A General History of China, Volume 5: The Ming and Qing Dynasties

This is the fourth volume of A General History of China, focusing primarily on the history of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Its topics include Ming founder Zhu Yuanzhang, the relocation of the capital under the Yongle Emperor, Zheng He's voyages to the Western Seas, the cabinet system, Zhang Juzheng's reforms, the Opium War, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, the First Sino-Japanese War, reform and revolution, and the empire's swan song. A General History of China is a major work of general history compiled on the basis of the large-scale historical documentary series A General History of China, a hundred-part production. The series was supervised by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, written by the Institute of History of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and filmed by China Central Television's Film and Television Channel.

Based on the authors' original works, this set expands and improves upon the written version of the documentary series. Running to about one million words across eight volumes, it features a formidable roster of authors and interviewees that includes nearly all the leading scholars in Chinese history. This original work incorporates the latest archaeological and historical research, offering an authoritative interpretation of Chinese history with the utmost scientific rigor.