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Superpower Interrupted: The Chinese History of the World
This history of China as the Chinese would write it gives brilliant and unconventional insights for understanding China's role in the world, especially the drive to "Make China Great Again."
We in the West routinely ask: "What does China want?" The answer is quite simple: the superpower status it always had, but briefly lost.
In this colorful, informative story filled with fascinating characters, epic battles, influential thinkers, and decisive moments, we come to understand how the Chinese view their own history and how its narrative is distinctly different from that of Western civilization. More important, we come to see how this unique Chinese history of the world shapes China's economic policy, attitude toward the United States and the rest of the world, relations with its neighbors, positions on democracy and human rights, and notions of good government.
As the Chinese see it, for as far back as anyone can remember, China had the richest economy, the strongest military, and the most advanced philosophy, culture, and technology. The collision with the West knocked China's historical narrative off course for the first time, as its 5,000-year reign as an unrivaled superpower came to an ignominious end.
Ever since, the Chinese have licked their wounds and fixated on returning their country to its former greatness, restoring the Chinese version of its place in the world as they had always known it. For the Chinese, the question was never if they could reclaim their former dominant position in the world, but when.
We in the West routinely ask: "What does China want?" The answer is quite simple: the superpower status it always had, but briefly lost.
In this colorful, informative story filled with fascinating characters, epic battles, influential thinkers, and decisive moments, we come to understand how the Chinese view their own history and how its narrative is distinctly different from that of Western civilization. More important, we come to see how this unique Chinese history of the world shapes China's economic policy, attitude toward the United States and the rest of the world, relations with its neighbors, positions on democracy and human rights, and notions of good government.
As the Chinese see it, for as far back as anyone can remember, China had the richest economy, the strongest military, and the most advanced philosophy, culture, and technology. The collision with the West knocked China's historical narrative off course for the first time, as its 5,000-year reign as an unrivaled superpower came to an ignominious end.
Ever since, the Chinese have licked their wounds and fixated on returning their country to its former greatness, restoring the Chinese version of its place in the world as they had always known it. For the Chinese, the question was never if they could reclaim their former dominant position in the world, but when.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2020
115 people are currently reading
1366 people want to read
About the author
Michael Schuman
14 books5 followersMichael Schuman has been a foreign correspondent in Asia for 23 years, first with The Wall Street Journal, and then as Time magazine’s international business correspondent based in Hong Kong and Beijing. He writes on a freelance basis for several publications: Bloomberg View, BusinessWeek, New York Times, and Forbes.
(Courtesy of PublicAffairs Books.)
(Courtesy of PublicAffairs Books.)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
November 15, 2020
Superpower Interrupted: The Chinese History of the World, by Michael Schuman, is an interesting and concise look at the history of Chinese geopolitical power since the Qin dynasty, and up to the present day. The main crux of this book is in the title; China as a state (whether Qin, Han, Tang, Yuan or Qing) has, for most of its history, been the superpower of East Asia, projecting power far beyond its own borders through diplomacy, war, economic clout, or through the penetration of its philosophies and idea, such as Confucianism, its writing system, and its cultural clout. This has been common for thousands of years of human history, even in periods of disunion. Schuman looks at the Spring and Autumn period, and the Warring States period, as times of internal Chinese disunion, but a time when Chinese thought still spread deep into Asia. Periods of foreign domination in China, whether it be the Zhiao, Jin, Yuan or Qing, still had aspects of deep Chinese power, whether it be the spreading and integration of ideas within these invading peoples, or the use of Chinese industrial capacity, manpower and cultural clout to project imperial power deep into Asia, like in the Yuan or Qing period.
The book then looks at the interruption - the disintegration of the Qing Empire and its slow domination by the "Western Barbarians" and the "Franks" - Europeans. This period began in the 17th century in the Ming dynasty, where Portuguese merchants began to trade and influence coastal cities like Guangzhou. The Portuguese were not like other foreign embassies to China. Usually foreign embassies came bearing gifts and tribute, knitting themselves into the Chinese centred mandate of heaven. These embassies would kowtow before the Emperor, submit as a vassal on official records, and bear tribute. In return they would receive lavish gifts, often worth far more than the tribute they brought, but most importantly, political support and legitimacy. Being a vassal of China was often a paper function only, but it brought political cover, and sometimes complete military support. Korea long lavished under this status, as it kept them independent from frequent Chinese invasions itself, and protected them from Japanese incursions right up until this system unraveled in the 19th century. The Westerners often would submit - although both the Chinese court and the Europeans themselves were confused about what this meant. The Europeans believed that this kowtowing would allow them to trade - which it sometimes did. The Chinese thought that the Europeans were submitting as vassals - even going so far as to add "Holland" to their list of far flung vassals. This knit the Dutch into the Chinese system of tribute, where a tribute mission was received every eight years. The Cutch themselves would have been very confused - they wanted to trade every year, and the submissions were made by agents of the Dutch VOC - a trading company. No tribute was forth coming, and this alienated the Dutch from China.
The system unravelled under the Qing. This dynasty was founded by Manchurians, another group of steppe peoples that had burst into China and taken over the mandate of heaven. By now, China was used to being dominated by foreign peoples, but this political subjugation was often symbiotic. The Qing would become a fully Sinocized Empire, and indeed would spread Chinese influence up to the what is widely considered the modern borders of China today. The Qing system was rooted in Chinese history and Confucius ideology. It's time would come at the hands of the pesky Europeans. By now, China had been using the same system of political control for over a thousand years - China had been at the centre of this system, and its ideology, history, and the very makeup of its political and cultural systems, right down to the root level, were geared into this global framework. The European system, based on political equality of sovereigns, the close marriage of trade, warfare, and exploitative colonialism, and the capitalist and mercantilist industrialism that would define the 18th and 19th centuries, was a direct threat to this Chinese centred worldview. China had never experienced anything like this onslaught, and was indeed paralyzed by its own hubris, in some ways. It took three full fledged invasions of China, and the sacking of the Summer Palace in Beijing, to finally convince many Chinese scholars and statesman that something was wrong.
And one can see why. The system that China had built over centuries had survived numerous onslaughts from outside, and had always prevailed. It was inconceivable that other nations would become the muse for development. This hit hard when Japan - once a major part of China's tribute system, defeated the Qing and rested control of Korea, Ryuku and Taiwan from China. The Chinese led system was officially dead. Some clung on to false hopes, but at the end of the day, China slowly eroded into warring polities and colonial concessions, with the centralized control of the Emperor and the radiating culture from the capital turned to dust. China convulsed under this for over a century, with warlords, civil war and finally, the destructive nature of the Maoist era - which not only saw many die due to starvation and execution, but also saw the violent death of the cultural legacy of Chinese power. Thousands of years of history may take longer than a century to dust away.
Finally, Schuman ends with a chapter on the rise of modern China. Many in the West look at this as unprecedented; reading Schuman, one can see why this Western exceptionalism is folly. China as a united political unit is a force to be reckoned with, not only because of its massive size, population and resources, but because, over the last four decades, it has grown in affluence at an amazing rate, bringing literal millions out of poverty in a generation. States in Asia, and indeed across the globe, look to Chinese techniques in industry, political theory, culture and economics as a muse once again. This is, in Schuman's mind, a return to normal for China. Even so, the systems of the past are dead. China's new outlook on the world has been built by its memories of the unequal treaties imposed upon it by force, and a world that continues to be dominated by US hegemony. Its tactics seem clear - build the country, make Chinese culture irresistible, and protect the borders. And they seem to be working. At the time of writing, the US convulses under issues of its own making, and once again begins to turn its gaze inward. This leaves the world to fill the vacuum left by hegemony. Who will take its place?
A very good book, and a concise examination of a very long, complex and interesting history. This is a book to read both for those looking for a very solid examination of Chinese hegemony that is not tainted with Western bias. This book is not pro-China in any way; the horrors of the Great Famine and Cultural Revolution, as well as the numerous atrocities committed by Chinese Emperors throughout history, show the damage that autocracy and hegemony can inflict on the human world. Even so, this book offers a perspective of China's decline that is not married with European and Western exceptionalism. Much as Chinese hegemony fell, so too will the hegemony dictated by the West. And the disruption will feel just as large for those on the side of the past. It remains to be seen what, if anything, will replace US hegemony - a by-product of the dominance of European power in place since World War II. What Schuman makes clear is that China will be a player in that world, barring circumstances, and that it is important to study, learn and posit as to what that system may look like, and understand that, the era of European domination, is but a blip in a long human history. Fantastic book, and definitely recommended for China watchers looking for a quick recap on historical events, or laypersons interested in a good and concise look at this topic.
The book then looks at the interruption - the disintegration of the Qing Empire and its slow domination by the "Western Barbarians" and the "Franks" - Europeans. This period began in the 17th century in the Ming dynasty, where Portuguese merchants began to trade and influence coastal cities like Guangzhou. The Portuguese were not like other foreign embassies to China. Usually foreign embassies came bearing gifts and tribute, knitting themselves into the Chinese centred mandate of heaven. These embassies would kowtow before the Emperor, submit as a vassal on official records, and bear tribute. In return they would receive lavish gifts, often worth far more than the tribute they brought, but most importantly, political support and legitimacy. Being a vassal of China was often a paper function only, but it brought political cover, and sometimes complete military support. Korea long lavished under this status, as it kept them independent from frequent Chinese invasions itself, and protected them from Japanese incursions right up until this system unraveled in the 19th century. The Westerners often would submit - although both the Chinese court and the Europeans themselves were confused about what this meant. The Europeans believed that this kowtowing would allow them to trade - which it sometimes did. The Chinese thought that the Europeans were submitting as vassals - even going so far as to add "Holland" to their list of far flung vassals. This knit the Dutch into the Chinese system of tribute, where a tribute mission was received every eight years. The Cutch themselves would have been very confused - they wanted to trade every year, and the submissions were made by agents of the Dutch VOC - a trading company. No tribute was forth coming, and this alienated the Dutch from China.
The system unravelled under the Qing. This dynasty was founded by Manchurians, another group of steppe peoples that had burst into China and taken over the mandate of heaven. By now, China was used to being dominated by foreign peoples, but this political subjugation was often symbiotic. The Qing would become a fully Sinocized Empire, and indeed would spread Chinese influence up to the what is widely considered the modern borders of China today. The Qing system was rooted in Chinese history and Confucius ideology. It's time would come at the hands of the pesky Europeans. By now, China had been using the same system of political control for over a thousand years - China had been at the centre of this system, and its ideology, history, and the very makeup of its political and cultural systems, right down to the root level, were geared into this global framework. The European system, based on political equality of sovereigns, the close marriage of trade, warfare, and exploitative colonialism, and the capitalist and mercantilist industrialism that would define the 18th and 19th centuries, was a direct threat to this Chinese centred worldview. China had never experienced anything like this onslaught, and was indeed paralyzed by its own hubris, in some ways. It took three full fledged invasions of China, and the sacking of the Summer Palace in Beijing, to finally convince many Chinese scholars and statesman that something was wrong.
And one can see why. The system that China had built over centuries had survived numerous onslaughts from outside, and had always prevailed. It was inconceivable that other nations would become the muse for development. This hit hard when Japan - once a major part of China's tribute system, defeated the Qing and rested control of Korea, Ryuku and Taiwan from China. The Chinese led system was officially dead. Some clung on to false hopes, but at the end of the day, China slowly eroded into warring polities and colonial concessions, with the centralized control of the Emperor and the radiating culture from the capital turned to dust. China convulsed under this for over a century, with warlords, civil war and finally, the destructive nature of the Maoist era - which not only saw many die due to starvation and execution, but also saw the violent death of the cultural legacy of Chinese power. Thousands of years of history may take longer than a century to dust away.
