China

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Format: Hardcover
Pub. Date: 2009-11-25
Publisher(s): Abc-Clio Inc
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Summary

As China's economic strength, geopolitical importance, and cultural influence continue to grow, students and scholars-as well as businesspeople, travelers, and others-are looking to move beyond a travel guide's view of the country and get real insights into its history, society, and way of life. This authoritative resource will help unravel the complexities of the world's most populous country-a nation of ancient glory and rising power, yet one that remains elusive and not generally well known.

Table of Contents

About the Editor and the Contributorsp. xi
Introductionp. xv
Geographyp. 1
The Physical Setting and China's Populationp. 1
Geographical Regionsp. 4
Land, Agriculture, and the Laojiap. 8
Coming to China: Invasion and Tributep. 10
Themes in Chinese Geographyp. 12
Imaginative Geographyp. 17
Historyp. 21
Archaeologyp. 21
Foundation Myths and Early History (to c. 1100 B.C.E.)p. 22
Charting the Rise and Fall of China's Dynastic Tradition-Sima Guang's Perspectivep. 26
The Zhou Dynasty (c. 1100-221 B.C.E.)p. 28
The Qin Centralization (221-206 B.C.E.)p. 30
The Han Dynasty (206 B.C.E.-220 C.E.)p. 33
The Period of Division (220-589)p. 36
The Sui Dynasty (581-617)p. 37
The Tang Dynasty (618-906)p. 38
The Five Dynasties (907-959) and the Kingdoms of Liao, Xi Xia, and Jin (c. 900-1234)p. 41
The Northern and Southern Song (960-1279)p. 42
The Mongols and the Yuan (1234-1368)p. 44
The Ming Dynasty (1368-1644)p. 47
The Qing Dynasty to 1800p. 49
The Early 19th Century-Stasis, War, and Diplomacy (1800-1850)p. 52
Rebellion and Beyond (1850-1870)p. 54
Attempts at Restoration and the Fall of Qing (1870-1911)p. 55
Republican China and the War Years (1913-1949)p. 58
The People's Republic of China (1949-Present)p. 61
Notesp. 64
Politics and Governmentp. 67
From Traditional to Modern: The 20th-century Chinese Statep. 67
Themes from Communist Systemsp. 70
Combining Traditional and Communist System Modelsp. 71
Ideologyp. 72
Party-State Structurep. 83
Domestic Policy: Human Rights and Dissentp. 90
Foreign Policy: China and Global Politicsp. 92
Greater China Issuesp. 98
The Modern Chinese Economyp. 103
China's Traditional Agricultural Economyp. 105
The Chinese Economy, 1900-1949p. 114
China's Economy: The Mao Era, 1949-1978p. 117
Economic Reform, 1979-1989p. 129
The Chinese Economy Todayp. 134
Resourcesp. 134
China's Economic Systemp. 141
Intellectual Property Rightsp. 144
China's Financial Systemp. 148
China's Trading Partners and China's Trade Balancep. 153
Societyp. 163
Religion and Thoughtp. 163
The Hundred Schools of Thought (c. 700-200 B.C.E.)p. 167
Buddhism and Religious Daoism During the Period of Division (c. 200-600 C.E.)p. 172
Neo-Confucian Thoughtp. 175
Religion, Thought, and the Power of Gatheringp. 178
Social Classes and Ethnicityp. 182
Peoplep. 182
Wealth, Class, and Status in Chinese Historyp. 185
Wealth and Status in Contemporary Chinap. 189
Ethnicity and Outlying Peoples in Early Chinese Thoughtp. 190
Ethnic Minorities in Modern Chinap. 192
Women and Marriagep. 194
Women in Chinese Societyp. 194
Marriage and Family in Traditional Chinap. 196
Traditional Marriage and Family Lifep. 199
Women in Contemporary Chinap. 203
Educationp. 206
Language and Localityp. 206
Education and Acculturationp. 208
Traditional Educationp. 209
Contemporary Educationp. 213
Educational Curriculap. 214
Education in Taiwan and Hong Kongp. 215
Educational Challengesp. 218
Culturep. 221
Chinese Languagep. 221
The History of Written Chinesep. 221
Formation of the Charactersp. 224
Simplified Charactersp. 226
Problems of Simplificationp. 228
Pronunciationp. 233
Phonetic Writing (Romanizational) Systems: Peking or Beijing?p. 234
Mandarin versus Dialectsp. 235
Useful Chinese Expressionsp. 236
Social Relationships and Etiquettep. 238
Nested Boxesp. 238
Social Relationships-Guanxip. 239
Social Relationships-Familyp. 240
Social Relationships-Beyond Homep. 242
Social Relationships-Practical Etiquette in Chinese Social Situationsp. 244
Literaturep. 250
Introduction: Continuity, Discontinuity, and Diversityp. 250
The Classic of Poetryp. 250
The Songs of Chup. 251
Early Prosep. 253
Han Dynasty Poetryp. 255
One Poet from the Period of Division: Tao Qianp. 257
Two Poets from the Tang: Li Bo and Du Fup. 258
Ci Poetry of the Song Dynastyp. 261
Fiction: Tales and Short Storiesp. 263
Dramap. 265
Ming and Qing Novelsp. 266
The Modern and Contemporary Periodsp. 267
Chinese Artp. 270
Chinese Art and the Supernatural Worldp. 271
Nature in Chinese Pictorial Artp. 275
Chinese Decorative Artp. 280
Music in Chinap. 284
Introductionp. 284
Differences between Chinese and Western Musicp. 285
Characteristic Types of Traditional Chinese Musicp. 293
Foodp. 298
Food in Chinese Culturep. 298
Food in Chinese Historyp. 301
Chinese Regional Cuisinesp. 303
Tea Culture and Chinese Festival Foodsp. 308
Leisure and Sportsp. 311
A Walk in Shanghaip. 311
Daily Life in Chinese Societiesp. 313
Pilgrimage and Everyday Activitiesp. 317
Spectator Sports and the Olympic Gamesp. 323
Popular Culture and Traditional Beliefsp. 328
The Internet, Gaming, and Communicationp. 328
Film and Cinemap. 331
Popular Religionp. 333
Calendars and Almanacsp. 334
Numbers and Directionsp. 337
Yin-Yang, the Five Phases, and Color Symbolismp. 339
Language and Popular Culturep. 342
Contemporary Issuesp. 347
Contemporary China: Echoes of the Pastp. 347
China's Traditional Worldviewp. 349
European Maritime Powers and the Qing Dynastyp. 350
The Opium War, 1839-1842p. 353
The Century of Humiliationp. 355
Environmental Problemsp. 357
Pollutionp. 357
Coal Dependence and Mining Dangersp. 359
Three Georges Dam Controversiesp. 360
Poaching of Endangered Speciesp. 361
Tainted Products from Chinap. 363
Lead Paint Products from Chinap. 364
Political Events in China: China's Government Crackdown against Political Protests by Tibetans and Uighursp. 365
The Chinese Adoption Industryp. 366
The Beijing Summer Olympicsp. 368
Conclusionsp. 370
Glossaryp. 373
Facts and Figuresp. 383
Chinese Festivals and National Holidaysp. 425
China-Related Organizationsp. 431
Annotated Bibliographyp. 443
Thematic Indexp. 453
Indexp. 481
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

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