China in Length and Breadth

Name: China in Length and Breadth
ISBN: 9787220109720

Jonathan D. Spence / 钟倩Sichuan People's Publishing House · ChinaMay 2019

4.1

Word count: 236K words
Chapters: 33
ISBN: 9787220109720

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Summary

This volume collects Jonathan Spence's most representative essays, reflecting his effort to think about China as precisely, fairly, and thoroughly as possible. The contents are divided into five parts: cultural exchange between China and the West, Confucian theory and state power, Chinese social history, revolutionary China, and an introduction to his teachers. The title Chinese Roundabouts derives in part from the author's admiration for the poet Wallace Stevens, who liked the word "roundabout": it suggests a winding path that nonetheless has purpose, and also the effort to clarify, by some logic, the threads of converging and advancing currents.

Editor's review

Chinese Roundabout collects some of Jonathan Spence's most representative essays and displays his scholarly stance of precision, fairness, and thoroughness. The book is divided into five parts—Sino-Western cultural exchange, Confucian theory and state power, Chinese social history, revolutionary China, and a tribute to his teacher—broad in scope yet clear in its threads. The title borrows from "roundabout," a word the poet Wallace Stevens favored; it suggests exploration that is winding yet purposeful, and an effort to clarify converging paths by some logic. For readers, the value lies in seeing how a sinologist maintains a sense of inquiry and narrative proportion across different topics—neither offering simple praise or blame nor shying away from complexity. It serves as a window into overseas Chinese studies and suits those who have read Spence's narrative works and wish to engage with his academic essays. Read it in thematic sections; there is no need to force a single continuous pass.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in the methods and perspectives of overseas Chinese studies
Those who have read Spence's works and want to engage with his academic essays
History students or readers who need a reference for thesis writing
General readers concerned with Sino-Western cultural exchange and revolutionary China

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting continuous narrative history or biography
Beginners seeking a systematic framework for Chinese general history
Readers who prefer light entertainment and have little patience for academic prose

Reading tips

Read in sections according to the five parts; pause after each to sort out the core questions and argumentative paths of that topic.
Start with the Sino-Western cultural exchange and tribute-to-teacher sections before moving to Confucian theory and revolutionary China; this makes the author's sense of inquiry easier to grasp.
Consult the notes and references as you read, and extend essay topics that interest you into independent reading trails.
Do not chase speed; close-read the chapters relevant to your own research or interests.

About the publisher

Sichuan People's Publishing House China · Founded in 1952

Sichuan People's Publishing House is a comprehensive publisher whose list spans social fiction, art, foreign literature, finance and biography; the 358 titles in the database show a catalogue balancing classics with general reading. Representative books include Lu Xun's A Madman's Diary, Feng Zikai's Paintings for the Protection of Life, works associated with Li Shutong, and foreign-literature translations such as André Gide's Strait Is the Gate and Yasunari Kawabata's Snow Country and The Dancing Girl: Classic Works of Yasunari Kawabata. In finance there is Security Analysis, and in biography the New Biography of Su Dongpo. Authors represented include Lu Xun, Feng Zikai, Li Shutong, Li Yumin, Zhu Zuci and Ye Zongmin. The publishing profile emphasizes literary classics alongside art books, and uses thematic series such as the "banned books" collection to address intellectual and scientific themes. Public information is limited, so this introduction focuses on the directions reflected in the database.

版权信息
总序妙笔生花史景迁
导言
中西交流
黄嘉略的巴黎岁月
门德斯·平托的远游
利玛窦攀登北京之峰
甘博镜头下的中国
马尔罗的诱惑
眺望东方：西方人眼中的中国
儒学的冲击
康熙帝一生的七个阶段
明朝生活的活力
画家石涛的圈子
清官张伯行的崩溃
充满活力的儒学
中国科学技术的对话
身为中国人的钱穆
社会百态
食
药
税
鸦片
帝国之后
歃血为盟和勃朗宁手枪
天安门
业师介绍
芮沃寿
阿瑟·韦利
费正清
房兆楹
注释
致谢

FAQ

Is this book a general history or a collection of essays?

It is a collection of representative essays by Jonathan Spence, divided into five parts: Sino-Western cultural exchange, Confucian theory and state power, Chinese social history, revolutionary China, and a tribute to his teacher. It is not a chronological general history; it is best approached thematically.

What does the title "Chinese Roundabout" mean?

According to the book's explanation, the title partly derives from the author's respect for the poet Wallace Stevens, who favored the word "roundabout." It suggests exploration that is winding yet purposeful, and an effort to clarify converging paths by some logic.

Can I read it without a history background?

Yes, but it requires some patience. The essay format and thematic discussions pose a threshold for beginners. It is advisable to start with topics you are familiar with, use the notes to understand background, and gradually expand to other sections rather than trying to finish in one go.

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About the author

Jonathan D. Spence Author · American · 1936–2021

Jonathan D. Spence (1936–2021) was a renowned American historian and sinologist, and Sterling Professor Emeritus at Yale University. He specialized in modern and contemporary Chinese history, especially the Qing dynasty. Known for telling history as a story, he wove individual lives into the broader currents of their times, making scholarly works both readable and compelling. His major works include The Search for Modern China, The Death of Woman Wang, Ts'ao Yin and the K'ang-hsi Emperor, The Memory Palace of Matteo Ricci, and Return to Dragon Mountain. This library holds four of his works: The Search for Modern China, The Question of Hu, Chinese Roundabout, and God's Chinese Son, mostly classified as history readings. Along with Philip A. Kuhn and Frederic Wakeman, he is regarded as one of the "three outstanding figures" of American sinology after John King Fairbank, and has influenced readers in both China and the West.

钟倩 Author

Public information on Zhong Qian is currently limited, and the only confirmed fact is that the author has written the history book China in All Directions (Zhongguo Zongheng). Judging from this work and its category, Zhong Qian's writing focuses on Chinese history, presenting historical developments and figures to general readers in an accessible manner, placing the book within the field of popular history. Since the database contains only one work by this author, and biographical details such as nationality, dates of birth and death, and educational background cannot be verified, it is still difficult to form a comprehensive picture of Zhong Qian's overall body of work. Based on the available material, Zhong Qian's writing can be seen as an attempt at popularizing history, and the subject matter and narrative approach of China in All Directions serve as the direct basis for understanding the author's style. Readers who wish to learn more about this author will need to wait for additional works and public information to emerge.