Finally, Schuman ends with a chapter on the rise of modern China. Many in the West look at this as unprecedented; reading Schuman, one can see why this Western exceptionalism is folly. China as a united political unit is a force to be reckoned with, not only because of its massive size, population and resources, but because, over the last four decades, it has grown in affluence at an amazing rate, bringing literal millions out of poverty in a generation. States in Asia, and indeed across the globe, look to Chinese techniques in industry, political theory, culture and economics as a muse once again. This is, in Schuman's mind, a return to normal for China. Even so, the systems of the past are dead. China's new outlook on the world has been built by its memories of the unequal treaties imposed upon it by force, and a world that continues to be dominated by US hegemony. Its tactics seem clear - build the country, make Chinese culture irresistible, and protect the borders. And they seem to be working. At the time of writing, the US convulses under issues of its own making, and once again begins to turn its gaze inward. This leaves the world to fill the vacuum left by hegemony. Who will take its place?
A very good book, and a concise examination of a very long, complex and interesting history. This is a book to read both for those looking for a very solid examination of Chinese hegemony that is not tainted with Western bias. This book is not pro-China in any way; the horrors of the Great Famine and Cultural Revolution, as well as the numerous atrocities committed by Chinese Emperors throughout history, show the damage that autocracy and hegemony can inflict on the human world. Even so, this book offers a perspective of China's decline that is not married with European and Western exceptionalism. Much as Chinese hegemony fell, so too will the hegemony dictated by the West. And the disruption will feel just as large for those on the side of the past. It remains to be seen what, if anything, will replace US hegemony - a by-product of the dominance of European power in place since World War II. What Schuman makes clear is that China will be a player in that world, barring circumstances, and that it is important to study, learn and posit as to what that system may look like, and understand that, the era of European domination, is but a blip in a long human history. Fantastic book, and definitely recommended for China watchers looking for a quick recap on historical events, or laypersons interested in a good and concise look at this topic.
June 19, 2020
Great idea for a book: to look at the way the Chinese interpret history, rather than how we see them.
If you know anything about China, you will realise that right until the Middle Ages they were THE superpower in the world. Then came the Opium Wars, the Unequal treaties and two 'Centuries of Humiliation'. Some of it they caused to themselves, some of it we caused to them.
As far as the Chinese are concerned, things are gooing back to normal. China is becoming a superpower again. The US is shooting itself in the foot wherever it can. Europe is an old peoples retirment home.
This much you know without Schuman. There isn't all that much you learn from this book. The author is clearly a historian. He spends way too much time on the early periods, which have very little to do with being a superpower. The middle part about how China had conducted relations with other powers before the decline is the valuable part. As far as modern history is concerned, the author rushes through it at breakneck speed. You learn nothing about modern China. There would be huge need at this point for some social theorising, recounting history does not do the job. Unfortunately the author does not do social theory.
At the end you get the usual platitudes abut Xi Jinping. And zero reflections about the West.
All in all, a great idea for a book...
If you know anything about China, you will realise that right until the Middle Ages they were THE superpower in the world. Then came the Opium Wars, the Unequal treaties and two 'Centuries of Humiliation'. Some of it they caused to themselves, some of it we caused to them.
As far as the Chinese are concerned, things are gooing back to normal. China is becoming a superpower again. The US is shooting itself in the foot wherever it can. Europe is an old peoples retirment home.
This much you know without Schuman. There isn't all that much you learn from this book. The author is clearly a historian. He spends way too much time on the early periods, which have very little to do with being a superpower. The middle part about how China had conducted relations with other powers before the decline is the valuable part. As far as modern history is concerned, the author rushes through it at breakneck speed. You learn nothing about modern China. There would be huge need at this point for some social theorising, recounting history does not do the job. Unfortunately the author does not do social theory.
At the end you get the usual platitudes abut Xi Jinping. And zero reflections about the West.
All in all, a great idea for a book...
January 23, 2024
Rimta ir įsigilinimo pareikalaujanti knyga. Daug senovės istorijos, datų, vardų, pavadinimų, kas gali atbaidyti sausos istorijos nemėgstančius, bet skaitant pamažu viskas sugula į tinkamas vietas.
Norėjosi daugiau apie dabartinių laikų politiką, bet autorius fokusuojasi ne į tuos dalykus, labiau kelia kinų kultūrą, jų charakterį, tradicijas ir papročius nuo labai senų laikų ir aiškina, kaip tai įtakoja tolimesnį Kinijos elgesį prieš kitas pasaulio valstybes.
Nepaisant sausesnės informacijos, čia yra ir įdomių faktų apie prekybą, sėkmingus ir po pasaulį išplitusius kinų išradimus, linksmų istorijų (pavyzdžiui apie popierių, kurį kinai bandė įpiršti europiečiams, o šie garbino pergamentą) ir panašiai. Smarkiai praplečia žinias ir priverčia susimąstyti apie tai, kad Kinija mus įtakoja net ir būdama sąlyginai rami. Apsidairius ir suvokus, kiek aplink mus namuose kinų gaminių, galima pripažinti, kad nors politikai dažnai įtikinėja, kad Kinijos galia jau apribota, kad daug daiktų gaminamės patys, tikrovė ta, kad vartotojas vis dar čiumpa tai, kas pigu, o piguma atkeliauja iš kinų, tad toliau sėkmingai padedame jiems augti ir klestėti. Ar tai pasikeis? Jei atvirai, manau, kad ne.
Rekomenduoju visiems, kas domisi istorija, politika, dokumentika, o labiausiai tiems, kas nėra abejingi dabartiniams pasaulio įvykiams.
Norėjosi daugiau apie dabartinių laikų politiką, bet autorius fokusuojasi ne į tuos dalykus, labiau kelia kinų kultūrą, jų charakterį, tradicijas ir papročius nuo labai senų laikų ir aiškina, kaip tai įtakoja tolimesnį Kinijos elgesį prieš kitas pasaulio valstybes.
Nepaisant sausesnės informacijos, čia yra ir įdomių faktų apie prekybą, sėkmingus ir po pasaulį išplitusius kinų išradimus, linksmų istorijų (pavyzdžiui apie popierių, kurį kinai bandė įpiršti europiečiams, o šie garbino pergamentą) ir panašiai. Smarkiai praplečia žinias ir priverčia susimąstyti apie tai, kad Kinija mus įtakoja net ir būdama sąlyginai rami. Apsidairius ir suvokus, kiek aplink mus namuose kinų gaminių, galima pripažinti, kad nors politikai dažnai įtikinėja, kad Kinijos galia jau apribota, kad daug daiktų gaminamės patys, tikrovė ta, kad vartotojas vis dar čiumpa tai, kas pigu, o piguma atkeliauja iš kinų, tad toliau sėkmingai padedame jiems augti ir klestėti. Ar tai pasikeis? Jei atvirai, manau, kad ne.
