This fully updated second edition provides a succinct and self-contained history of China. The text emphasizes the relationship between China's modern era and its past, employing a unique approach that presents the story in terms of traditional Chinese historical theories. When the West enters the scene in modern times, Schrecker fits its impact into the Chinese story, rather than the reverse, as is commonly done. This study demonstrates that traditional China was not homogeneous or changeless, thus offering a much-needed corrective to common stereotypes about other cultures that is essential for both classroom use and for the general reader.
The Chinese Revolution in Historical Perspective, available here in a fully updated second edition, provides a succinct and self-contained history of China. The text emphasizes the relationship between China's modern era and its past, employing a unique approach that presents the story in terms of traditional Chinese historical theories. When the West enters the scene in modern times, Schrecker fits its impact into the Chinese story, rather than the reverse, as is commonly done. This study demonstrates that traditional China was not homogeneous or changeless, thus offering a much-needed corrective to common stereotypes about other cultures that is essential for both classroom use and for the general reader. Schrecker's approach permits a full appreciation of the connections between the contemporary scene and the Chinese past-an appreciation that is increasingly important as China moves away from typical Communist practices and returns to more traditional Chinese patterns-for example, recreating a lively entrepreneurial economy of the sort that characterized China for a thousand years. This edition brings China's story up to the present. An additional preface and map are included, along with an updated bibliography and supplemental notes. A new appendix details the traditional understanding of the key Chinese historiographical terms used in the book.
About the AuthorJOHN E. SCHRECKER is Professor of History and Chair of the East Asian Studies Program at Brandeis University. He is also a member of the Fairbank Center for East Asian Research at Harvard University. Among other works, he is the author of
Imperialism and Chinese Nationalism, the co-author of
Mrs. Chiang's Szechwan Cookbook, and numerous articles. In 1998, the first edition of
The Chinese Revolution in Historical Perspective appeared in Chinese translation.
Book InformationISBN 9780275974763
Author John E. SchreckerFormat Paperback
Page Count 344
Imprint Praeger Publishers IncPublisher Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Weight(grams) 510g