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China in World History
Here is a fascinating compact history of Chinese political, economic, and cultural life, ranging from the origins of civilization in China to the beginning of the 21st century. Historian Paul Ropp combines vivid story-telling with astute analysis to shed light on some of the larger questions of Chinese history. What is distinctive about China in comparison with other civilizations? What have been the major changes and continuities in Chinese life over the past four millennia? Offering a global perspective, the book shows how China's nomadic neighbors to the north and west influenced much of the political, military, and even cultural history of China. Ropp also examines Sino-Indian relations, highlighting the impact of the thriving trade between India and China as well as the profound effect of Indian Buddhism on Chinese life. Finally, the author discusses the humiliation of China at the hands of Western powers and Japan, explaining how these recent events have shaped China's quest for wealth, power and respect today, and have colored China's perception of its own place in world history.
206 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 10, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
July 1, 2013
Chinese history simply has the coolest names. What do you think about names such as the "Spring and Autumn period" or the "Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove"? Or what about the elusive "White Lotus Society"? Piqued your interested? I'm hooked too! Thanks to this book I've got a list of subjects I want to dive into.
Introduction to Chinese history – 5 stars
This book proved to be an excellent and thorough introduction to Chinese history. It's very easy to follow for those who know nothing about the subject. Also, Ropp knows how to entertain the reader by providing salient details and stories about several historical figures. When I started this book, I wasn't too sure about reading a book on Chinese history. I already had quite some knowledge of modern Chinese history, but the more ancient stuff always appeared to me as a dizzying list of dynasties where I had no idea what was going on at all. Ropp's setup is to explain the different era's in Chinese history and how society changed from one era to another in a clear manner. This made it possible for me to get a basic understanding for the first time of Chinese history pre-19th century.
Ropp chose not only to tell about the political and military events important for the development of Chinese history, he also discusses important literary works, scholars, artistic developments, and schools of thought. This gives a frame of reference for major cultural heritage sites, such as the Great Wall and the terracota warrios, but also gives an overview for influential works of literature and philosophy which are still widely known in Chinese culture today. This was very interesting to read about and gave me some further insight into how the Chinese view their own history.
Futhermore, I liked the tracing of the position of women throughout the different eras in Chinese history. As women are not traditionally at the forefront of political and military events, it's nice that some light was shed on what their role in society was or was supposed to be.
Global perspective – 1 star
I do not feel Ropp accomplished the premise which he set at the beginning of the book at all. In his foreword he states that he wants to “narrate the long history of China within the larger context of world history”, whereby he wants to compare the development of Chinese civilization with other, contemporaneous civilizations. Another point he wants to address is Chinese relations with foreign cultures and peoples. I feel this is done in an unsatisfactory manner. Three reasons:
1) The context of China in world history given throughout the book is constantly Western-centric. There's a little about India, but only when it becomes relevant in the history of Buddhism spreading through China. Yet overall, the only true comparisons Ropp makes are with Western civilization – comparing ancient Rome and the Han dynasty, a parallel between Machiavelli and the work of Han Fuizi, etc. Africa and the South- and Mesoamerican cultures are conspicuous in their absence.
Also, there is very little about the bordering civilizations. The only civilization discusses are the nomad tribes who have a strong influence on Chinese history. Nothing about Japanese, Korean, South-East Asian, Tibetan, etc. So while Ropp feels the need to mention comparisons between the West and China, and to emphasize the influence of the silk road at both end destinations, the influences and interactions with more immediate civilizations remain untouched. Perhaps those were negligible, but now, I just feel these were cut out entirely in favor of Western-centric analysis and – especially in the case of Japan – that might have been entirely unjustified.
