China Through The Ages: History Of A Civilization [Paperback]

Franz Michael (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 29, 1986 | ISBN-10: 0865317267 | ISBN-13: 978-9576381904

Past studies of China have concentrated on specific events or have related a chronological history of the dynastic periods. Although they have included aspects of cultural history, these works have underemphasized the country’s great social, political, and intellectual movements and their ultimate expression in the art and literature of the time. By focusing on these themes, Professor Michael provides a new framework for understanding the Chinese cultural tradition.The author describes the evolving history of ideas in China, from ancient faith in powerful magic to more modern concepts of a logical moral order of the universe and mankind’s place in it. He also explores the intellectual ferment following the dawn of the age of reason, the integration of Buddhism into the Confucian social order, and the social transformations accompanying the rise and fall of the centralized state. Throughout, he illustrates how the changing society’s beliefs, values, and aesthetic sense were embodied in its art and literature. This portrayal of the Chinese cultural tradition not only puts Chinese history in a new perspective, it illuminates the process through which China constructed a modern society from a non-Western foundation and serves as an essential tool for understanding modern-day China and its prospects for the future.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Franz Michael is professor emeritus at George Washington University, where he was associate director and director of the Institute for Sino-Soviet Studies from 1964 to 1972. Dr. Michael’s publications include Rule by Incarnation: Tibetan Buddhism and Its Role in Society and State (Westview).

Product Details

• Paperback: 278 pages
• Publisher: Westview Press (October 29, 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0865317267
• ISBN-13: 978-9576381904
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.9 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #391,609 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An enjoyable cultural and intellectual overview, October 30, 2003

By 

Kent M. Suarez (Taipei, Taiwan) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: China Through The Ages: History Of A Civilization (Paperback)

Michael has written a very readable, enjoyable overview of the evolution of the idea in Chinese art and literature, as influenced by the political, economic, social and intellectual developments in each period. This is a refreshing change from the traditional, political and military approach to history, and will serve as an invaluable complement to those kinds of works. For those who know Chinese, however, the book does suffer from one minor, irritating defect¡V the continued use of the flawed, outdated Wade-Giles romanization for all but the names of modern Chinese leaders, without the provision of any Chinese characters (not even in the index), leaves one not knowing how to pronounce many of the names and other terms in the book.

4.0 out of 5 stars A good introduction and an enjoyable read, May 8, 2006

By 

Orion Pax - See all my reviews

This review is from: China Through The Ages: History Of A Civilization (Paperback)

For a newcomer to Chinese history, this is a solid introduction. It is a manageable size (250 pages), yet it leaves the reader feeling as though they have a good sense of the full scope of Chinese history from it's prehistory to modern day.

Franz Michael's accessible writing style is enhanced by the fact that he rarely bogs the reader down with the finer disputes of Chinese history, which serves the introductory nature of the book. Still, he does not hesitate to point out where generally established history differs from popular misconception, which is most helpful for many of us Westerners since our knowledge of Chinese history is likely sparse and/or politically biased. Also, endnotes are used instead of footnotes.

Franz Michael does do a good job of tracking cultural developments over time as well as their relationship with historical events, however, this is probably where his emphasis, although slight, comes out. In contrast to the simplistic Communist interpretation, Michael vindicates traditional Chinese culture, particularly Confucianism and its emphasis on the leadership of a scholar-class, which emerges as the main component of "the great humanist tradition of the past" that may "provide the moral strength" for China's future. It is primarily Confucianism's moral and intellectual aspects that stand out most in this book, as opposed to Confucianism's intricate rituals, for example, which have less of a modern humanistic application but are nonetheless important aspects of Chinese history.

While Michael's work will rightfully arouse respect for Chinese culture, it would have been helpful to hear a bit more about the more unsavory aspects of China's pre-Communist culture, just to round out the picture a bit more since all cultures have bright spots and dark spots. With that said, Michael's emphasis is only minor and may simply serve to compensate for the devaluation of traditional culture that may impair modern readers of any ancient or medieval history.

The only substantial problem of this book is a lack of maps (as in there is only one: a contemporary [1986] map). Historical maps would have been particularly helpful for newbies to Chinese history, especially Western readers.