Rekomenduoju visiems, kas domisi istorija, politika, dokumentika, o labiausiai tiems, kas nėra abejingi dabartiniams pasaulio įvykiams.
February 22, 2021
This is a very welcome antidote to the Eurocentric world. The book reminds us that the Chinese were a civilised society when Europeans lived in mud huts, and that Chinese culture has roots going back millennia. Along with that comes an historical past that is generally overlooked in a western education. This was certainly a blind spot to my education, which Is what attracted me to the book. I don't know too much about Chinese history and I feel that I am missing something important.
The book tells the story of China as the Chinese tell it themselves. There is a pattern of expansion and contraction. Growth to be followed by collapse. Each time, the growth phase leaves a larger footprint in East Asia. It's a different type of history because it also includes the historical account as a morality tale. China expands under virtuous rulers and contracts under wicked ones. I found that to be really interesting.
What has always puzzled me is the continues dynamic of Confucian philosophy across China. On the one hand, we have the ideal of the enlightened and virtuous ruler. On the other hand, we have the venality of the ruled. From this we get discipline and obedience balanced against defiance, greed, and wickedness. I still can't quite work out how these are balanced, even after having it explained to me. And yet, if you accept the premise, then why would a democratic structure be needed? Wouldn't individual rights simply be an invitation to disrupt the harmonies of society? There is much in this to explain the Chinese approach to politics and society.
I enjoyed charting the take of the expansion of Chinese territory. It's quite dramatic to have the Chinese (generally meaning the Han Chinese) struggling with the Mongols, the Tartars, and the Europeans. After having it explained to me from an historical perspective, it now seems obvious that Home Rule for Tibet or East Turkmenistan (XinJiang) would be out of the question. In the west, we see these as separate entities. In China, they are seen as integral to China as any other part of the People's Republic. More worryingly, so is Taiwan and the South China Sea. This is most definitely unfinished business.
That is the payoff to this book. It gives a greater understanding of contemporary issues. China once was great and feels obliged to become great again. That greatness extends across the Eurasian landmass, what some call the Heartland. It gives some historical context to policies such as the Belt & Road Initiative. From a Chinese perspective, the Western interlude is now coming to an end and China is regaining its central place in the world order.
I enjoyed reading the book. It could have become simply a list of dates and characters, but the author adds a bit of life into such a dry appreciation. It will take a while for me to recall all of the different dynasties, but I now have a better appreciation of the geography of China.
China is an issue that will be with us for decades to come, so we need to et to grips with it. This book is a really good starting point along that journey.
The book tells the story of China as the Chinese tell it themselves. There is a pattern of expansion and contraction. Growth to be followed by collapse. Each time, the growth phase leaves a larger footprint in East Asia. It's a different type of history because it also includes the historical account as a morality tale. China expands under virtuous rulers and contracts under wicked ones. I found that to be really interesting.
What has always puzzled me is the continues dynamic of Confucian philosophy across China. On the one hand, we have the ideal of the enlightened and virtuous ruler. On the other hand, we have the venality of the ruled. From this we get discipline and obedience balanced against defiance, greed, and wickedness. I still can't quite work out how these are balanced, even after having it explained to me. And yet, if you accept the premise, then why would a democratic structure be needed? Wouldn't individual rights simply be an invitation to disrupt the harmonies of society? There is much in this to explain the Chinese approach to politics and society.
I enjoyed charting the take of the expansion of Chinese territory. It's quite dramatic to have the Chinese (generally meaning the Han Chinese) struggling with the Mongols, the Tartars, and the Europeans. After having it explained to me from an historical perspective, it now seems obvious that Home Rule for Tibet or East Turkmenistan (XinJiang) would be out of the question. In the west, we see these as separate entities. In China, they are seen as integral to China as any other part of the People's Republic. More worryingly, so is Taiwan and the South China Sea. This is most definitely unfinished business.
That is the payoff to this book. It gives a greater understanding of contemporary issues. China once was great and feels obliged to become great again. That greatness extends across the Eurasian landmass, what some call the Heartland. It gives some historical context to policies such as the Belt & Road Initiative. From a Chinese perspective, the Western interlude is now coming to an end and China is regaining its central place in the world order.
I enjoyed reading the book. It could have become simply a list of dates and characters, but the author adds a bit of life into such a dry appreciation. It will take a while for me to recall all of the different dynasties, but I now have a better appreciation of the geography of China.
China is an issue that will be with us for decades to come, so we need to et to grips with it. This book is a really good starting point along that journey.
December 28, 2022
Tikėjaus daugiau dėmesio bus skirta pastariesiems 200metų, bet šis laikotarpis gavo tiek pat dėmesio kiek ir įvykiai buvę seniau nei prieš tūkstanti metų. Suprantama, kad kas yra Kinija šiandien yra svarbu žinoti ir jos atsiradimą, jos santyki senovėje su kaimynais ir vakarais. Man truputi per daug detaliai senovės istorijos, tad jau buvo pabodę ir praradę dėmesį. O apie pastarąjį šimtmetį t.y. apie Kinijos šių dienų politiką, ekonomiką, socialinius įvykius panašu reiks pasieškoti kitos knygos.
January 25, 2025
"Pasaulio istorija iš Kinijos požiūrio taško". Kaip rašo autorius, kinams nekyla klausimas, ar jie galėtų susigrąžinti buvusią didybę, yra vienintelis klausimas – kada tai bus. Trijų tūkstančių metų istorija su žmonijai svarbiais atradimais, šilko gamyba, Terakotinės armijos didybe, Didžiaja Kinų siena negali nesudominti.
April 27, 2022
Paprastai ir kokybiškai apie Kinijos istoriją ir pasaulio supratimą. Jeigu skaitysite vieną knygą apie Kiniją- tebūnie tai ši
July 2, 2020
Not so much a history of China, as a Chinese history. The premise of this enjoyable quick read is that each country has a world view and how they tell the story of their history drives that world view.
Schuman sets out to explain how the Chinese understand their history (to the extent there can ever be just one view), how they explain various issues such as the relationships between citizen and government and between China's government and those of other countries abroad, and how this then drives a particular sense of identity, behaviour and understanding of current events.
As the title gives away, the thesis is that China's sense of its history is as the central middle kingdom, a civilizational super power that has outlasted the occasional barbarian attacks and now having been so rudely interrupted by westerners, is now returning to its rightful place.
Having set up this useful framework, much of the book however is simply a retelling of Chinese history. It is provided in an engaging way, though the link back to world view sometimes frays. And - at least in the audio book version sans footnotes - Schuman doesn't always clearly demonstrate that the story he presents is how China views its history rather than how a Westerner views how the Chinese view China.
We all need to know more about China these days, and part of that is knowing what stories China tells about itself. Just as American myths about the frontier and freedom drove it to 'pay any price, bear any burden' in foreign policy, China's sense of its place will drive its own strategic actions. We may all be but actors on the stage, put there by history, but the lines we ad lib and the characters we seek to play reflect our interpretation of our own history.
This book therefore gets at a really important question and does so in a publicly accessible way.
Schuman sets out to explain how the Chinese understand their history (to the extent there can ever be just one view), how they explain various issues such as the relationships between citizen and government and between China's government and those of other countries abroad, and how this then drives a particular sense of identity, behaviour and understanding of current events.
As the title gives away, the thesis is that China's sense of its history is as the central middle kingdom, a civilizational super power that has outlasted the occasional barbarian attacks and now having been so rudely interrupted by westerners, is now returning to its rightful place.
Having set up this useful framework, much of the book however is simply a retelling of Chinese history. It is provided in an engaging way, though the link back to world view sometimes frays. And - at least in the audio book version sans footnotes - Schuman doesn't always clearly demonstrate that the story he presents is how China views its history rather than how a Westerner views how the Chinese view China.
We all need to know more about China these days, and part of that is knowing what stories China tells about itself. Just as American myths about the frontier and freedom drove it to 'pay any price, bear any burden' in foreign policy, China's sense of its place will drive its own strategic actions. We may all be but actors on the stage, put there by history, but the lines we ad lib and the characters we seek to play reflect our interpretation of our own history.
This book therefore gets at a really important question and does so in a publicly accessible way.
April 6, 2021
A history of Chinese civilization condensed into 400 pages that helps us understand the traditional Chinese perspective. It is the tale of a civilization that enjoyed tremendous advancement - and thus, regional superiority - very early on. Despite a history of near-constant warfare and struggle for political dominance, resulting in a shocking number of deaths, the Chinese influence remained indomitable regardless who held political power.
Yet the boon soon turned into bane as the empire struggled to transition into an era where the world around progressed at a rapid pace, with fewer traditional baggages holding them back. The last couple of chapters deal with China's coming to terms with these changes, and how it had to reform its worldview to restore its status as a world superpower.
For a reader previously unacquainted with Chinese history (like me), this can be a fantastic first read. Pairing each historical period with some of the many YouTube videos giving more insights into each era can be helpful and entertaining. It is evident that the author had to only lightly touch upon some major events in history simply because of the vast timelines he covered here, and I look forward to diving a little more into some of the eras to better appreciate the intricate dynamics and personalities of those periods.
Yet the boon soon turned into bane as the empire struggled to transition into an era where the world around progressed at a rapid pace, with fewer traditional baggages holding them back. The last couple of chapters deal with China's coming to terms with these changes, and how it had to reform its worldview to restore its status as a world superpower.
For a reader previously unacquainted with Chinese history (like me), this can be a fantastic first read. Pairing each historical period with some of the many YouTube videos giving more insights into each era can be helpful and entertaining. It is evident that the author had to only lightly touch upon some major events in history simply because of the vast timelines he covered here, and I look forward to diving a little more into some of the eras to better appreciate the intricate dynamics and personalities of those periods.
March 6, 2021
This is a very good book, perhaps with the one minor caveat that Schuman's selection of noteworthy events from the long history of China occasionally seems a little unbalanced. For example, the book completely fails to mention the Taiping Rebellion under the late Qing, arguably the most bloody civil war in human history. Deng Xiaoping's 1979 meal of "spinach soufflé, thinly sliced veal and vanilla mousse" at the Georgia governor's Atlanta mansion is, in contrast, described in delightful but slightly bizarre detail over more than half a page. This is disappointing, because the Taiping movement's leading figure, Hong Xiuquan, was a Christian mystic radicalised through contacts with Western missionaries. A few paragraphs on how the the Western role in the Taiping period came to shape Chinese perceptions of the West and the wider outside world, which is supposedly the book's leitmotif, would have most definitely been in order. In any case, this is still a very enjoyable and extremely readable primer on Chinese history, which I would wholeheartedly recommend to anyone with an interest in Chinese politics and foreign relations.
September 27, 2025
Galinga kultūra, ilga istorija. Rekomenduoju kiekvienam besidominančiam Kinijos istorija. Patiko 🔥
September 7, 2022
This was a good book that successfully delivered a generalists' overview of the history of China - before this I had only learned about a few specific episodes in China's history and from a mostly Western point of view. However, like any book that endeavors to tell the 4,000-year history of a civilization in 300 pages, it became repetitive and clearly oversimplified. The author's solution to this was to keep things light and hammer home a few overarching themes, but at times I felt it sounded too casual. Perhaps by design, the book also shies away from delving deep into some of China's most well-known stories, such as Genghis Khan and World War II - both getting only a brief mention - and instead focuses on China's revolving dynasties, their distinctive policy priorities, and the common threads over time. It is definitely a comparative view of different periods of Chinese history rather than a detailed history of any specific event, which was still interesting but perhaps less page-turning than I expected.
August 7, 2022
Si capiscono molte cose
March 5, 2021
Schuman's Superpower Interrupted attempts to provide (mainly Western) readers an insight into China's view on world history. Anyone having to take on the leviathan task of tackling the whole of China's history and its dealings with the outside world, covering millennia of events, borders and people, surely is not to be envied. Schuman promises the reader he'll be 'quick' though, not aiming to provide a detailed and comprehensive overview of dates, names and the whole historical shebang.
