. I only wish the book were longer and went into more detail. A must have for China lovers!

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful into to China, December 2, 2000

By 

Ben Single (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: China: Empire and Civilization (Hardcover)

I bought this book as a gift for my sister who went to China this year but I ended up keeping it for myself. So many illustrated books on Asia only pick out what's exotic and exploit it. This book, however, offers an even-handed introduction to China's past, focusing on politics, philosophy, technology, daily life and the arts. The section on beliefs is particularly fresh. I learned so much, yet I didn't feel the book wowed me with pieces of jade and the like that so often show us how we'd like to see imperial China, not how it really was.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Poorly Written, November 15, 2008

By 

Bryan "the student" (LA, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: China: Empire and Civilization (Paperback)

This book isn't bad. It covers a large amount of facts. But it is so poorly written and organized that it is extremely hard to follow, and much less learn anything without just memorizing the text itself. Now I know why this textbook only cost $25.