A Concise History of China

by J.A.G. Roberts

The centuries-long complexity of China's political experience, the richness of its culture, and the drama of its economic unfolding are the hallmarks of this short but sweeping history. China's own history is entwined with its response to the West in a rich tapestry depicting its peoples, rulers, and society. More than a nuanced history of a vast continent, this study is sensitive to the multifaceted and changing interpretations of China that have been offered over the years.

In this overarching book, J. A. G. Roberts refers to recent archeological finds--the caches of bronze vessels found at Sanxingdui--and to new documentary reevaluations--the reassessment of Manchu documentation. The first half of the book provides an up-to-date interpretation of China's early and imperial history, while the second half concentrates on the modern period and provides an interpretive account of major developments--the impact of Western imperialism, the rise of Chinese Communism, and the record of the People's Republic of China since 1949.

Concise and direct, this book is a compelling narrative and handy companion for those interested in China.

Genres: History, China, Nonfiction, International Relations

368 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

Reviews

[Mesoscope · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book provides a serviceable overview of the last 3000 years of Chinese history, spending about half its length on the period leading up to the Manchurian Qing dynasty, and the second half examining the development of modern China.

I appreciated how adeptly Roberts dealt with such an enormous amount of history in such a short space - particularly in the first half, which by necessity galloped through the decades at an alarming pace. I often thought in all seriousness than any single sentence could stand as the thesis for a doctoral dissertation.

On the other hand, I often felt that Roberts gave us too many trees and not enough forest, and at times this was frustrating. To take one example, I was genuinely stunned to find the final collapse of the Qing dynasty mentioned only elliptically, and in a complicated paragraph with a lot of details on officials shifting allegiances and so forth. I couldn't believe my eyes - the fall of the dynastic system that had provided the fundamental structure for Chinese society since 221 BCE fell apart after more than two thousand years, and he not only didn't pause to comment on its larger significance, he barely even noted that it happened. I read that section three times convinced I must be missing something, but there it is.

I was also a bit annoyed by Roberts's inflexible use of Pinyin as a transliteration scheme, even when the Wade-Giles equivalents are far better known. As a non-specialist, it actually took me a while to realize that Xianggang refers to what virtually every other English speaker would call Hong Kong, or that Jiang Jieshi is who I think of as Chiang Kai-shek. If you wish to stick to your transcription system, that's fine, but it's worth a parenthetical note on the first instance.

I definitely learned a lot from this book, but I would have preferred Roberts to tell more of a story and put less focus on a barrage of details I'm unlikely to retain.

[Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 - 3000 years of rich history and culture condensed in 300 pages left my brain fried

[Carlos · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good introduction to the history of China for anyone wholly new to it. Roberts tackles the daunting task of summarizing a history spanning ca. 2000 BCE to 1997 ACE by focusing on the ebb and flow of the dynasties rather than individual emperors. By focusing on the recurring pattern of unification, apogee, decline, fragmentation and reunification, Roberts seeks to the give the reader a framework within which to understand the effects of the folly of individual emperors, natural disasters or foreign conflicts. Similarly, Roberts minimizes the discussion of foreign conflicts to only those absolutely necessary as in the case of the Mongols, Manchus, Europeans and Japanese. Lastly, he increases the attention paid to recent history starting with the end of the Qing dynasty and particularly to the rise to power and evolution of Communist party. I would definitely recommend this for anyone trying to establish a foundation from which to explore individual aspects of Chinese history at greater depth.

[Bill · Rating 2 out of 5]

As you can imagine, to condense thousands of years of history into some 300 pages just leaves you confused. Names, places, and dates just whiz right by you, and it's hard to comprehend what any of it means. I applaud the effort, though.

[Kit · Rating 5 out of 5]

This volume is a well-written history of China up to the Tiananmen Massacre that is both concise and frequently offers a review of important events from multiple viewpoints. The narrative is smooth and easy to follow through almost 4 millennia of cyclical cultural evolution, exhaustion, collapse, rebirth, and sometimes violent cohesion. The reader will learn droves of information about dynasties and the notable personalities that arose in these eras. China covers a vast portion of the Asian landmass and readers will become very familiar with the main regions that constitute the country. Perhaps the best part is Roberts' coverage of tumultuous events that pepper the timeline because the author brings in several points of view to help the reader make sense of these critical episodes. The book includes an extensive index and suggestions for further reading. My only complaints would be the placement of the maps in the front of the book where they'd be better spread throughout the text, and the fact that it is almost a quarter-century out of date today.

[Jim White · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a slog. Perhaps I lack the cultural backstory (versus different European countries in the history there), but there just didn't seem to be that much differentiation between the same cycle of events repeating itself. I finished it, though.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the right book at the right time for me. I was looking for a solid overview of China's long history, and this worked well.

[Benjamin Wiemers · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great overview of Sino History for the new learner; shapes current politics well.

[Justin Latham · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I slept through this book.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Concise is definitely the word. I never really got the hang of Robert's style of telling history. It seemed like more of a series of events and I didn't get any "big picture" understanding of a country that fascinates me. I will say that his mentions of several other authors and philosophers has expanded my list of books to read. I suppose this is a good starting place, but as someone who loves history told through characters, I found this a bit short on flesh. I find understanding through the people who make history and there was very little personal details to give the historical figures any depth for me. BUT this book gave me the dates, names, places and organizations to better able to seek other books that might be more in depth.

[Sheri Fresonke Harper · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't much like conciseness in my history but John A.G. Robert's Concise History of China gives a quick organizational feel for how China changed through the various Empires. I didn't get a feel for how the average person lived but did understand some of the ways the empires grew up and then fell apart. A few good references to classical studies, education in the country, military organization, and the development of trade and products.

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not sure what I expected with this book, but it didn't really come close. Te title is a bit misleading; it isn't quite so concise. Of course China has about 5000 year of history that this man compresses into ~500 pages, so it was a tough task to begin with. Still, this is a very academic read and not written for the general audience.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hard subject to tackle. The book was somewhat informative but 1/3 of it focused on the 20th Century, just the tip of the iceburg. For a primer on Chinese culture, maybe look elsewhere.

[Elwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit of a tough read. Academic.

[Chris Gager · Rating 3 out of 5]

I took a course in Chinese History at CU that focused on the 19th century(I think) so this book is chosen to represent that course. Pretty interesting. Date is approximate.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's hard to get 3000 years of history into 300 pages but this book does it. It's a great refresher book, but wouldn't be good for a novice Chinese historian.

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A dry but efficient read through thousands of years of history. Just what I expected.