However, what follows in the next four hundred pages is precisely that. Schuman gets bogged down in tiny details, especially in the first millennia, overwhelming his readers with an overload of emperors and battles of which sparse historical info exists. What doesn't help is the chronological setup of the book, with broader economic analyses and detailed personal histories interspersed. Would Schuman have divvied up his perspective on "Chinese world history" in themes and major movements and developments instead, some sort of insight might have actually been achieved by the assumed layman, who now is expected to dig out those insights himself from the abundance of facts and tidbits thrown at him.
The main insight relevant to today's world Schuman wants to confer to the reader is that the current CCP is just doing 'business as usual' and continuing the long line of dynasties building on top of each other through the pull of Chinese civilization. By rushing through the past hundred years of history in China, however, he fails to truly solidify his argument, and it is impossible for the layman to judge whether the provided accounts of scholars and other important figures during the preceding dynasties truly reflect the dominating opinion at the time to speak of such a dominating view on what 'China' is and should be.
A major pitfall, moreover, in Schuman's account of 'Chinese world history' is the fact that most of the book actually just focuses on China dealing with China, with sparse mentioning of contacts with the outside world. While understandable to an extent and in line with Schuman's argument that China was consciously blatantly ignorant of the "outside barbarians" out of feelings of superiority, it makes it difficult to fully appreciate this supposed 'world' history, and one feels that more effort could have been made to show how Chinese scholars and figures of interest viewed developments like the Sinicization of the region which at the same time failed to wipe out the distinctive character of all these diverse kingdoms and empires.
However, what follows in the next four hundred pages is precisely that. Schuman gets bogged down in tiny details, especially in the first millennia, overwhelming his readers with an overload of emperors and battles of which sparse historical info exists. What doesn't help is the chronological setup of the book, with broader economic analyses and detailed personal histories interspersed. Would Schuman have divvied up his perspective on "Chinese world history" in themes and major movements and developments instead, some sort of insight might have actually been achieved by the assumed layman, who now is expected to dig out those insights himself from the abundance of facts and tidbits thrown at him.
The main insight relevant to today's world Schuman wants to confer to the reader is that the current CCP is just doing 'business as usual' and continuing the long line of dynasties building on top of each other through the pull of Chinese civilization. By rushing through the past hundred years of history in China, however, he fails to truly solidify his argument, and it is impossible for the layman to judge whether the provided accounts of scholars and other important figures during the preceding dynasties truly reflect the dominating opinion at the time to speak of such a dominating view on what 'China' is and should be.
A major pitfall, moreover, in Schuman's account of 'Chinese world history' is the fact that most of the book actually just focuses on China dealing with China, with sparse mentioning of contacts with the outside world. While understandable to an extent and in line with Schuman's argument that China was consciously blatantly ignorant of the "outside barbarians" out of feelings of superiority, it makes it difficult to fully appreciate this supposed 'world' history, and one feels that more effort could have been made to show how Chinese scholars and figures of interest viewed developments like the Sinicization of the region which at the same time failed to wipe out the distinctive character of all these diverse kingdoms and empires.
February 17, 2022
Piacevole riassunto di storia cinese, scritta in prospettiva cinese da un americano. La Cina eterna e fiera di essere l'Impero di Mezzo. Con il mandato del Cielo. magari io qualche dubbio con il perdurare a lungo degli eunuchi e i piedi fasciati Ming, lo avrei..
September 12, 2021
This is the one book on Chinese history I was looking for. It summarises all dynasties and Chinese leaders, from the Shang in 1,554 BC to today's Xi Jinping, covering the most important economic, political and cultural developments at those times. As someone new to the subject, I was impressed by the extensive history of the Chinese civilisation -arguably the most successful of all times. Nearly all of China's experiences with foreigners have been negative and/or ended bad, and it only came in contact with the "West" 300-400 years ago (only a fraction of time relative to its entire history, especially if we look at it from a cultural perspective). The book greatly explains 1) how the Chinese managed to remain united for so long, 2) why it tends to be sceptical about foreigners, 3) why it is so different than the "West" and 4) how Xi Jinping plans today fit with the past/history of the country.
I can highly recommend the book to anybody new to China's history. In my opinion the author is unbiased (not always the case with China-related books) and I just wished he had written in more detail about the 1970-2020 period.
I can highly recommend the book to anybody new to China's history. In my opinion the author is unbiased (not always the case with China-related books) and I just wished he had written in more detail about the 1970-2020 period.
March 16, 2023
Is it possible to summarise the whole history of China in a book of just 450 pages? Certainly not, but the author does a pretty solid job in this impossible task. Especially the first centuries up to the European Middle Ages are well written in a historical and fast-paced fashion. The main focus is noticeably on the foreign policy of the sometimes united, sometimes torn but somehow eternal empire. This is especially evident in the chapters on the reluctant and forced opening of commerce to Western nations. The author succeeds very well in depicting the structural conflict between tradition and change within the chinese society, but for my taste he too often uses the recurring legacies of history as simple justifications. A more critical examination of the imperialist and colonialist Western system and the impact on China would have been fitting. In my opinion the author falls into a common mistake of mixing up success with inevitability.
But I would still recommend this book for it’s valueable insights and linking of hegemony, assimilation and continuity of the chinese nation.
But I would still recommend this book for it’s valueable insights and linking of hegemony, assimilation and continuity of the chinese nation.
August 21, 2022
Enjoyable and quick read through Chinese history and world view. Book mentions all significant history moments for China since its unification in 221 BC up until Xi Jinping policy today.
September 20, 2022
slightly overdramatic at times but otherwise an informative read on a subject -- chinese history from a chinese perspective -- that is very sparse in popular/non-academic writings.
great companion piece to books on contemporary chinese foreign policy and diplomacy as a theory-vs-practice comparison.
great companion piece to books on contemporary chinese foreign policy and diplomacy as a theory-vs-practice comparison.
