What do you think?
Ancient Civilizations
Ancient China
"In Ancient China, readers discover the history and impressive accomplishments of the people of ancient China, including their technological wonders and feats of construction. Engaging text provides details on the civilization's history, development, daily life, culture, art, technology, warfare, social organization, and more."
- GenresChinaNonfiction
112 pages, Library Binding
First published December 12, 2014
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 11, 2024
The first emperor built the first section of the wall and the 6K terra cotta soldiers. Over 2200 years ago. But that was far from the beginning of their civilization. They already had books of history and literature that were burned as seditious.
Wow. All that from the first few pages. I love juv NF.
---
Of course a treatment this basic raises more questions than it answers. For example, China had general anesthesia 1700 years before the Western world. But what exactly was in it, and was it as effective as the earliest western ones (ether, 1846)? (Googling tells me that it might have been a cannabinoid, along with wine and acupuncture. But surgery was body mutilation, and not done after the death of the surgeon Hwa Tuo in the second century until, apparently, sometime after 1900 or so.)
I love the sidebar about the lesser gods. For example, one of them "protected fisherman." Shades of St. Andrew! Christians who pray to saints, could arguably be referred to as polytheists.
Confucius, in this author's words, reminds me an awful lot of Ben Franklin, especially in his The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin.
The best part of the book is probably the 2 short pages about Ancient China's legacy. One can argue that it doesn't matter, for example, that they had anesthesia so long ago, because they didn't use it thereafter. But one can't argue with the continued relevance of rice, tea, Taoism, The Art of War, etc.
Wow. All that from the first few pages. I love juv NF.
---
Of course a treatment this basic raises more questions than it answers. For example, China had general anesthesia 1700 years before the Western world. But what exactly was in it, and was it as effective as the earliest western ones (ether, 1846)? (Googling tells me that it might have been a cannabinoid, along with wine and acupuncture. But surgery was body mutilation, and not done after the death of the surgeon Hwa Tuo in the second century until, apparently, sometime after 1900 or so.)
I love the sidebar about the lesser gods. For example, one of them "protected fisherman." Shades of St. Andrew! Christians who pray to saints, could arguably be referred to as polytheists.
Confucius, in this author's words, reminds me an awful lot of Ben Franklin, especially in his The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin.
The best part of the book is probably the 2 short pages about Ancient China's legacy. One can argue that it doesn't matter, for example, that they had anesthesia so long ago, because they didn't use it thereafter. But one can't argue with the continued relevance of rice, tea, Taoism, The Art of War, etc.
July 17, 2022
Good quick overview of Ancient China
August 28, 2025
I would recommend this book to any history or archaeology person who’s interested in ancient China or civilizations in general. I would give this book a rating of 4 out of 5 stars
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews