Product Description
This book explores the life and work of Ruan Yuan (1764–1849), a scholar-official of renown in mid-Qing China prior to the Opium War, before traditional institutions and values became altered by incursions from the West. His distinction as an official, scholar, and patron of learning has been recognized both by his contemporaries and by modern scholars. He was also exulted as an honest official and an exemplary man of the ‘Confucian persuasion’. His name is mentioned in almost all the works on Qing history or Chinese classics because of the wide range of his research and publications. A number of these publications are still being reprinted today.

This is the first full-length biography of Ruan Yuan in English, and the only one focusing on all aspects of the man’s life and work in the context of his time. It follows Ruan Yuan from his childhood in Yangzhou, expansion of his intellectual horizons and political network in Beijing, his long service in the provinces handling some of the most thorny issues of the day in security and control, to the glory as a senior statesman in the capital, and retirement in Yangzhou. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Generally useful as a starting point
The book is a rather short one with half of it devoted to ChineseDocuments translated into English. Kuo provides a general overview ofevents leading up to and some following the First Anglo-Chinese War (or theFirst Opium War). There is not much critical analysis as such as the authorsuggested in the title but it is still useful as a general introduction.Since it was first published n the 1930s, the views may also be outdated incertain ways.

There are some useful translations of documents. Afterreading the Chinese version of the documents, Kuo's translation isgenerally accurate. There are some important ones concerning the OpiumLegalisation issue brought forward by the Qing Official, Xu Naiji, and thesubsequent discussion on it. Although, Kuo did leave out a few equallyimportant documents on this issue.A Useful Introduction! ... Read more

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History of Trade for the People's Republic of China. Tourism in China, Opium Wars, Chinese financial system, People's Republic of China, Special Economic Zone, Asian Development Bank, Economy of the People's Republic of China, General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, Special Economic Zones of the People's Republic of China, Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade ... Read more

Product Description
The purpose of this concise treatment was never to give a fullaccount of China's great change - crucial for herself and - since sheis a fifth of manking - for the world. The aim was to speak towestern-educated people (not just those of western origin but many onall continents schooled under colonial influence) - to help them to"shift gears" from what they had been taught as history to things theyhad not been taught or led to dismiss as marginal. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Merely okay as an introduction to China.
I was forced to purchase this book when I took a class on Chinese Revolution. Grasso is considered to be one of the most prolific Chinese scholars alive today, so I had high hopes for this book. Unfortunately, this book consistently failed to deliver on facts and pushed a very bizarre viewpoint on China. The viewpoint was quite subtle and easily missed.

Grasso believes China's problems comes solely from the West. Confucianism is deeply ingrained within the Chinese culture and every event should be analyzed through a Confucian lens, especially 20th century China which rejected Confucianism. This is the only concerns that I have on this text, though they are valid and quite important.

Grasso does introduce shocking statistics to the reader on all the death and destruction that occurred in China. It got so bad there, the reader is forced to wonder how China managed to survive. Grasso never goes into how China survive, but only that it did survive and somehow became stronger for all its struggles.

Purchase this book to gain an okay overview on China. Just pay attention to the facts and you should be able to get as much out of this book as you can. ... Read more

Product Description
Chapters: First Opium War, Battle of Assaye, Battle of Plassey, Battle of Khadki, the Madras Regiment, 106th Hazara Pioneers, Bengal Army, Battle of Buxar, Shezada Hyder Ali, Bengal Native Infantry, Vellore Mutiny, Second Anglo-Maratha War, Third Anglo-Maratha War, 84th Regiment of Foot, Battle of Laswari, Battle of Delhi, Anglo-Maratha Wars. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 74. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: The First Anglo-Chinese War (1839-42), known popularly as the First Opium War, was fought between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the Qing Dynasty of China, with the aim of securing economic benefits from trade in China. In 1842, the Treaty of Nanking-the first of what the Chinese called the unequal treaties-granted an indemnity to Britain, the opening of five treaty ports, and the cession of Hong Kong Island, ending the monopoly of trading in the Canton System. The war marked the end of China's isolation and the beginning of modern Chinese history. During the 19th century, trading in goods from China was extremely lucrative for Europeans and Chinese merchants alike. Due to the Qing Dynasty's trade restrictions, whereby maritime trade was only allowed to take place in Canton (Guangzhou) conducted by imperially sanctioned monopolies, it became uneconomical to trade in low-value manufactured consumer products that the average Chinese could buy from the British like the Indians did. Instead, the Sino-British trade became dominated by high-value luxury items such as tea (from China to Britain) and silver (from Britain to China), to the extent that European specie metals became widely used in China. Britain had been on the gold standard since the 18th century, so it had to purchase silver from continental Europe and Mexico to supply the Chinese appetite for si...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=505831 ... Read more

