A General History of China

A General History of China is divided into two parts. The first, on political history, follows events in chronological order. Alongside the rise and fall of dynasties, it organizes historical knowledge in a more systematic way, covering eighteen subjects: marriage, clan systems, forms of government, social classes, property, official institutions, the civil service examination system, taxation, military organization, criminal law, industry, currency, clothing and food, housing and transportation, education, language, scholarship, and religion. Together, these topics encompass social and economic life, political systems, academic thought, and culture. The second part, titled Chinese Political History, consists of thirty-five chapters, mainly arranged chronologically, and recounts the transitions between China’s dynasties and the country’s political transformations. Concise and clearly written in accessible language, this monumental history has long been a reader favorite.