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October 2020
China's History & Culture
Selector: Rhonda McGinnis
“Time passes, day by day. The greatness of this country lies in the inexorable journey it has taken through time."
― Yo Yo, Ghost Tide
China is a vast country whose history extends over 4 millennia. Throughout this time, its diverse people have developed amazingly rich cultures and arts--and FOOD! Enjoy the books and websites gathered here as you learn more about this wonderful country and its people from the comfort of your home.
History of China
- The History of China: Dynasty/Era SummaryA nicely organized summary of the 4000 years of China's history with links to additional information on each of the major events/dynasties. Includes an excellent visual timeline.
- History of ChinaA well written collection of pages detailing each of China's dynastic periods.
- History of ChinaA nice chronology of China's history focusing on the various dynasties. Includes an attractive visual timeline.
- Chinese Dynasty SongBasic way to remember the order of the Chinese dynasties
- Chinese Dynasties Song: by ChinaliciousA funkier way to learn not just the order of the dynasties but also some brief facts about each one.
Chinese Arts & Culture
- Chinese Ethnic GroupsThis group of pages discusses the Han people and the 55 other ethnic groups of China.
- Noted Minority Groups in ChinaProvides descriptions of the most common ethnic minorities in China. Also has a very nice map showing the areas of the country in which minority is located.
- Religions & Beliefs in ChinaThe initial brief overview of each of China's major religions then provides links to more in-depth pages on Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Islam and Christianity as they are practiced in China.
- Chinese Religions and PhilosophiesWell researched, one-page description of the principle religions and philosophies of China.
- TCM101: Basics of Traditional Chinese MedicineThis page not only provides a brief overview of TCM but also lets the reader dig deeper into its practice through additional pages investigating the theories behind, TCM, diagnosing the patient, and prescribing traditional medicine or treatments.
- Popular Treatments in Traditional Chinese MedicineBrief descriptions of each type of treatment used in traditional Chinese medicine.
- A Brief History of Chinese Martial ArtsDon't let the "Brief" fool you, this page from National Geographic actually provides a fairly extensive history of the Martial Arts from China's earliest days to their practice in the West.
- The Role of Kung Fu in Chinese CultureDocuments the importance of the martial arts in the history and philosophy of China and its peoples.
- Introduction to the Different Kinds of Martial Arts in ChinaBrief descriptions of each of the commonly practiced martial arts.
- China Online MuseumStarted in early 2009 to introduce Chinese arts to people worldwide, the China Online Museum focuses on Chinese bronzes, calligraphy, painting, ceramics, jade and carving. For each of these categories, it selects the most representative works of art from museums and auctions to form its virtual galleries.
- History of Chinese ArtA marvelously detailed history of the various Chinese arts throughout the country's long history.
- Chinese Arts & CraftsLovely collection of pages detailing each of the noted arts & crafts of China.
- Chinese MusicThis page describes each of the traditional Chinese musical instruments and then provides numerous videos showing them performing Chinese songs.
- Introduction to Chinese LiteratureBrief discussion of forms of Chinese literature throughout history.
- 10 Great Writers from China's Long Literary HistoryBrief descriptions of 10 notable Chinese authors spanning its literary history.
- Myths & FolkloreThis site from Penn State provides an overview of some of the more prominent mythological features found in Chinese folklore.
- Chinese Fairy Tales, Folk Tales and FablesRead folk tales collected from China in this wonderful online source.
- A Brief History of Chinese FilmGreat synopsis of the cinema in China. It also provides a list of further readings should you want to learn more.
- A Century of Chinese CinemaAnother great overview of Chinese films produced over the last 100 years.
eBooks at Wayne State
China: Its History and Culture by Through rich detail and engaging illustrations, the book traces China's history from Neolithic times to the present day.
A Geek in China: Discovering the Land of Alibaba, Bullet Trains and Dim Sum by ISBN: 9780804844697Publication Date: 2016-12-27This invaluable guide will help visitors and armchair travelers see past the exotic, and often erroneous, stereotypes to better understand the China of today. It is a hip, concise guide to the Middle Kingdom that's packed with photographs and short articles on all aspects of Chinese culture, past and present.
Knowing China by This invaluable book offers an insight into China through its history, culture, people, economy, education, science and technology, as well as government and political system. The author also describes places of interest.
China smart : what you don't know, what you need to know- a past & present guide to history, culture, society, language by ISBN: 9781611729351This book attempts to introduce some of the most significant and fascinating aspects of both ancient and contemporary China. It includes: China’s Past; Chinese Society, Culture, and Language; and China Today.
China Society and Culture--Complete Report by Need to know it all? This culture report for China will get you up to speed on all aspects of culture in China, including lifecycle, religion, women, superstitions & folklore, sports, holidays & festivals, and etiquette.
The History of China by ISBN: 9781440874406Publication Date: 2020-10-06This engagingly written, succinct history of China not only makes the complex story of China clear to the reader, but weaves into each era the thematic strands of diplomatic, cultural, and technological history.
China in World History by ISBN: 9780195170733Publication Date: 2010-07-09Here is a fascinating compact history of Chinese political, economic, and cultural life, ranging from the origins of civilization in China to the beginning of the 21st century.