September 25, 2020
A moderate blend of history and historiography, Superpower Interrupted left me looking for more. Shuman deserves credit for pulling off the hard task of giving a general overview of the sweep of Chinese dynastic history in 300 pages. From the Erlitou to the Shang, until the Qing gave way to the Republic and finally the People's Republic, Shuman goes over the highlights, and leaves the cutting room floor piled up in the process. As a history book (especially for those who are not that familiar with Chinese history), this book is a boon. It gives a Chinese view of their own history, and how they have interpreted events form their past through the shifting lenses of time. In this sense, the book excels. It is readable, fun, and engaging. Other history books should be as well written.
The book, however, stops short of drawing contemporary conclusions, short of China is looking to its past to inform its development. Shuman makes the point that China sees its place in an international order at the top (or in the center), but he does not give a template or make guesses as to how China will try to pull that off. I was hoping for more of a discussion on some of the contemporary problems that China faces today (the environment, tensions with neighbors in the South China Sea, the global economy, technological competition with the west) and some historical templates that modern leaders may try using to address them.
And perhaps therein is the problem. The sweep of Chinese history is too varied to indicate what they will look at to form modern policy. A Chinese leader looking at the height of the Tang dynasty as a template will draw vastly different conclusions that, say, one who looks to answers throughout the Southern Song or late Ming dynasties. I had hoped that Shuman would give more treatment to current problems, so I am instead going to have to try some of the lenses that he gave to make my own guesses.
Ultimately, for readers who are looking for a quick ride through Chinese history, and its relations with its periphery, this book will be useful. For those of us looking for guesses as to what modern Chinese leaders want to base their current policies off of, perhaps we will have to look more closely elsewhere.
The book, however, stops short of drawing contemporary conclusions, short of China is looking to its past to inform its development. Shuman makes the point that China sees its place in an international order at the top (or in the center), but he does not give a template or make guesses as to how China will try to pull that off. I was hoping for more of a discussion on some of the contemporary problems that China faces today (the environment, tensions with neighbors in the South China Sea, the global economy, technological competition with the west) and some historical templates that modern leaders may try using to address them.
And perhaps therein is the problem. The sweep of Chinese history is too varied to indicate what they will look at to form modern policy. A Chinese leader looking at the height of the Tang dynasty as a template will draw vastly different conclusions that, say, one who looks to answers throughout the Southern Song or late Ming dynasties. I had hoped that Shuman would give more treatment to current problems, so I am instead going to have to try some of the lenses that he gave to make my own guesses.
Ultimately, for readers who are looking for a quick ride through Chinese history, and its relations with its periphery, this book will be useful. For those of us looking for guesses as to what modern Chinese leaders want to base their current policies off of, perhaps we will have to look more closely elsewhere.
May 14, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.
Superpower Interrupted is what you might call a throughline history book: a really focused work from an expert (Michael Schuman has written extensively about China for TIME, The Atlantic, and other pubs) that illustrates how accumulating events of the past make up our present, in this case how China's history has influenced their national identity and relationships with the rest of the world today. Very timely and well-written, it's a whirlwind tour of several thousand years of history that highlights:
-some of the key events that helped develop Chinese exceptionalism
-a non-Western foreign policy, both today and hundreds of years in the past
-the immense role China has played in world history, particularly in East Asia (though do not discount its influence on Europe hundreds of years ago— one of my favorite stats from the book is that 3/4 of the silver from the New World ended up in China)
There's only so much detail that can be included in a 400-page book that covers thousands of years of history, so I rather wish this had been twice as big or split into multiple volumes. That said, the main points of the book are loud and clear within the accessible length, and I can comb through the daunting bibliography at the end of the book if I really want more.
For who like Lies My Teacher Told Me and Zinn's A People's History of the United States: unlike your average high school textbook that also condenses a lot of history, Superpower Interrupted doesn't paint history as an inevitable march of progress— the messiness and ambiguity of events still remains.
Highly recommended to just about everyone interested in current events and world history.
Superpower Interrupted is what you might call a throughline history book: a really focused work from an expert (Michael Schuman has written extensively about China for TIME, The Atlantic, and other pubs) that illustrates how accumulating events of the past make up our present, in this case how China's history has influenced their national identity and relationships with the rest of the world today. Very timely and well-written, it's a whirlwind tour of several thousand years of history that highlights:
-some of the key events that helped develop Chinese exceptionalism
-a non-Western foreign policy, both today and hundreds of years in the past
-the immense role China has played in world history, particularly in East Asia (though do not discount its influence on Europe hundreds of years ago— one of my favorite stats from the book is that 3/4 of the silver from the New World ended up in China)
There's only so much detail that can be included in a 400-page book that covers thousands of years of history, so I rather wish this had been twice as big or split into multiple volumes. That said, the main points of the book are loud and clear within the accessible length, and I can comb through the daunting bibliography at the end of the book if I really want more.
For who like Lies My Teacher Told Me and Zinn's A People's History of the United States: unlike your average high school textbook that also condenses a lot of history, Superpower Interrupted doesn't paint history as an inevitable march of progress— the messiness and ambiguity of events still remains.
Highly recommended to just about everyone interested in current events and world history.
January 31, 2021
I listened to an audiobook version of this book which may not have been a great idea. While not overly academic, this book is not very exciting, either. It essentially provides an overview of Chinese history going back to the Shang Dynasty. As a result, it was hard to focus with one’s full attention for the entire 13+ hour production. In addition, the narrator mispronounced many of the Chinese names and words. Nonetheless, there was nothing in the content that was objectionable, and I appreciated how the author drew quite a number of things together to prove his thesis (see title), such as the intensity with which the current Chinese government seeks to solidify its sovereignty over Taiwan and the South China Sea, how the Opium Wars came to pass, why the Belt and Road Initiative is being carried out as it is, how Chinese leaders are touting Confucianism and other elements from imperial times, and the various waves of “barbarians” that temporarily knocked China down from its perch at the apex of the world culture pyramid.
May 20, 2021
This is a pretty short and straightforward history of China. It does not go details but gives the basics. I do wish it talked a bit more about literature, economics and culture and not just political and military stuff.