2) America-centrism in the chapters dealing with the history of the late 19th century to modern day was disproportionate and completely overshadowed the roles of other countries in this period of Chinese history. Ropp's patriotism is shining through whenever his country involved in the events of Chinese history. He made a strange selection of what he chose to tell about WW1 or the aftermath of the Opium Wars (America is there to fight for peace, freedom and democracy, ahaha). Also, post-WW2 Chinese foreign relations are entirely about Chinese-American relations. That is hardly the most important thing that happened on that subject. Once again I ask you: where is Japan? If there's one relationship influenced deeply by their common history, it's between those countries. It's strange that's missing from this overview. I also found his statement that there's still scholarly discussion about the Nanking massacre a gross understatement. There's more going on.
3) To Ropp it's oddly important to mention the religious details of any historical figure who ever converted or thought about converting to Christianity. Also, missionaries are saints who did awesome work and it's a crying shame the Chinese population turned hostile to them after Western countries raped their country during and after the Opium wars.
I picked up on those three elements because the emphasis was overdone, and clearly because of the author's own background, though those are not the obvious choices when you look at what needs to go in a quick overview of Chinese history in a more objective manner.
I would recommend this book to people who want a quick and solid introduction to Chinese history, but I'd warn them to take the "global perspective" with a kilo of salt.
Introduction to Chinese history – 5 stars
This book proved to be an excellent and thorough introduction to Chinese history. It's very easy to follow for those who know nothing about the subject. Also, Ropp knows how to entertain the reader by providing salient details and stories about several historical figures. When I started this book, I wasn't too sure about reading a book on Chinese history. I already had quite some knowledge of modern Chinese history, but the more ancient stuff always appeared to me as a dizzying list of dynasties where I had no idea what was going on at all. Ropp's setup is to explain the different era's in Chinese history and how society changed from one era to another in a clear manner. This made it possible for me to get a basic understanding for the first time of Chinese history pre-19th century.
Ropp chose not only to tell about the political and military events important for the development of Chinese history, he also discusses important literary works, scholars, artistic developments, and schools of thought. This gives a frame of reference for major cultural heritage sites, such as the Great Wall and the terracota warrios, but also gives an overview for influential works of literature and philosophy which are still widely known in Chinese culture today. This was very interesting to read about and gave me some further insight into how the Chinese view their own history.
Futhermore, I liked the tracing of the position of women throughout the different eras in Chinese history. As women are not traditionally at the forefront of political and military events, it's nice that some light was shed on what their role in society was or was supposed to be.
Global perspective – 1 star
I do not feel Ropp accomplished the premise which he set at the beginning of the book at all. In his foreword he states that he wants to “narrate the long history of China within the larger context of world history”, whereby he wants to compare the development of Chinese civilization with other, contemporaneous civilizations. Another point he wants to address is Chinese relations with foreign cultures and peoples. I feel this is done in an unsatisfactory manner. Three reasons:
1) The context of China in world history given throughout the book is constantly Western-centric. There's a little about India, but only when it becomes relevant in the history of Buddhism spreading through China. Yet overall, the only true comparisons Ropp makes are with Western civilization – comparing ancient Rome and the Han dynasty, a parallel between Machiavelli and the work of Han Fuizi, etc. Africa and the South- and Mesoamerican cultures are conspicuous in their absence.
Also, there is very little about the bordering civilizations. The only civilization discusses are the nomad tribes who have a strong influence on Chinese history. Nothing about Japanese, Korean, South-East Asian, Tibetan, etc. So while Ropp feels the need to mention comparisons between the West and China, and to emphasize the influence of the silk road at both end destinations, the influences and interactions with more immediate civilizations remain untouched. Perhaps those were negligible, but now, I just feel these were cut out entirely in favor of Western-centric analysis and – especially in the case of Japan – that might have been entirely unjustified.
2) America-centrism in the chapters dealing with the history of the late 19th century to modern day was disproportionate and completely overshadowed the roles of other countries in this period of Chinese history. Ropp's patriotism is shining through whenever his country involved in the events of Chinese history. He made a strange selection of what he chose to tell about WW1 or the aftermath of the Opium Wars (America is there to fight for peace, freedom and democracy, ahaha). Also, post-WW2 Chinese foreign relations are entirely about Chinese-American relations. That is hardly the most important thing that happened on that subject. Once again I ask you: where is Japan? If there's one relationship influenced deeply by their common history, it's between those countries. It's strange that's missing from this overview. I also found his statement that there's still scholarly discussion about the Nanking massacre a gross understatement. There's more going on.
3) To Ropp it's oddly important to mention the religious details of any historical figure who ever converted or thought about converting to Christianity. Also, missionaries are saints who did awesome work and it's a crying shame the Chinese population turned hostile to them after Western countries raped their country during and after the Opium wars.
I picked up on those three elements because the emphasis was overdone, and clearly because of the author's own background, though those are not the obvious choices when you look at what needs to go in a quick overview of Chinese history in a more objective manner.
I would recommend this book to people who want a quick and solid introduction to Chinese history, but I'd warn them to take the "global perspective" with a kilo of salt.
February 3, 2022
Uma História da China para quem não está especialmente interessado na História da China. Cumpre os objectivos.
August 10, 2015
I just finished this and quite liked it. If anyone is looking for a brief overview of Chinese history then I would definitely recommend this. It covers the most important trends, themes and consequences in Chinese history while still remaining interesting and entertaining. One grip that I have is that the title is certainly misleading. I expected a comparison between China and other world civilizations or at least a focus on how China was integrated into the global system at every period in its history. That is certainly not the case. It is a straight up history of China. It does mention how it does integrate into a global system a bit, but you kinda need to do that if you are going to write about the history of a nation, so I don't think that is deserving of the title 'In World History'
One thing that I did like is its treatment of economic development. You really see a clear progression of further economic development, sophistication, diversification, scale, and power throughout Chinese history.
Here is a long quote that I like concerning the Song economy:
Given the Song's assertion of civil authority over military leaders, its elevation of civil over martial values, and the growing military power of its nomadic neighbors, it may seem surprsing that the dynasty was able to sruvive as long as it did. The main reason for this was a virtual economic revolution that made Song China the most prosperous and highly developed society on earth. Agricultural productivity increased dramatically in Song times, in part because more land came under cultivation as the population continued to move southward. New strains of early-ripening rice were developed in the south, allowing for two rice crops per year.
The government began to print agricultural manuals to spread the newest techniques for increasing crop yields. Farmers began specializing in crops such as mulberry trees for silk worms, tea, sugar cane, bamboo, hemp, and ramie to produce fibers for cloth, and eventually cotton (introduced from India in Tang times), whcih became a major cash crop by the end of the Song. Interregional and international trade expanded, and along with these came a thriving money economy. In 1120, just before the loss of the north to the Jurchen, the Song government collected 18 million ounces of silver in taxes.
In the early Song period, advances occured in iron smelting technology, including the use of explosives to mine iron orea nd the use of hydraulic machinery to power bellows that could generate higher temperatueres for smelting iron and steel. The Song government sponsored the largest iron-smeliting industry in the world, which produced 125k tons of iron in 1078 (quantities not reached in Europe for about another 800 years). Iron was important for making plows, other farm implements, locks, nails, musical instruments, and pans for maiking salt. Chinese peasants probably used as many iron tools in Song times as in the early 20th century.
I really think that gives a very good indication of how economically developed Song China was compared to the rest of the world. Again, agricultural production - early-ripening rice and a crap ton of steel plows? That will definitely dramatically increase the surplus and produce a lot of wealth
In the early 12th century, the government took over the printing and issue of these certificats, creating the wrold's first paper money. Song merchants organized guilds, formed partnerships, and raised money by selling stocks in their enterprises. The thriving agricultural and commercial economies of Song times can also be seen in the thousans of Song-era contracts that survive, including tomb contracts that were drawn up to apply in both the world of the living and the dead.
I knew about paper money and contracts, but stocks!?! Chinese businesses were selling stock in the 12th century? Crazy.
A guide to Hanzhou written in 1235 describes its markets for every kind of commodity, artisans worships, tea houses, inns, wine-shops, restaurants, professional banquet caterers, every kind of entertainment, including trained bears and insects, as well as public and private gardens, and many volunteer organizations of people with hobbies such as music, physical fitness, exotic foods, and antique collecting-and the list went on and on.
I think this passage is really interesting. Besides the wide variety of options available in urban life, I tend to associate volunteer organizations with Tocqueville's description of America's civil society during the 17th and 18th century. He specifically pointed that out as a huge difference between America and Europe. Did China have a sort of civil society back in Song times? I honestly have no idea. I mean, it sounds similar, but I don't really have the knowledge on either to make such a claim. I am interested in finding out more though.
Song prosperity also stimulated international trade, particularily along the southeast coast, where Arab Muslim merchants operated huge Chinese-made ships with watertight compartmens and used the Chinese invetion of the compass to faciliate a thriving long-sdistance trade between China, SE Asia, and the Indian ocean. By the early 12th ceentury, Quanzhou, a coastal city in the southern Fujian, had half a million residents. The general prosperity of Song times can also be seen in tpopulation growth. Scholars now estiamte that China's population grew from perhaps 70 million in 750 to about 100 million in 1100 and perhaps 110 million by 1200, a rate of population growth the world has never seen before
I think this should help dispel the notion that China was insular. And even when China's government policy was insular - or simply focused on the nomadic borders instead of the coast (which going by Chinese history is a quite rational policy) this sort of trade and interaction remained because the Chinese government did not really have the ability to limit this trade and interaction, even if it wanted to.
All of this went to shit during the Mongol invasion of the Song. The invasion was absolutely devastating to China. It disrupted the economy, caused millions and millions of deaths and spread disease. It has been found that the bubonic plague originated in central asia, and this invasion of the Mongols into China was what spread it into China, which obviously just devastated society. It is estimated that about 50-60 million Chinese died during this time., and I would imagine that it had a similar impact that it did on Europe. Drastic reduction in demand and a huge economic depression (which did happen). The mongols also printed money like crazy to pay for their wars, which resulted in massive inflation and were not able to repair dikes due to all the chaos. Consequently those flooded, causing massive amounts of death, disease, famine, and economic ruin.
It was really only until the Late Ming that the Chinese economy began to recover and get back on track. So yea, Mongols bad.
Along with that one thread about American colonialization, this book has gotten me more interested in the whole Great Divergence debate. Why did Europe develop industrialization and China fail to? Clearly, China's economy was very well developed, so what happened? In fact, when Britain was industrializing, China was just hitting that Malthusian trap. They finally ran out of land and technologies that could really increase crop yields, which resulted in the many peasants being born not being able to feed themselves sufficiently. The last real big thing was the Colombian exchange foods being introduced into China, which allowed hilly regions unsuitable for rice, millet and wheat to get planted with potatoes crap like that. Well, that eventually got used up too.
That, along with British and European empirialism is why we get the whole chaos of the 19th century. Peasants with no prospects for land or land that couldnt support themsleves just started staging massive massive rebellions throughout the whole period. The government couldnt effectively respond due to a previous tax policy that froze a low tax regime and the census at a fixed point and very poorly trained Manchu Banner armies - meaning that the government didnt have the money or the resources to effectively tackle what it faced.
One thing that I did like is its treatment of economic development. You really see a clear progression of further economic development, sophistication, diversification, scale, and power throughout Chinese history.
Here is a long quote that I like concerning the Song economy:
Given the Song's assertion of civil authority over military leaders, its elevation of civil over martial values, and the growing military power of its nomadic neighbors, it may seem surprsing that the dynasty was able to sruvive as long as it did. The main reason for this was a virtual economic revolution that made Song China the most prosperous and highly developed society on earth. Agricultural productivity increased dramatically in Song times, in part because more land came under cultivation as the population continued to move southward. New strains of early-ripening rice were developed in the south, allowing for two rice crops per year.