China by With the world's longest tradition of history-writing, its extraordinary past ought to be common knowledge. This book aims to make it so. Its narrative spans 5,000 years, and presents a history of all the Chinas--including its regions
China by Distinguished scholar Ray Huang takes a fresh look at the full sweep of Chinese history from Neolithic times to the present.
Chinese History and Culture by Volume 1 & Volume 2
Spanning two thousand years of social, intellectual, and political change, the essays in these volumes investigate two central questions through all aspects of Chinese life: what core values sustained this ancient civilization through centuries of upheaval, and in what ways did these values survive in modern times?
Ancestral Leaves by Ancestral Leaves follows one family through six hundred years of Chinese history and brings to life the epic narrative of the nation, from the fourteenth century through the Cultural Revolution.
Born Red by ISBN: 9780804765893Publication Date: 1987-06-01Born Red is an artistically wrought personal account Cultural Revolution (1966-1969), when the author was a young teenager.
Daily Life in Traditional China: The Tang Dynasty by ISBN: 9780313309557Publication Date: 2001-12-30This thorough exploration of the aspects of everyday life in China during the Tang Dynasty (618-907) provides fascinating insight into a culture and time that is often misunderstood, especially by those from western cultures.
Ethnic Distinctions, Local Meanings: Negotiating Cultural Identities in China by ISBN: 9781849644969A study of ethnicity and ethnic classifications in a rural area of south China, overturning many of the generalising tendencies characteristic of 'orthodox' anthropology.
Etiquette Guide to China by This essential guide to Chinese etiquette will make embarrassing social blunders a thing of the past! Whether traveling to China for business or pleasure, your visit will be more pleasurable if you understand the culture and how to work within it.
The Land of the Five Flavors: A Cultural History of Chinese Cuisine by ISBN: 0231536542Publication Date: 2014This book tracks the growth of food culture in China from its earliest burial rituals to today's Western fast food restaurants, mapping Chinese cuisine's geographical variations and local customs, indigenous factors and foreign influences, trade routes, and ethnic associations.
The Columbia Anthology of Chinese Folk and Popular Literature by ISBN: 9780231153133Publication Date: 2011-05-03This book captures the breadth of China's oral-based literary heritage. This collection presents works drawn from the large body of oral literature of many of China's recognized ethnic groups
The Shorter Columbia Anthology of Traditional Chinese Literature by ISBN: 9780231119986Publication Date: 2000This anthology places the immense riches of Chinese literature within easy reach. Ranging from the beginnings to 1919, it interprets "literature" very broadly to include not just literary fiction, poetry, and drama, but popular literature, lyrics, memoirs, letters, travelogues and jokes.
The History and Spirit of Chinese Art: From Pre-History to the Tang Dynasty Volume 1 by ISBN: 9781623201265Publication Date: 2015-06-30Art is always a product of cultural evolution, and this book looks at this universal process as it unfolded in ancient China.
Chinese Art by ISBN: 9781780429243Publication Date: 2012-05-08This book is an encyclopedia of Chinese classical art, giving an informative overview of all forms of Chinese art and providing the keys to understanding contemporary art in China. This book is a great way for beginners to better acquaint themselves with China.
The Spirit of the Brush by As old and deeply rooted in East Asian aesthetics and meditation as it is, ink painting is credited with influencing the development of Western modern art. Its minimalist approach to painting continues to have enormous appeal. While teaching the traditional disciplines for holding and using the brush, the author shows students how to turn the techniques and inner meditation toward interpreting their own world.
Chinese Martial Arts by This book, which opens with an intriguing account of the very first female martial artist, charts the history of combat and fighting techniques in China from the Bronze Age to the present. This broad panorama affords fascinating glimpses into the transformation of martial skills, techniques, and weaponry against the background of Chinese history,
The Creation of Wing Chun: A Social History of the Southern Chinese Martial Arts by Looks at southern Chinese martial arts traditions and how they have become important to local identity and narratives of resistance.
Film and Television Culture in China by ISBN: 9781844644988Publication Date: 2018Gives a provocative analysis of film and television culture in China. The author first gives a panoramic picture of Chinese culture in which film and television was born and shaped. He then delineates the definition, composition, and basic relations in film and television culture.
Chinese Martial Arts Cinema: The Wuxia Tradition by ISBN: 9781474403863Publication Date: 2015-11-13This is a comprehensive account of the development of the traditional martial arts genre in the Chinese cinema known as wuxia - which audiences became familiar with through Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000).
Chinese Food
- Chinese Food CultureProvides background on how the Chinese people approach food and dining. It also discusses the reasons for chopsticks.
- History of Chinese CuisineA nice, compact description of how the Chinese cuisine developed and changed through each of the dynastic periods.
- What Chinese Eat--Food IngredientsThis page briefly describes the meats, grains, vegetables and seasonings most commonly found in Chinese food.
- The 8 Chinese CuisinesDescribes each of the 8 principle regional styles of Chinese food and includes a map to show their origins.
- Medicinal FoodThe Chinese consider many foods to have medicinal properties. This page discusses these beliefs and provides examples.
- Chinese Medicinal Cuisine/Food TherapyThis page discusses the history and general principles of medicinal cuisine and then describes several key seasonal recipes that you can prepare at home.
- Chinese Tea CultureHistory and custom surrounding the drinking of tea in China.
- Chinese TeaIncludes the health benefits and the different types of tea.
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