The Cambridge History of China, Vol. 1: The Ch'in and Han Empires, 221 BC-AD 220 (Hardcover)

~ (Editor), Michael Loewe (Editor) "Ch'in long existed as a small state or principality and then, very briefly, as a major dynasty and empire..." (more)
Key Phrases: modernist statesmen, lesser treasury, three senior statesmen, Wang Mang, Wang Ch'ung, Ts'ao Ts'ao (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

This volume begins the historical coverage of The Cambridge History of China with the establishment of the Ch'in empire in 221 BC and ends with the abdication of the last Han emperor in AD 220. Spanning four centuries, this period witnessed major evolutionary changes in almost every aspect of China's development, being particularly notable for the emergence and growth of a centralized administration and imperial government. Owing to their pioneer achievements and the heritage that they left for later empires, these dynasties have rightly been regarded as a formative influence throughout Chinese history. Important archaeological discoveries of recent years have made a new approach possible for many aspects of the period. Leading historians from Asia, Europe, and America have contributed chapters that convey a realistic impression of significant political, economic, intellectual, religious, and social developments, and of the contacts that the Chinese made with other peoples at this time. Like the other volumes in the series, volume 1 summarizes the information given in primary sources in the light of the most recent critical scholarship. As the book is intended for the general reader as well as the specialist, technical details are given in both Chinese terms and English equivalents. References lead to primary sources and their translations and to secondary writings in European languages as well as Chinese and Japanese.

Book Description

This volume begins the historical coverage of The Cambridge History of China with the establishment of the Ch'in empire in 221 BC and ends with the abdication of the last Han emperor in AD 220. Their pioneer achievements made these dynasties a formative influence throughout Chinese history.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 1023 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (December 26, 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521243270
• ISBN-13: 978-0521243278
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.4 x 2.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 1.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #228,764 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Very poor binding for an expensive book. Cambridge fails, January 29, 2009

By	F. Benvegnu "history lover" (West Chester Ohio USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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Cambridge University Press is giving itself a very bad press by publishing an expensive series made with a binding process that is good for pocket books, but absolutely insufficient for reference books of such a prestigious house. Many other Cambridge History Series are produced with high quality binding (stitch) as they deserve. In a modern world in which sections of books can be easily downloaded and printed individually, prestigious reference series can and should be made with high quality binding and can carry the appropriate price premium.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars I have to agree...., May 16, 2009

By	K Hogan (Dublin, Ireland) - See all my reviews

I have to agree with the previous two reviewers...I have bought several (very expensive) volumes of the Cambridge History of China and the Cambridge History of Iran and they all suffer the same appalling binding...I'm afraid of reading them lest they fall apart in my hands!

While I appreciate 'print-on-demand' technology allows publishers to continue to produce books that only generate limited demand, that doesn't excuse $150+ volumes from being so poorly but together. The Cambridge University Press should either dramatically drop the price of these volumes to reflect the quality of their production, or even better, improve both the binding and print quality to reflect their price.

As an aside, the copies I have of The Cambridge History of Ancient China and The Cambridge History of the Byzantine Empire, which don't seem to be 'print on demand', are fine and of the quality I would expect.

The chances of me buying other volumes from this or any other Cambridge University series is pretty slim, which is too bad as the contents of the books themselves are generally brilliant.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Great book, appalling binding, May 1, 2009

By	Steve Mantle (Port Macquarie, NSW Australia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I fully agree with the previous reviewer. For such an expensive volume, the binding is atrocious and I expect this book to disintegrate before too long. I am also writing to Cambridge to convey my disgust.