The government began to print agricultural manuals to spread the newest techniques for increasing crop yields. Farmers began specializing in crops such as mulberry trees for silk worms, tea, sugar cane, bamboo, hemp, and ramie to produce fibers for cloth, and eventually cotton (introduced from India in Tang times), whcih became a major cash crop by the end of the Song. Interregional and international trade expanded, and along with these came a thriving money economy. In 1120, just before the loss of the north to the Jurchen, the Song government collected 18 million ounces of silver in taxes.
In the early Song period, advances occured in iron smelting technology, including the use of explosives to mine iron orea nd the use of hydraulic machinery to power bellows that could generate higher temperatueres for smelting iron and steel. The Song government sponsored the largest iron-smeliting industry in the world, which produced 125k tons of iron in 1078 (quantities not reached in Europe for about another 800 years). Iron was important for making plows, other farm implements, locks, nails, musical instruments, and pans for maiking salt. Chinese peasants probably used as many iron tools in Song times as in the early 20th century.
I really think that gives a very good indication of how economically developed Song China was compared to the rest of the world. Again, agricultural production - early-ripening rice and a crap ton of steel plows? That will definitely dramatically increase the surplus and produce a lot of wealth
In the early 12th century, the government took over the printing and issue of these certificats, creating the wrold's first paper money. Song merchants organized guilds, formed partnerships, and raised money by selling stocks in their enterprises. The thriving agricultural and commercial economies of Song times can also be seen in the thousans of Song-era contracts that survive, including tomb contracts that were drawn up to apply in both the world of the living and the dead.
I knew about paper money and contracts, but stocks!?! Chinese businesses were selling stock in the 12th century? Crazy.
A guide to Hanzhou written in 1235 describes its markets for every kind of commodity, artisans worships, tea houses, inns, wine-shops, restaurants, professional banquet caterers, every kind of entertainment, including trained bears and insects, as well as public and private gardens, and many volunteer organizations of people with hobbies such as music, physical fitness, exotic foods, and antique collecting-and the list went on and on.
I think this passage is really interesting. Besides the wide variety of options available in urban life, I tend to associate volunteer organizations with Tocqueville's description of America's civil society during the 17th and 18th century. He specifically pointed that out as a huge difference between America and Europe. Did China have a sort of civil society back in Song times? I honestly have no idea. I mean, it sounds similar, but I don't really have the knowledge on either to make such a claim. I am interested in finding out more though.
Song prosperity also stimulated international trade, particularily along the southeast coast, where Arab Muslim merchants operated huge Chinese-made ships with watertight compartmens and used the Chinese invetion of the compass to faciliate a thriving long-sdistance trade between China, SE Asia, and the Indian ocean. By the early 12th ceentury, Quanzhou, a coastal city in the southern Fujian, had half a million residents. The general prosperity of Song times can also be seen in tpopulation growth. Scholars now estiamte that China's population grew from perhaps 70 million in 750 to about 100 million in 1100 and perhaps 110 million by 1200, a rate of population growth the world has never seen before
I think this should help dispel the notion that China was insular. And even when China's government policy was insular - or simply focused on the nomadic borders instead of the coast (which going by Chinese history is a quite rational policy) this sort of trade and interaction remained because the Chinese government did not really have the ability to limit this trade and interaction, even if it wanted to.
All of this went to shit during the Mongol invasion of the Song. The invasion was absolutely devastating to China. It disrupted the economy, caused millions and millions of deaths and spread disease. It has been found that the bubonic plague originated in central asia, and this invasion of the Mongols into China was what spread it into China, which obviously just devastated society. It is estimated that about 50-60 million Chinese died during this time., and I would imagine that it had a similar impact that it did on Europe. Drastic reduction in demand and a huge economic depression (which did happen). The mongols also printed money like crazy to pay for their wars, which resulted in massive inflation and were not able to repair dikes due to all the chaos. Consequently those flooded, causing massive amounts of death, disease, famine, and economic ruin.
It was really only until the Late Ming that the Chinese economy began to recover and get back on track. So yea, Mongols bad.
Along with that one thread about American colonialization, this book has gotten me more interested in the whole Great Divergence debate. Why did Europe develop industrialization and China fail to? Clearly, China's economy was very well developed, so what happened? In fact, when Britain was industrializing, China was just hitting that Malthusian trap. They finally ran out of land and technologies that could really increase crop yields, which resulted in the many peasants being born not being able to feed themselves sufficiently. The last real big thing was the Colombian exchange foods being introduced into China, which allowed hilly regions unsuitable for rice, millet and wheat to get planted with potatoes crap like that. Well, that eventually got used up too.
That, along with British and European empirialism is why we get the whole chaos of the 19th century. Peasants with no prospects for land or land that couldnt support themsleves just started staging massive massive rebellions throughout the whole period. The government couldnt effectively respond due to a previous tax policy that froze a low tax regime and the census at a fixed point and very poorly trained Manchu Banner armies - meaning that the government didnt have the money or the resources to effectively tackle what it faced.
July 31, 2017
The series as a whole is doing an admirable job of condensing history topics and ideas into 125 to 150 words. This volume, naturally, was one of the longer in the series.
Although I went into this volume knowing that much of our understanding of China's history is simplified, I was still impressed by the complexity this book surfaced. For example, before the Mongols became the bugaboo of Northeast Asia, they were essentially hired by the Southern Song to serve as their armed forces against the Jurchen.
As short as this was, it was at times overwhelming to take in the vast time period and how long, so to speak, China's cultural memory is (for example, Confucius died in the Fifth Century BCE). And while we think of China today as a bulwark of conservatism that has endured over millennia, that stereotype neglects their long history of frequent, violent rebellion that could last decades.
Interestingly, although is said by many academics to have lost the traits that are usually associated with creativity and innovation, China has had periods where they're been very creative--and they seem to coincide with a weak monarchy. Again, another push against a stereotype.
This is by no means exhaustive, but it would be a very good start for someone interested in Chinese history.
Although I went into this volume knowing that much of our understanding of China's history is simplified, I was still impressed by the complexity this book surfaced. For example, before the Mongols became the bugaboo of Northeast Asia, they were essentially hired by the Southern Song to serve as their armed forces against the Jurchen.
As short as this was, it was at times overwhelming to take in the vast time period and how long, so to speak, China's cultural memory is (for example, Confucius died in the Fifth Century BCE). And while we think of China today as a bulwark of conservatism that has endured over millennia, that stereotype neglects their long history of frequent, violent rebellion that could last decades.
Interestingly, although is said by many academics to have lost the traits that are usually associated with creativity and innovation, China has had periods where they're been very creative--and they seem to coincide with a weak monarchy. Again, another push against a stereotype.
This is by no means exhaustive, but it would be a very good start for someone interested in Chinese history.
March 7, 2018
Very nice picture of China's entire history. Despite covering over 3,000 years of one of the world's most spectacular histories in just 155 pages, (some of which are just pictures) Ropp has managed to create an account detailed enough that one can hardly call it a 'skim.' The timeline, further reading, and useful websites found in the back of the book are very helpful resources as well. This book is one you can read just for fun; I feel that it paints a fantastic picture in an amazingly fast way. If taking (or teaching) a Chinese history class, this book paired with in-depth comprehension questions is basically capable of guiding the whole course. Admittedly, there were some moments that could have had more explanation or detail, but overall this book was an interesting read and can turn anyone into an informed Chinese history buff, with a good foundation and room to grow.
July 31, 2021
An excellent concise overview of over 4,000 years of Chinese history in under 200 pages! Ropp provides just enough detail to bring each era and dynasty to life and to illustrate continuity and changes throughout China's long history. A great primer or starting point for learning more about Chinese history!
April 4, 2024
It's okay, but I was hoping for more of a detailed look into Chinese history and culture within the framework of working history as a whole in the corresponding periods.
