This Is China: The First 5,000 Years (First Edition) (This World of Ours)

"It is hard to imagine that such a short book can cover such a vast span of time and space. This Is China: The First 5,000 Years will help teachers, students, and general readers alike, as they seek for a preliminary guide to the contexts and complexities of Chinese culture." —Jonathan Spence, professor of history, Yale University; author of The Search for Modern China This Is China contains, in brief, everything we need to know about 5,000 years of history, 30 years of “opening,” and a future that promises to shape the 21st century for all of us. Drawn from the vast resources of the Berkshire Encyclopedia of China, this concise 120-page book is recommended for classroom use, curriculum development, and student review. Whether you are a student or a businessperson, an educator or just someone who follows news and wants to be in the know about the world’s largest economy and the biggest threat to U.S. dominance in areas as diverse as technology and sports, This Is China will get you up to speed. China is not inscrutable but it is different, with its own rich history and long-established values and customs. We named this book after repeatedly hearing the phrase, “Well, this is China” and “But this is China” when we began traveling there. It does take a special effort—and the right teachers—to get to a point of understanding and familiarity. This Is China covers all the bases, with sections on every aspect of China selected from Berkshire’s Encyclopedia of China and other expert sources, and checked by experts inside and outside China. “This Is China: The First 5,000 Years provides a superb historically based foundation for the beginning language student to understand the importance of those “first 5,000 years” in shaping the modern language. The inclusion of the Chinese characters and pinyin for each of the section headings is an added bonus.” —Scott McGinnis, academic advisor and professor, Defense Language Institute, Washington Office “This little book should quickly become the first port of call for teachers seeking information on the vast range of topics and issues that arise while teaching a language and culture more than 5,000 years in existence. It is a reference book which fills the gap constantly experienced by teachers of Chinese between too much information on some topics and nothing at all on many others.” —Jane Orton, director, Australian Chinese Teacher Training Centre, University of Melbourne Review It is hard to imagine that such a short book can cover such a vast span of time and space. This Is China: The First 5,000 Years will help teachers, students, and general readers alike, as they seek for a preliminary guide to the contexts and complexities of Chinese culture. --Jonathan Spence, professor of history, Yale University; author of The Search for Modern China Packs about as much of the panorama of the Chinese experience into a single volume as is physically possible. --Dan Burstein, managing partner, Millennium Technology Ventures; author of Big Dragon This is a gem. It is a reference that everyone who teaches, writes, or thinks about China should have close at hand. Don t be caught without this book. --Ronald Suleski, professor and director, Rosenberg Institute for East Asian Studies, Suffolk University Packs about as much of the panorama of the Chinese experience into a single volume as is physically possible. --Dan Burstein, managing partner, Millennium Technology Ventures; author of Big Dragon This is a gem. It is a reference that everyone who teaches, writes, or thinks about China should have close at hand. Don t be caught without this book. --Ronald Suleski, professor and director, Rosenberg Institute for East Asian Studies, Suffolk University About the Author Haiwang Yuan, now a U.S. citizen, came from China to the states in 1988 as a Fulbright student and graduated from Indiana University at Bloomington with a history and a library science degree by 1995. Yuan has been a member of the Department of Library Public Services faculty, Western Kentucky University, since 1997, where he is now Professor and Special Assistant to the Dean of Libraries. He now serves on the Board of Chinese American Librarians Association. Haiwang Yuan served as an associate editor of the Berkshire Encyclopedia of China (2009); he was a major contributor to the * Encyclopedia of Contemporary Chinese Culture (Routledge, 2004) and Theories and Practices of American Libraries in the Twenty-First Century (Beijing Library Press, 2007). He is the author of Princess Peacock: Tales from the Other Peoples of China (Libraries Unlimited, 2008), The Magic Lotus Lantern and Other Tales from the Han Chinese (Libraries Unlimited, 2006), Virtual Libraries Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow (Huayi, Beijing, 2002), and co-author of Celebrate Chinese New Year, Holidays around the World Series* (National Geographic, 2009). Over two dozen of Yuan s professional articles have appeared in international, national, and regional journals. History; Asia; China Background-the Land And The People -- Physical Geography -- Human Geography -- From Prehistory To The End Of The Empire -- Xia Dynasty: Real Or Legendary? (2100?--1766? Bce) -- Shang Dynasty: Ancestor Worship And Oracle Bones (1766--1045 Bce) -- Zhou Dynasty: Bronze, Jade And Confucius (1045--256 Bce) -- Qin Dynasty: Terracotta Soldiers (221--206 Bce) -- Han Dynasty: Paper, Porcelain, And The Silk Roads (206 Bce--220 Ce) -- Southern And Northern Dynasties (220--589 Ce) -- Sui Dynasty: China United (581--618 Ce) -- Tang Dynasty: Poetry And Literature (618--907 Ce) -- Five Dynasties And Ten Kingdoms (907--960 Ce) -- Song Dynasty: Northern Song And Southern Song (960--1279) -- Jurchen Jin Dynasty (1125--1234) -- Yuan Dynasty: Mongol Rule (1279--1368) -- Ming Dynasty: Building The Great Wall (1368--1644) -- Qing Dynasty: Manchu Rule (1644--1911/12) -- A Century Of Change--front 1912 To Today -- China As A Republic (1911/12--1949) -- The War With Japan And The Chinese Civil War (1937--1949) -- Communists In Power: The Early Years (1949--1966) -- The Cultural Revolution (1966--1976) -- China After Mao (1976--present) -- China Today -- The Pace Of Change -- China's Inner Life -- Concepts: Uniquely Chinese -- Challenges. Haiwang Yuan, General Editor ; Ronald G. Knapp, Margot E. Landman, And Gregory Veeck, Editors. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. This Is China contains, in brief, everything we need to know about 5,000 years of history, 30 years of "opening," and a future that promises to shape the 21st century for all of us. Drawn from the vast resources of the Berkshire Encyclopedia of China, this concise 120-page book is recommended for classroom use, curriculum development, and student review.;Praise for This Is China; Editorial Board; Publisher's Note; Introduction; Chapter 1: BackgroundThe Land and the People; Physical Geography; Human Geography; Chapter 2: From Prehistory to the End of the Empire; Xia Dynasty: Real or Legendary?; Shang Dynasty: Ancestor Worship and Oracle Bones; Zhou Dynasty: Bronze, Jade, and Confucius; Qin Dynasty: Terracotta Soldiers; Han Dynasty: Paper, Porcelain, and the Silk Roads; Southern and Northern Dynasties; Sui Dynasty: China United; Tang Dynasty: Poetry and Literature; Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms; Song Dynasty; Jurchen Jin Dynasty. Praise for This Is China Editorial Board Publisher's Note Introduction Chapter 1: BackgroundThe Land and the People Physical Geography Human Geography Chapter 2: From Prehistory to the End of the Empire Xia Dynasty: Real or Legendary? Shang Dynasty: Ancestor Worship and Oracle Bones Zhou Dynasty: Bronze, Jade, and Confucius Qin Dynasty: Terracotta Soldiers Han Dynasty: Paper, Porcelain, and the Silk Roads Southern and Northern Dynasties Sui Dynasty: China United Tang Dynasty: Poetry and Literature Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Song Dynasty Jurchen Jin Dynasty. Yuan Dynasty: Mongol RuleMing Dynasty: Building the Great Wall Qing Dynasty: Manchu Rule Chapter 3: A Century of ChangeFrom 1912 to Today China as a Republic The War with Japan and the Chinese Civil War Communists in Power: The Early Years The Cultural Revolution China After Mao Chapter 4: China Today Resources Index.