Ancestors: 900 Years in the Life of a Chinese Family

by Frank Ching

A Chinese-American journalist traces his family roots back nine hundred years, from the twelfth century to the present, in a personal genealogical guest that parallels the political and social history of the Chinese civilization.

Genres: History, China, Nonfiction, Biography

528 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1988

Reviews

[David B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Frank Ching has done a remarkable job of tracing his family tree back over 900 years of Chinese history and uncovering the stories of the many notable figures that he found there. I was struck by the continuity of Chinese life over the years and the value placed on remembering and honoring those who have gone before. The individual biographies and the overall picture of Chinese history that emerges are very interesting.

[Jaclynn (JackieReadsAlot) · Rating 4 out of 5]

An impressive and well-researched history of his family going back 900 years. WOW! Particularly impressive considering the destruction that occurred during the Cultural Revolution in China. 900 years is a lot, and it did indeed get repetitive. I was bored by around 150 pages, but keep going because there were bits and pieces that sparked my interest. Rating up because it's such a badass thing he did, putting this together.

[Fiona · Rating 2 out of 5]

Was so looking forward to reading this book and learning loads. It had some very interesting facts but unfortunately I found it a bit dry and hard to read. I found that I could only read about ten pages in one sitting. Regrettably not for me.

[Jim B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ching traces his family history from 1049. The Ch'in (Qin) name is the origin of the word China. The Chinese have amazingly detailed records preserved from ancient times. Thus the book gives excellent historical context, and with all the personal details, it provides a fascinating portrait of the lives of scholars in ancient China. We learn about the importance of poetry and the extensive use of examinations for civil service. I only read as far as 1600 (page 177); I'm sure the communist era would be interesting reading, too.

The detail and the lack of a plot made me decide I'd read far enough.

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

American public schools typically focus mostly on American history with a slight dose of why people wanted to leave Europe. If you've ever felt like you've missed out on the rich history of the rest of the world, but like a book that focuses on individuals instead of masses, then this book is a good starting point for China, one of the most important players throughout history in Asia.