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Foreign Mud discusses the illegal trade of opium in Canton, China, during the 1830s and the resultant Opium Wars between Britain and China. Although Maurice Collis' work is based on written records kept by government officials, doctors, missionaries and merchants, it is an engaging work with apt descriptions of the people, places and events. Collis also captures the period when China is forced to open up to the West after 2,000 years of independence and how it is affected by exposure to the culture and decadence of the foreign devils. Maps, plans and illustrations add visual interest for readers. ... Read more

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Chapters: Zheng He, Grand Canal, Opium Wars, Koxinga, Technology of the Song Dynasty, Wokou, Beiyang Fleet, Goguryeo-sui Wars, First Taiwan Strait Crisis, Guangdong Fleet, Third Taiwan Strait Crisis, Nanyang Fleet, Yishiha, Second Taiwan Strait Crisis, Fujian Fleet, Liugong Island, Xu Fu, Foochow Arsenal, Imperial Chinese Navy, Linyuguan Battle, Gong Zhen. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 171. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: The Song Dynasty (Chinese: ; 9601279 CE) provided some of the most significant technological advances in Chinese history, many of which came from talented statesmen drafted by the government through imperial examinations. The ingenuity of advanced mechanical engineering had a long tradition in China. The Song Dynasty engineer Su Song admitted that he and his contemporaries were building upon the achievements of the ancients such as Zhang Heng (78139), an astronomer, inventor, and early master of mechanical gears. The application of movable type printing advanced the already widespread use of woodblock printing to educate and amuse Confucian students and the masses. The application of new weapons employing the use of gunpowder enabled the Song Dynasty to ward off its militant enemiesthe Liao, Western Xia, and Jin with weapons such as cannonsuntil its collapse to the Mongol forces of Kublai Khan in the late 13th century. Notable advances in civil engineering, nautics, and metallurgy were made in Song China, as well as the introduction of the windmill to China during the thirteenth century. These advances, along with the introduction of paper-printed money, helped revolutionize and sustain the economy of the Song Dynasty. The original diagram of the book by Su Song in 1092, showing the inner workings of his clock tower, with the clepsydra tank, a waterwheel wit...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=10444102 ... Read more

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This book questions the universal belief that England's 1840-42 war with China was an "Opium War." What really worried London was "insults to the crown," the claim of a dilapidated and corrupt China to be superior to everyone, threats to British men and women and seizure of British property, plus the wish to expand and free trade everywhere. It was only much later that general Chinese resentment and Evangelical opinion at home - and in America - persuaded everyone that Britain had indeed been wicked and fought for opium.
... Read more

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In this book, China's struggle to modernize is set against a historical background. From the Opium War to Tiananmen Square, the authors narrate the great episodes that punctuate that journey: the breakdown of imperial China; the rise of the new Chinese republic; the early struggles between ideologies and armies of Chiang Kai-shek and Mao Zedong; China's war with the Japanese; the final shootout that sent Chiang to Taiwan and Mao to Beijing; and the long years of the People's Republic - culminating in the reforms of Deng Xiaoping. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Excellent Historical Overview
I purchased this for a class. I found it to be informative and well written. It doesn't get into deep and lengthy details about historical events, but rather very excellently and concisely provides a general overview of Chinese history beginning in the 19th century up to the present. Plus, the best part is it is smartly written in very easily understood terms-or layman's terms. One doesn't need a PhD to read this book. In short, I enjoyed it very much. I wouldn't have read this voluntarily on my own, but I'm very glad it was required reading for my class.

very good
This book was a lot cheaper on amazon and evevn more convenient than my schools bookstore.

good book, easy reading and plenty of information

This book is one of my textbook. I can honestly say this is a great book. The book provides the reader with the history of China in the Twentieth century and an overall theme of Chinese traditional value. The book gives a good explaination of what make China who they are today.

The first 2 chapters are about rough history of ancient of China and Chinese traditional value. The rest of the book is about the history from early communist revolution to present.

