Social Economy

李慕南Henan University Press · ChinaSep 2014

3.0

Word count: 130K words
Chapters: 8

Summary

The Chinese nation is one of the oldest nations in the world, and Chinese civilization is one of the most ancient civilizations. As the Social Volume of the Chinese Cultural History series, this book narrates China's extraordinary journey from prehistoric times to the present: the opening of its territory, the formation of its ethnic groups, social evolution, economic and cultural development, and political change. To fully present this magnificent history, the work employs nearly 12 million characters across 8 volumes and 68 fascicles, offering readers a comprehensive panorama of the nation's long and complex development.

Editor's review

This book places Chinese society and economy within a long-term civilizational process. Its value lies not in offering isolated conclusions but in helping readers build a vertical coordinate: many seemingly abrupt institutional changes, once returned to the context of land, population, production, and ethnic interaction, often have gentler origins. Its strength is a broad vision and comprehensive coverage, allowing institutional history, economic history, and social life to be compared within one framework, reducing the narrowness that comes from reading only a single specialized history. As one volume in a large series, it is better suited to reference and thematic comparison than to reading straight through; begin with the table of contents, choose a dynasty or topic and read selectively, then return to earlier and later chapters to trace causes and effects. For those writing papers, preparing lessons, or reading general history, this is a reference book that can remain on the desk long-term, and it also trains the ability to understand social phenomena within historical conditions.

Who it's for

A good fit for

University students in history and sociology who need general-history background and thematic reference
Secondary-school humanities teachers consulting it for lesson preparation or interdisciplinary course design
Writers and editors, including local gazetteer and publishing editors, who need social-history background and thematic reference
General readers with a long-standing interest in institutional, economic, and social-life history

Not a good fit for

Leisure readers seeking light stories or short anecdotes
Specialist researchers needing detailed textual criticism of a single dynasty
Beginning readers who prefer clear conclusions and slim volumes

Reading tips

Read the general contents and introduction first, draw up a timeline and topic table for the whole book, then decide which chapters to read closely.
Read selectively along the lines of dynasties or topics such as land, population, and commerce, so as not to be slowed down by the bulk.
After finishing each part, write a 300-word account of causes and effects in your own words, then check back against the original text.

About the publisher

Henan University Press China · Founded in 1985

Henan University Press operates in the fields of educational publishing and academic publishing, with books covering classical literature, social novels, world classics, folk literature, and foreign literature. Representative works in the catalog include the Chinese classical novels Dream of the Red Chamber, Journey to the West, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, and Water Margin, as well as Chinese and foreign literary classics such as Xiao Hong's The Field of Life and Death, Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea, and Jules Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. Its author resources include classical writers such as Cao Xueqin, Gao E, Wu Cheng'en, Luo Guanzhong, and Shi Nai'an, along with modern and contemporary authors and translators such as Xiao Hong, Ernest Hemingway, and Zhang Chiheng. Drawing on its university background, the press emphasizes the collation and promotion of classic texts and has built up a certain selection of literary titles. Public information on its specific publishing features and series plans is limited.

编写说明
一、市场经济1
一、市场经济2
一、市场经济3
一、市场经济4
二、古代货币1
二、古代货币2
后记

FAQ

Is this book suitable for reading from beginning to end?

Not really. It is voluminous and wide-ranging, and reading it straight through easily loses focus; a more effective approach is to begin with the table of contents, read selectively around one dynasty or topics such as land, population, and commerce, then link the scattered chapters with a timeline. This preserves the broad vision while also forming your own lines of inquiry.

Can I read it without a background in history?

Yes, but expectations need adjusting. The book deals with institutional, economic, and social change, and the conceptual density is not low; start with a dynasty you are familiar with, look up unfamiliar terms as you go, and do not insist on understanding everything at once. Setting the goal as building a background framework rather than mastering every detail will make it much easier.

How does it help with writing papers?

It mainly helps build background and find questions, rather than replacing specialized research. You can use its framework to locate a topic, then consult primary materials and specialized studies by dynasty, institution, or economic category; when citing, still return to original documents or authoritative monographs for verification, and avoid treating survey statements directly as evidence.

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About the author

李慕南 Author

Li Munan is a Chinese author with a considerable body of work, though public information about him is limited, and details such as his nationality, birth and death years, and personal background are not clearly recorded. Judging from the 262 titles held in the collection, his writing spans several fields, including popular science, inspirational growth, parenting, and fashion. Representative works include Don't Underestimate This Knowledge, Learn Like a Scientist, Bizarre Plants, How Scientists Learn, Think Like a Scientist, Stories of the Growth of Chinese Education Masters, Classic Education Stories from China and Abroad, and The Greatest Technological Inventions. These titles suggest that he excels at turning scientific knowledge, learning methods, and educational stories into accessible reading for young readers and parents concerned with their children's development. Overall, his works focus on popularizing knowledge and inspiring personal growth, with plain language and themes close to everyday reading needs, forming a practical style within science and education books.