Wilma Fairbank documents, from both a historical and a uniquely personal perspective, the professional and personal achievements of Lin Whei-yin and Liang Sicheng. Liang and Lin were born in early twentieth-century China, a time when the influences of modernism were slowly bearing down on the traditional culture. In the 1920s, they traveled together to the Beaux Arts universe of Philadelphia, where they both graduated with honors from the architecture department of the University of Pennsylvania. Married in 1928, they returned to their native land and became the first two professors at the newly founded school of architecture in Shenyang's Tung Pei University. Wilma Fairbank and her husband, John King Fairbank, Harvard University's eminent historian of modern China, were lifelong friends of Liang and Lin. This relationship allows the author, herself a noted researcher of art and architecture, to paint a vivid picture of the couple within the context of China's turbulent past. Fairbank recounts how Liang and Lin used their Western training to initiate the study of China's architectural evolution. She also documents—as seen through the eyes of Liang and Lin—the tragic events that ravaged the Chinese homeland and its people: the 1937 invasion and bombings by the Japanese military and the ensuing illness and poverty; World War II and the civil war; the rise to power of the Communist government in 1949; and the victimization of the scholar class during the Cultural Revolution of 1966-76. Fairbank provides a highly readable, emotionally charged personal account of the couple's lives, and the numerous and sometimes horrific torments and humiliations they suffered. And, finally, when it was all too late, the posthumous praise and recognition.

Today the doors of China are opening to foreign investment and trade as never before, but the history of contact between China and the West goes back many centuries. Goods from China were being traded in Rome long before the birth of Christ, transported over the famous silk road that crossed Mongolia and Russia. But not until the mid-fifteenth century, when Marco Polo published his account of his travels, did China really capture the European imagination. Subsequent centuries saw missionary trips to China by Franciscans and Jesuits, a European craze for Chinese silk and porcelain, European visits to Tibet, the infamous Opium War between Britain and China, and further instances of contact, commerce, and conflict. China has shown amazing economic growth since 1949, and today it has set ambitious goals for growth in trade and technology. This book traces the history of Western exploration in and trade with China. It follows the events outlined above and touches on many other highlights, including exploration by the Russian Nikolay Przhevalsky, who traveled deep into China and today is largely remembered for the horse he discovered and identified there; the travels of nineteenth-century women explorers in China; American Roy Chapman's discovery of the first fossilized dinosaur eggs in the Gobi Desert; and the competition between two American explorers to be the first to capture a live panda. Also included are a chronology of Chinese history and a pronunciation guide.

This book is a comprehensive book about China's art, life, and culture. Using the latest discoveries by historians this book explores China's literature, music, religions, economy and cuisine.

South of the Clouds offers a fascinating, intimate portrait of China by telling the story of an American man who ventures into its hidden realms---romance, politics, the criminal underworld, and Tibet. As he matures from a wide-eyed student into a journalist and a seasoned observer, he develops a passion for uncovering secrets, about China and about himself. The author navigates his way past forbidding walls to peek inside the dark corners of Chinese society, relying on a remarkable collection of friends and acquaintances who help guide the way: an embittered policeman in Xian, a gay professor in Shanghai, and a Buddhist monk in Tibet, who presides at an ancient burial ritual where the corpse is carved up and fed to wild vultures. The Tiananmen Square massacre, people smuggling, and the Falun Gong movement are among the political and social upheavals that the author explains as he witnesses China's uncertain road toward capitalism and its place in the modern world. Along his travels, the author wrestles with his own cultural identity, his sexuality, and his spiritual bearings. He finds an erotic outlet in the Chinese "Sauna Massage" and a stirring emotional connection with Jin Xing, a brilliant choreographer and China's first openly transsexual citizen. Ultimately, he discovers the answer to lifelong questions on a mountaintop in Tibet. Seth Faison, with a subtle understanding of Chinese culture, brings past and present events to life in a thought-provoking account of this mysterious nation and its people.

Every country has its own awesome attractions. What makes China special? Explore China's amazing features, including the Great Wall, the many growing cities, and more. Full-color photographs and carefully leveled text bring China to life, while age-appropriate critical thinking questions introduce readers to nonfiction. Let's go!

"Examines the rise and fall of the ancient Chinese. Readers will come away with a comprehensive understanding of who the ancient Chinese were, how they built their empire, and what happened to their civilization"--Provided by publisher.

Originally published: New York: Columbia University Press, 1984.

Chinese History Covers Thousands of Years, is Rich in Culture, Legends, Myths, Empires, Battles & Remains One of The Most Interesting in the World. In this book we explore the magnificent history of China from the early origins to its rise as a modern super power. While there are many books that explore China’s history, public knowledge is still lacking. Many people can name more than one Roman Emperor, but how many can name a Chinese Emperor? For anyone who wants to know more about this once closed and distant culture, History Brought Alive brings you a concise, masterful, and reliable book on the history of China. Join us as we travel through over four thousand years of Chinese history, culture, myths and more. Beginning from the earliest creation myths and the first archaeological evidence of complex societies, we will ground your understanding in the foundations of China’s past. Inside you will discover The Five Major Eras - Ancient China & The First, Second & Third Imperial Ages + The Modern Age Innovations, World Firsts & Important Inventions - Including Paper Money, Insurance, The Printing Press and more The Prosperity & Rise of The Han Chinese (the majority ethnic group in China) Marco Polo - how a lowly merchant from the opposite end of the earth found a place of high employment The Mongol Terror - Bloodshed, Genghis Khan & The Mongol Raiders Great Personages including Emperor Wu, Mao Zedong, Qin Shi Huangdi, Confucius and more Trade History, Silver, Investment & The Opium Wars The Cultural Revolution - How Mao Zedong and the Communist Party Began Transforming China An Era of Modernization - China Becomes a Modern Superpower & The Future And much, much more… Whether you're a history enthusiast or just a curious reader..inside you will discover a wealth of Chinese cultural history, mythology and more. So if you want to find out more about Chinese History then this is The Book for You

DigiCat Publishing presents to you this special edition of "A history of China., [3d ed. rev. and enl.]" by Wolfram Eberhard. DigiCat Publishing considers every written word to be a legacy of humankind. Every DigiCat book has been carefully reproduced for republishing in a new modern format. The books are available in print, as well as ebooks. DigiCat hopes you will treat this work with the acknowledgment and passion it deserves as a classic of world literature.