The language is accessible, easy to read, but provide a good academic ground. This book is actually a text for one of my subject in Master course. But, it's very easy to read that should be consider as a casual reading too.

fun, fun, fun
Besides the fact that this was specifically designed to be a textbook (whatever that means) ... While this book focuses on China's history in the modern period, the authors claim that, "an understanding of contemporary China requires an appreciation of it's rich historical traditions."And they've done an excellent job of looking back without losing their focus or boring the reader. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Encyclopedia of Western Colonialism since 1450, brought to you by Gale®, a part of Cengage Learning, a world leader in e-research and educational publishing for libraries, schools and businesses.The length of the article is 2793 words.The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase.You can view it with any web browser.The Encyclopedia of Western Colonialism since 1450 provides students and researchers with a much-needed, comprehensive resource on the subject of colonialism and expansion. From a global perspective, the set traces many facets of colonial growth and imperialism, including Europe's overseas expansion into the Americas, Asia, Africa and the Pacific, beginning in the 15th century; the collapse of empires; race relations in decolonized regions; and current examples of continuing dependence by much of the developing world on Western nations (often former colonial powers themselves). In addition, a number of articles address the ideology and theories behind colonialism and imperialism, as well as the major and controversial issues at the core of the debate on colonialism and its consequences, such as Apartheid in South Africa, the Maji Mahi Revolt, and the Minas Gerais Conspiracy. ... Read more

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From the Opium War to the May Fourth Movement, a major work by Hu Sheng, is the fruit of years of research on modern Chinese history.

The book is written in five parts, with 27 chapters in all, and carries a preface. The author analyzes modern Chinese history in terms of three waves of revolution. In Part I, he writes about the Opium War and the Taiping Peasant Revolution, the first wave of revolution; in Part II, about the formation of a semicolonial and semifeudal regime, which was ultimately to lead to a new wave of revolution; in Part III, about the Reform Movement of 1898 and the Yi He Tuan (Boxer) Movement, which was the second wave of revolution; in Part IV, about the Bourgeois Revolution of 1911, the third wave of revolution; and in Part V, about the transition toward the New-Democratic Revolution that led China out of darkness.

Using primary sources, this book analyzes the key events in modern Chinese history, and reflects the Chinese people's struggle against foreign aggressors and their own feudal rulers as they fought for national independence, democracy and freedom from 1840 to 1919.

Following his earlier work Imperialism and Chinese Politics, this book is yet another contribution by Hu Sheng to the study of modem Chinese history. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

History from the Chinese side. Unfiltered.
Both of Hu Sheng's histories, this one as well as his classic "Imperialism and Chinese Politics", provide badly-needed purely Chinese perspective on modern Chinese history and China's struggle with the West from late Qing dynasty onward. Hu Sheng's attack is powerful, fresh, insightful, startling, and, yes, appropriately angry. The anecdotes and sources, taken from Chinese language histories, are extremely valuable, and largely unavailable in English language histories of China. Do not be put off with Hu Sheng's political affiliations. His views are shared by Chinese across the spectrum, all over the world. In a world in which establishmentarian Western scholars have so badly clouded, neutered,inculcated and "made safe" the history of China, and the Chinese side of the story, Hu Sheng's analysis is a treasure.

class struggle history of China c. 1840 -1920
I have made some comments on this volume that may be found in the review for Volume One of Dr Hu's work.

A Chinese view of the Opium War
This review refers to both volumes of Dr Hu's history as published by the Foreign Languages Press, Beijing, in English in 1991. The translation of these volumes, by Mr Dun J Li, is from the Chinese version published in1981.

After a brief review of early Western penetration along the Chinesecoast, the book focuses on approximately 80 years starting from the firstAnglo-Chinese War. It has one over-riding value for the student of thisperiod of Chinese history, it is derived from Chinese sources - books,letters and memorials - most of which have previously been unavailable inEnglish and it is from the views contained in these sources that the book'sfascination arises. I cannot over-state the value to the student of seeingthis period with Chinese eyes and the book is worth buying for this reasonalone. Having said that there are difficulties with the text.

Dr Hu is aself-taught historian. He became a party member when he was 20 years oldand wrote 'Imperialism and Chinese Politics' ten years later in 1947 (alsoavailable in English but I have not read it). This latest work (publishedwhen he was in his sixties) couched in Marxist terminology, but withoccasional references to Morse and other lesser known Western authorities,reviews the period from the standpoint of class struggle. This novelapproach helps to bring out aspects of Western aggression against Chinathat are not readily apparent from the Western sources. For example, theincreasing loss of prestige of the Ching Government with the Chinese peoplefollowing the Anglo-Chinese Wars is presented here as a cause of the myriadrebellions that characterised the period from the Tai Pings to the Boxers.The derivative insight - that when Western aggression exposed the ChingGovernment's incapacity, all the subsequent problems that Western countriesexperienced were bound to happen - is quite compellingly put. This is thevalue of a book that deals with a familiar subject using new sourcematerial and it is very welcome.

