A General History of China
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Summary
Editor's review
Unlike many popular history books on the market that pile up facts and chase storytelling, Lü Simian's *General History of China* emphasizes "connection" and "insight." He not only traces the evolution of political institutions and the rise and fall of dynasties, but also devotes substantial space to analyzing changes in China's economic organization, cultural currents, and the conditions of people's livelihoods. This approach, combining institutional history with social and cultural history, makes history no longer a one-man show of emperors and generals, but a three-dimensional, vivid, and internally logical whole. Readers can clearly see how an institution arose, how it operated, how it affected the lives of millions of ordinary people, and finally how it became rigid and was reformed. This insight is the core value that makes the book transcend its time and remain fresh.
Reading this book is like following a learned and calm guide overlooking the long river of five thousand years of Chinese civilization. Lü's prose is plain and restrained, but his judgments are incisive, often containing deep historical insight within straightforward narration, guiding readers to think about the underlying causes behind historical phenomena. For readers who wish to systematically understand the threads of Chinese history and try to understand "why China" has taken its present form, this book is a rare introductory and advanced guide. It offers not scattered facts, but a set of internal frameworks for understanding Chinese history.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Readers who want to systematically build a knowledge framework of Chinese history and are not satisfied with fragmented stories
- Deep readers with a strong interest in the evolution of ancient social institutions, economy, and culture
- Students and researchers in university history, Chinese, sociology, and related fields
- Reading enthusiasts who love classic historical works and seek textual rigor and intellectual depth
Not a good fit for
- Readers seeking only light entertainment, with reading historical stories or palace intrigue as their sole purpose
- Readers expecting a large amount of visual material such as pictures and maps to assist reading
Reading tips
- It is recommended to read in chapter order, first establishing an overall chronological framework, then examining the characteristics of each period in detail.
- While reading, consult a simple chronological table of Chinese history to help locate specific events and figures.
- For specialized discussions of institutions, economy, and the like, do not feel compelled to understand everything at once; reread them or consult supplementary materials, and reflect on their potential connections to today's society.
About the publisher
Yilin Press focuses mainly on translated foreign literature. Its current catalogue of 318 titles covers common categories such as mystery and detective fiction, foreign literature, world classics, biography, and social novels. Representative books include The Complete Sherlock Holmes 2: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Pride and Prejudice, To the Lighthouse, The Great Gatsby, The Grapes of Wrath, and Lives of the Artists: Michelangelo, often presented in bilingual or English-language editions that serve both original-text reading and language learning. Its author resources include foreign writers such as Arthur Conan Doyle, Jane Austen, Virginia Woolf, and Romain Rolland, as well as translators including Li Jiazhen, Gao Fen, and Ma Ye. The catalogue also includes Chinese works such as Li Jieren's Ripples Across Stagnant Water. The press shows a concentrated publishing strength in foreign classics and bilingual readers; given limited public information, this overview is based only on catalogue data.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 自序
- 绪论
- 上编 中国文化史
- 第一章 婚姻
- 第二章 族制
- 第三章 政体
- 第四章 阶级
- 第五章 财产
- 第六章 官制
- 第七章 选举
- 第八章 赋税
- 第九章 兵制
- 第十章 刑法
- 第十一章 实业
- 第十二章 货币
- 第十三章 衣食
- 第十四章 住行
- 第十五章 教育
- 第十六章 语文
- 第十七章 学术
- 第十八章 宗教
- 下编 中国政治史
- 第十九章 中国民族的由来
- 第二十章 中国史的年代
- 第二十一章 古代的开化
- 第二十二章 夏殷西周的事迹
- 第二十三章 春秋战国的竞争和秦国的统一
- 第二十四章 古代对于异族的同化
- 第二十五章 古代社会的综述
- 第二十六章 秦朝治天下的政策
- 第二十七章 秦汉间封建政体的反动
- 第二十八章 汉武帝的内政外交
- 第二十九章 前汉的衰亡
- 第三十章 新室的兴亡
- 第三十一章 后汉的盛衰
- 第三十二章 后汉的分裂和三国
- 第三十三章 晋初的形势
- 第三十四章 五胡之乱（上）
- 第三十五章 五胡之乱（下）
- 第三十六章 南北朝的始末
- 第三十七章 南北朝隋唐间塞外的形势
- 第三十八章 隋朝和唐朝的盛世
- 第三十九章 唐朝的中衰
- 第四十章 唐朝的衰亡和沙陀的侵入
- 第四十一章 五代十国的兴亡和契丹的侵入
- 第四十二章 唐宋时代中国文化的转变
- 第四十三章 北宋的积弱
- 第四十四章 南宋恢复的无成
- 第四十五章 蒙古大帝国的盛衰
- 第四十六章 汉族的光复事业
- 第四十七章 明朝的盛衰
- 第四十八章 明清的兴亡
- 第四十九章 清代的盛衰
- 第五十章 中西初期的交涉
- 第五十一章 汉族的光复运动
- 第五十二章 清朝的衰乱
- 第五十三章 清朝的覆亡
- 第五十四章 革命途中的中国
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About the author
Lü Simian (1884–1957), courtesy name Chengzhi, was a native of Wujin (present-day Changzhou), Jiangsu, and a renowned modern historian and educator. He taught for many years at Guanghua University and East China Normal University, and is known, together with Chen Yinke, Chen Yuan and Qian Mu, as one of the "Four Masters of Modern Historiography." His scholarship spanned ancient and modern times: he wrote general histories such as A Vernacular History of China and Lü's General History of China, dynastic histories including Pre-Qin History, Qin and Han History, Sui-Tang and Five Dynasties History, and History of the Jin and Northern and Southern Dynasties, as well as reading notes such as Lü Simian's Notes on Reading History. His works cover historical reading, Eastern philosophy and literary appreciation, and are valued for their rigorous argument, solid textual research and plain, accessible style.
