A History of the Qin and Han Dynasties

This book is a set of lecture notes written by the author in 1931. It covers the period from the Qin unification to Wang Mang's reforms, and is an unfinished history of a particular era. As a great historian of his generation, Mr. Qian Mu brings his characteristic breadth of vision and synthesis to the subject, examining the scholarship, politics, and social economy of the Qin and Han dynasties together. He clarifies historical change, distinguishes right from wrong, and points to the essence of this dramatic and glorious period in Chinese history. As the author himself put it: "If students take my lectures and then read through the histories by Ma and Ban, they may gain a general understanding of the events of the Qin and Han dynasties. Even those who have studied Ma and Ban's original histories in depth may find my book a useful aid to discussion and research." A major work from Mr. Qian's prime, it offers a succession of fresh insights, lively discussion, and a particularly innovative form.