Maybe we haven't learned enough about Chinese history to be able to write such a book...
Maybe we haven't learned enough about Chinese history to be able to write such a book...
December 26, 2017
A good, quick survey that took me way longer to finish than it should have.
December 5, 2018
Wish it had more detail...can't seem to find a book on China that is has enough substance without being too immense.
December 15, 2021
I mean it's a good general history of China. And for a history it's actually readable to non-historians.
September 7, 2023
A nice summary of Chinese history to get a broad overview of the country's past.
April 28, 2024
Nice summary review.
April 6, 2017
Far too few Americans are familiar with even the outlines of China’s 3,500-year history. We may have learned a few isolated facts — for instance, that gunpowder, paper money, and printing were all invented in China — but we’re largely unaware of the intellectual and political currents that form a backdrop for Chinese behavior to the present day. Our country is paying the price of that ignorance in the difficulty we face in dealing with China as a reemerging world power.
Chinese history in a nutshell
In China in World History, Paul S. Ropp set out to condense the history of the world’s largest nation within less than 200 pages. At the outset, he makes his case: “An identifiable and sophisticated Chinese culture emerged by 1500 bce and has shown remarkable continuity in its language, cultural values, and social and political organization over the past three and a half millennia.” While this may be the view from 30,000 feet, and no doubt that judgment applies to China’s still-backward rural areas, I strongly suspect that the perspective of the hundreds of millions of Chinese who live in cities might well be different. It’s difficult to see all that continuity in the soaring highrises of China’s newly built cities and their Westernized youth culture.
Undoubtedly, China faces the world with critical advantages: a written language that spans numerous mutually unintelligible languages and dialects; an acceptance of “the world and human existence as facts of life that needed no supernatural explanation or divine creator;” and a contiguous landmass advantageously situated to command much of the Asian continent. Together, these facts help account for the reality that, except for the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, China was the world’s most advanced and prosperous nation throughout its 3,500-year history.
It’s too easy for Westerners to lose sight of that fact. Only with the advent of the Industrial Revolution late in the eighteenth century did the tables turn. Ropp calls it “a cruel coincidence of history that Qing dynasty decline coincided precisely” with the surge in wealth and power that shifted to the West. In other words, had its leadership not been so corrupt and incompetent, even during the past two centuries China might well have maintained its planetary leadership.
“One damn dynasty after another”
According to its editors, the New Oxford World History series “presents local histories in a global context and gives an overview of world events seen through the eyes of ordinary people.” Disappointingly, Paul S. Ropp’s entry in the series, China in World History, fails to meet this standard. Although the author ventures into social history on occasion, and he pays due diligence to the intellectual and religious currents in the country’s history, most of the book is a recitation of one damn dynasty after another. We’re treated to a seemingly endless list of emperors, broken from time to time with the names of scholars or religious leaders, with “ordinary people” nowhere to be found.
About the author
Paul S. Ropp retired from the faculty of Clark University in 2011. He is a specialist in Chinese history.
Chinese history in a nutshell
In China in World History, Paul S. Ropp set out to condense the history of the world’s largest nation within less than 200 pages. At the outset, he makes his case: “An identifiable and sophisticated Chinese culture emerged by 1500 bce and has shown remarkable continuity in its language, cultural values, and social and political organization over the past three and a half millennia.” While this may be the view from 30,000 feet, and no doubt that judgment applies to China’s still-backward rural areas, I strongly suspect that the perspective of the hundreds of millions of Chinese who live in cities might well be different. It’s difficult to see all that continuity in the soaring highrises of China’s newly built cities and their Westernized youth culture.
Undoubtedly, China faces the world with critical advantages: a written language that spans numerous mutually unintelligible languages and dialects; an acceptance of “the world and human existence as facts of life that needed no supernatural explanation or divine creator;” and a contiguous landmass advantageously situated to command much of the Asian continent. Together, these facts help account for the reality that, except for the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, China was the world’s most advanced and prosperous nation throughout its 3,500-year history.