However, Dr Hu has an ideological axe togrind and he is not content to let the story tell itself. Had he done so,the power of the facts would have achieved his purpose. There can be nodoubt that China was treated by the West in a way that would have beeninconceivable had it been a European country, but this book was apparentlywritten for a domestic audience. Thus on every page, mixed in with theinteresting quotations and factual information, are opinions and analyses,some of which are insightful, others surprising while quite some few arefrankly implausible. The main source of the implausible opinions offered isapparently a lack of familiarity with the realities of internationaldiplomacy and the strict limits those realities place on the exercise of acountry's self-interest. I should have preferred these opinions andcomments to be annexed as separate chapters or perhaps the two volumesre-edited to produced one of fact and one of opinion. In that way thestudent will not be confused. A further but minor difficulty is with theplace and personal names which are in Pinyin. A glossary would have beenhelpful.

This book will be most appreciated by those students who havealready acquired a detailed knowledge of the period from Western sourcesand seek for comparative information. As a check on some of the tacitassumptions underlying Western histories it is very useful. I recommend it. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Encyclopedia of Western Colonialism since 1450, brought to you by Gale®, a part of Cengage Learning, a world leader in e-research and educational publishing for libraries, schools and businesses.The length of the article is 1247 words.The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase.You can view it with any web browser.The Encyclopedia of Western Colonialism since 1450 provides students and researchers with a much-needed, comprehensive resource on the subject of colonialism and expansion. From a global perspective, the set traces many facets of colonial growth and imperialism, including Europe's overseas expansion into the Americas, Asia, Africa and the Pacific, beginning in the 15th century; the collapse of empires; race relations in decolonized regions; and current examples of continuing dependence by much of the developing world on Western nations (often former colonial powers themselves). In addition, a number of articles address the ideology and theories behind colonialism and imperialism, as well as the major and controversial issues at the core of the debate on colonialism and its consequences, such as Apartheid in South Africa, the Maji Mahi Revolt, and the Minas Gerais Conspiracy. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Encyclopedia of Western Colonialism since 1450, brought to you by Gale®, a part of Cengage Learning, a world leader in e-research and educational publishing for libraries, schools and businesses.The length of the article is 1220 words.The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase.You can view it with any web browser.The Encyclopedia of Western Colonialism since 1450 provides students and researchers with a much-needed, comprehensive resource on the subject of colonialism and expansion. From a global perspective, the set traces many facets of colonial growth and imperialism, including Europe's overseas expansion into the Americas, Asia, Africa and the Pacific, beginning in the 15th century; the collapse of empires; race relations in decolonized regions; and current examples of continuing dependence by much of the developing world on Western nations (often former colonial powers themselves). In addition, a number of articles address the ideology and theories behind colonialism and imperialism, as well as the major and controversial issues at the core of the debate on colonialism and its consequences, such as Apartheid in South Africa, the Maji Mahi Revolt, and the Minas Gerais Conspiracy. ... Read more

Product Description
Taiping Rebellion. Qing Dynasty, Confucianism, Chinese folk religion, First Opium War, United Kingdom, Outlaw, Piracy, Guerrilla warfare, Guangxi, Shanghai, Nien Rebellion, Lunar calendar. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Poorly organized
This book is NOT a serious source of information for scholars or people simply curious about this subject. It was not put together by scholars, researchers, or people who are at all knowledgeable about this field of knowledge.

This volume is literally a bunch of articles literally copied and pasted off Wikipedia literally as is, with literally no clean-up of text or anything else. Literally. The text is very clunky since it was not cleaned up or formatted properly. You can see arrows where on Wikipedia there were links, as well as 'citation needed' and other html markup. Foreign language text along with symbols are also missing from the printed text in this book.

There's nothing with with Wikipedia itself. It's a lovely source of free information, but it needs to be taken with a grain of salt due to vandals and people posting - intentionally or not - inaccurate information. To exacerbate the problem, the original subject of this book actually only makes up part of this volume. If you've read Wikipedia, you are familiar with how some words within the article provide links to other articles (for those curious and wishing to expand their research/reading) and while this can be helpful, not all of the links within any particular Wikipedia article are too relevant to the original subject matter. There is also often a list of other articles at the bottom of any Wikipedia article that are 'See also...' but these articles vary in relevance. Sadly, the 'editors' of this book simply click these links and copy and paste these articles, whether or not they're truly relevant (or even related) to the original subject matter, so a decent portion of this book actually has nothing to do with the original subject matter.

The pictures within this book are also poor-quality, shrunk down from their original versions on Wikipedia and made black-and-white. Diagrams and other technical images therefore become near impossible to read or study. The size of the actual book itself isn't very large, and is about the size of a larger-size paperback (the ones that measure about 8"x5.5" and are generally the next size of standard paperback after your common pocket paperback), and the text itself is actually hard to read on top of being poorly formatted (some pages actually have rather large gaps/blank spaces)

You're better off reading the original articles on Wikipedia for free, and if you wish for longer and more relevant books on this particular subject, you can look right here on Amazon for books written and edited by people who are genuinely passionate and knowledgeable about the subject. ... Read more