Book Review #33
Did you know the origins of the name China seemingly came from the reference to the Qin dynasty via Sanskrit (cīna) and Japanese (shina). In Chinese, the common expression for China is Zhōngguó (Middle Kingdom) or Zhōnghuá (splendour or prosperity).
Chinese historical records stretch back at least 3500 years. Linda Jaivin's "The Shortest History of China" gives us a peek in to the following major dynasties
1) Shang Dynasty - 16th century BC to 10th century BC (no records exist for the mythical Xia dynasty & Yellow Emperor). The Chinese practiced sericulture – silk production – as early as 3630 BC
2) Zhou Dynasty - 10th century BC to 3rd century BC - longest lasting dynasty, saw Sun Tzu's Art of War, Confucianism and Daoism. Barring the Vedas, The Analects of Confucious is a work that has exerted influence for the longest amount of time. The famous line 'The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step' comes from Dao De Jing (foundational Daoism)
3) Qin Dynasty - 3rd century BC - Short-lived dynasty, a symbol of tyranny that unified the Chinese state, started the Great Wall of China, enacted strict laws, burnt libraries
4) Han Dynasty - 3rd century BC to 3rd century AD - Golden Age of China, marked by peace, prosperity, culture and technology (paper, compass, acupuncture, astronomy), Great Wall extended to 10,000 kms
5) Three kingdoms period - 3rd century to 7th century - short-lived periods of division and reunification
6) Tang & Song Dynasties - 7th to 13th century - Flourishing culture, trade and technology (gunpowder)
7) Yuan Dynasty - 13th to 14th century - Brutal Mongol rule (post Genghis Khan specifically Kubhlai Khan) that killed 7 out of 8 Chinese, saw the visit of Marco Polo and ended with the bubonic plague
8) Ming Dynasty - 14th to 17th century - Han Chinese rule restored and advancements in maritime trade and the advancement of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and the finest ever Ming ceramics
9) Qing Dynasty - 17th to 20th century - turbulent times including the 100-year humiliation of Opium wars and European imperialism
10) Modern Republic - After the Qing Dynasty fell in 1912, the Republic of China was formed and in 1949 the Communist Party set up the People's Republic of China. The Mao period witnessed the Cultural revolution culminating in Tiananmen protests, post-Mao saw upsurge in Religion and Spirituality then came Deng Xiaoping's economic reforms and finally Xi Jinping's purported Wolf Warrior model of governance.
A pattern that repeats itself many times throughout China’s history, its rulers grow corrupt, cruel and negligent, and the people, suffering under misrule, rebel.
Today 90% Chinese claim Han ethnicity, the rest belong to 55 ethnic groups including Uyghurs, Mongolians and Tibetans. Despite pressure to assimilate, many languages, religious and cultural practices are thriving.
Overall, a 250-page valuable starting point for understanding China's rich and complex history.
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