As I am pretty sure I won't remember most of it so I will just make a note to myself of a few key things I learned:
-The Tang, Song and Ming dynasties are considered to be the best
-Chinese people really love poetry
-The "Century of humiliation" was really rough
But on the bigger picture, I am not sure I am convinced by Schuman's thesis that the current Chinese leaders are still thinking like Ming dynasty bureaucrats ("China is the center of the world, everyone should bow down to us"). He makes this statement repeatedly but he doesn't really provide evidence.
In any case, it will be really interesting to see how this situation will develop.
As I am pretty sure I won't remember most of it so I will just make a note to myself of a few key things I learned:
-The Tang, Song and Ming dynasties are considered to be the best
-Chinese people really love poetry
-The "Century of humiliation" was really rough
But on the bigger picture, I am not sure I am convinced by Schuman's thesis that the current Chinese leaders are still thinking like Ming dynasty bureaucrats ("China is the center of the world, everyone should bow down to us"). He makes this statement repeatedly but he doesn't really provide evidence.
In any case, it will be really interesting to see how this situation will develop.
August 20, 2020
The premise - Chinese history from a Chinese perspective - Schuman largely answers, and in an engaging style. The book provides the reader a more nuanced perspective on China’s current international relations, as opposed to the well-known Western view of China. The first 6/7 chapters are extensively researched and give a good depth of analysis, especially as he doesn’t explicitly aim to chronicle Chinese history. However, I felt the last 1/3 of the book - from the opium wars through to modern day China - warranted further analysis. The current issues surrounding Xinjiang, Trade War, HK etc are too important to overlook. Overall, however, if you only read one book on Chinese history/international relations, this is a good start.
September 7, 2023
Schuman’s gives the reader a history of China from the perspective of the Chinese themselves. He pays particular attention to the way certain aspects of the millennia-long history can be used to bolster openness or xenophobia. He also highlights the recurrent ebb and flow of dynastic change. As he gets closer to the modern era he focuses on the lessons taken by the Chinese themselves from past era’s moments of triumph or weakness. While Schuman zips by 20th century much too quickly, he is much more methodical in dealing with previous times of foreign rule in China. Definitely worth reading, either as a reasonably concise history of China or as a study in the common lessons taken by the Chinese from their own historiography.
January 11, 2021
Growing up in West Germany history in school mostly dealt with, what could loosely be described as "Western History". So lots about the US, Britain, some about France and other European powers and, in my opinion, an over emphasis of the period 1933 - 1945.
This of course leaves out a huge chunk of the planet, including Russia and China. This book then is a really good "coles notes" version of Chinese history. It does give the reader a sense of just how old and storied China's history is. It also provides a hint to what motivates and drives China today. It most likely is not quite what we in the West think it is.
If you want a primer on China, this is probably a good start.
This of course leaves out a huge chunk of the planet, including Russia and China. This book then is a really good "coles notes" version of Chinese history. It does give the reader a sense of just how old and storied China's history is. It also provides a hint to what motivates and drives China today. It most likely is not quite what we in the West think it is.
If you want a primer on China, this is probably a good start.
August 19, 2021
Spectacular. I cannot agree more with Minxin Pei’s review that the book is “a concise and elegant survey of China as a dominant power in Eurasia”.
Nationalism has been hailed in China recently, and the younger Chinese friends around me are said to be more patriotic. For the “son of the heaven” to concede to Western ruling after the Opium War in 19C, the degree of humiliation would have been beyond imagination. Xi’s rise, one could argue, is an aspiration for the nation to take back its glory of the past two thousand years.
Apart from understanding the Chinese fixation to revert to its greatness, the book is a fun and great anecdotes of China’s dynasties and culture
Nationalism has been hailed in China recently, and the younger Chinese friends around me are said to be more patriotic. For the “son of the heaven” to concede to Western ruling after the Opium War in 19C, the degree of humiliation would have been beyond imagination. Xi’s rise, one could argue, is an aspiration for the nation to take back its glory of the past two thousand years.
Apart from understanding the Chinese fixation to revert to its greatness, the book is a fun and great anecdotes of China’s dynasties and culture
December 31, 2020
A really excellent short account of China's long history.
The final chapter 'Superpower Restored' brings everything together in such an excellent way that can be summed up as 'China restored the Canton trading system in the 1980s in everything but name'. I have never considered it that way but once the author wrote it as such it made so much sense!
I would recommend this alongside Becoming China by Jeanne-Marie Gescher, which is a very similar if more poetic and in depth look at China's culture rather than history. A great companion piece, in any order.
The final chapter 'Superpower Restored' brings everything together in such an excellent way that can be summed up as 'China restored the Canton trading system in the 1980s in everything but name'. I have never considered it that way but once the author wrote it as such it made so much sense!
I would recommend this alongside Becoming China by Jeanne-Marie Gescher, which is a very similar if more poetic and in depth look at China's culture rather than history. A great companion piece, in any order.
July 28, 2021
The first 20-30%of book was hard to follow due to the unfamiliar names and pronunciations. Then the book flowed quite well through a harrowed and bloody history of China. I was a bit disappointed the final chapters gave an eye opening to China today and it’s future as one of the world’s leading nations.
I think this book falls a bit short for me that I had expected a bit different read. The history of China is well covered I’d say but I wanted a more contemporary view. I feel more informed on China but I’ll have to get another book or two to get what I was hoping for here.
I think this book falls a bit short for me that I had expected a bit different read. The history of China is well covered I’d say but I wanted a more contemporary view. I feel more informed on China but I’ll have to get another book or two to get what I was hoping for here.
July 23, 2020
Good quick overview of China’s history, but factual misses are annoying.
Wu Sangui didn’t retreat to save the Ming emperor from the rebels, he proactively allied with Qing forces to let them into China.
Sun Yatsen didn’t magically appear at power vacuum to become President of China after years of being abroad, he proactively managed the revolutionaries and finessed the core revolutionary message.
Wu Sangui didn’t retreat to save the Ming emperor from the rebels, he proactively allied with Qing forces to let them into China.
Sun Yatsen didn’t magically appear at power vacuum to become President of China after years of being abroad, he proactively managed the revolutionaries and finessed the core revolutionary message.
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