Modern Chinese History

A pioneering work in the study of modern Chinese history, History of Modern China offers readers a way to understand nearly a century of Chinese history in a single volume. Written in 1938, it begins with the Opium War and ends with the War of Resistance Against Japan, condensing almost a century of history into fewer than 100,000 words. Its themes are clear, and it combines historical narrative with analysis. It offers fresh, detailed interpretations of major events in modern Chinese history, including the Opium War, the Taiping Rebellion, the Self-Strengthening Movement, the Hundred Days’ Reform, and the Xinhai Revolution. It also provides balanced assessments of historical figures such as Lin Zexu, Hong Xiuquan, Zeng Guofan, Li Hongzhang, Kang Youwei, and Sun Yat-sen.