It’s too easy for Westerners to lose sight of that fact. Only with the advent of the Industrial Revolution late in the eighteenth century did the tables turn. Ropp calls it “a cruel coincidence of history that Qing dynasty decline coincided precisely” with the surge in wealth and power that shifted to the West. In other words, had its leadership not been so corrupt and incompetent, even during the past two centuries China might well have maintained its planetary leadership.
“One damn dynasty after another”
According to its editors, the New Oxford World History series “presents local histories in a global context and gives an overview of world events seen through the eyes of ordinary people.” Disappointingly, Paul S. Ropp’s entry in the series, China in World History, fails to meet this standard. Although the author ventures into social history on occasion, and he pays due diligence to the intellectual and religious currents in the country’s history, most of the book is a recitation of one damn dynasty after another. We’re treated to a seemingly endless list of emperors, broken from time to time with the names of scholars or religious leaders, with “ordinary people” nowhere to be found.
About the author
Paul S. Ropp retired from the faculty of Clark University in 2011. He is a specialist in Chinese history.
May 13, 2011
Considering China's long history, and my lack of knowledge about it, before comming to read this book I was looking for a general overview of this nation's past. I lucked out and found the right book. This book sweeps the reader from China's ancient past over 3000 years ago, all the way to modern times. "Clocking" in at 155 pages, this obviously doesn't leave room for a lot of detail. What this book gives you is an introduction to the flow of Chineese history, and the authour points to the salient poitns in each era.
The book reads easily and is presented well.
My interested in China's history is now piqued and am going to look for more detailed books on more specific topics and eras.
So, if you are looking for a basic overview of Chinese history, then this is the perfect book. If you are looking for information on specific topics or eras, it is best to search elsewhere.
The book reads easily and is presented well.
My interested in China's history is now piqued and am going to look for more detailed books on more specific topics and eras.
So, if you are looking for a basic overview of Chinese history, then this is the perfect book. If you are looking for information on specific topics or eras, it is best to search elsewhere.
July 13, 2019
A very simple and straightforward overview of China's long and fascinating history. I listened to the audio book and I think the narrator sounded a bit robotic, but it certainly could have been worse. It didn't ruin my enjoyment of the book.
One criticism I do have is that events were only explained in chronological order with a fast progression through time, which I suppose is acceptable for the purposes of this book. However, I think it would be easier to follow along and learn from if more context was given and a clearer connection made between events and time periods. But that's just my opinion.
Overall, this book is a great choice for a quick overview of the history of China!
One criticism I do have is that events were only explained in chronological order with a fast progression through time, which I suppose is acceptable for the purposes of this book. However, I think it would be easier to follow along and learn from if more context was given and a clearer connection made between events and time periods. But that's just my opinion.
Overall, this book is a great choice for a quick overview of the history of China!
April 27, 2022
Good overview. I listened to the audio book, and while I enjoyed it I suspect the text version might be better. I suspect the text version has visual aids (photos, art, and maps...)that would enhance the experience. I would recommend this book for anyone interested in the core of Chinese culture and how it's history help to create today's China. Unfortunately this book stops at about 2010, but does a good job of covering late 20th century and the first decade of the 21st century China.
July 20, 2013
Good overview of Chinese history, but doesn't reflect as much as the title suggests it would. He makes a decent attempt at analyzing the continuity of China's political, economic and social structures in the context of change.
December 7, 2011
Very strong introduction to history of China. Interesting world context. Brings you right to present times and gives context and meaning to events you here about in the news.
December 29, 2015
Good overview of all of Chinese history, quick but with good detail of how China interacted, influenced, and was influenced by the surrounding world.
May 12, 2016
A very accessible, brief but not too brief comprehensive history of China. I found Ropp's writing lucid, well-researched, and enjoyable.
July 27, 2020
I haven't studied history, let alone Chinese history, extensively enough for my review to mean all that much, but I thought it was clear, interesting, and very readable.
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