The Shortest History of China: From the Ancient Dynasties to a Modern Superpower—A Retelling for Our Times
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- Create Date：2021-12-24 06:51:12
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Linda Jaivin
- ISBN：1615198202
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Summary
Journey at a thrilling clip across the epic history of China—through millennia of early innovation to modern dominance
As we enter the “Asian Century，” China increasingly demands our attention—as an economic powerhouse， a beacon of rapid modernization， and an assertive geopolitical player。 Yet， from kung fu to tofu， tea to trade routes， and sages to silk， Chinese philosophy， commerce， and innovation have influenced our world for thousands of years。 Linda Jaivin distills China’s vast history into a short， freshly relevant account that crisscrosses this much-storied land and introduces such unforgettable personalities as:
Confucius， intrepid traveler and moral adviser
Li Bai， great Tang poet and celebrity of his time
Empress Dowager Cixi， effective ruler of the Qing for nearly 50 years
Mao Zedong， communist revolutionary and founder of the People’s Republic
Globally minded readers will find everything they need to know about this rising superpower: the rarely told story of women in China， from the earliest warriors to twentieth-century suffragettes; China’s path from its tribal origins to the modern Communist Party under Xi Jinping; and the historical specters of corruption and disunity that continue to haunt the nation today。
As we enter the “Asian Century，” China increasingly demands our attention—as an economic powerhouse， a beacon of rapid modernization， and an assertive geopolitical player。 Yet， from kung fu to tofu， tea to trade routes， and sages to silk， Chinese philosophy， commerce， and innovation have influenced our world for thousands of years。 Linda Jaivin distills China’s vast history into a short， freshly relevant account that crisscrosses this much-storied land and introduces such unforgettable personalities as:
Confucius， intrepid traveler and moral adviser
Li Bai， great Tang poet and celebrity of his time
Empress Dowager Cixi， effective ruler of the Qing for nearly 50 years
Mao Zedong， communist revolutionary and founder of the People’s Republic
Globally minded readers will find everything they need to know about this rising superpower: the rarely told story of women in China， from the earliest warriors to twentieth-century suffragettes; China’s path from its tribal origins to the modern Communist Party under Xi Jinping; and the historical specters of corruption and disunity that continue to haunt the nation today。
Reviews
ananya
，
this was so enlightening
Annikky
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I this is a very good overview of a topic that is so vast that it's almost impossible to summarise。 A good starting point for people who are planning to do more reading on China and a great option for those who just want to read one， accessible book about the country's history。 I this is a very good overview of a topic that is so vast that it's almost impossible to summarise。 A good starting point for people who are planning to do more reading on China and a great option for those who just want to read one， accessible book about the country's history。 。。。more
Vince L
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I wasn’t able to finish other Chinese histories but I managed to finish this one， so good job to the author。 This was a good summary。 It didn’t go into too much detail of each part of history but it rococos enough context for me to see why China is the way it is。
Al Hynes
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I really enjoy reading pithy histories， especially the ‘shortest history’ series。 This is excellent and confirms to me that I’ve got an ok understanding of the huge breadth of time China’s past covers。 The book is written with enough detail to answer random questions that might come up but does not bog itself down in detail that would distract from the need to cover so much in so few pages。 Really recommended to anyone wanting to break into the huge story that is China！
paul ellmes
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A worthwhile readThis is a well written and engaging book， doing what says on the tin。 Unlike other 'chief's books I have read the great sweep from pre-history to Covid 19 has been covered in enough detail to make the book seem longer。 I now have a very good overview of Chinese history。 I particularly like the threads of culture and thought that flow through the book， tying the centuries together and demonstrating the characteristics of China， and it's people。 A worthwhile readThis is a well written and engaging book， doing what says on the tin。 Unlike other 'chief's books I have read the great sweep from pre-history to Covid 19 has been covered in enough detail to make the book seem longer。 I now have a very good overview of Chinese history。 I particularly like the threads of culture and thought that flow through the book， tying the centuries together and demonstrating the characteristics of China， and it's people。 。。。more
Ricky
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Obviously it is impossible to truly write a short history of the thousands of complicated and fascinating centuries of Chinese history。 But this book attempts it and does a fine job as it races through the years。 It leaves one hungry to learn more， which is sometimes the best a short history can do。
Joancollins
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DELIVERING a tight overriew of a vast history the author does well enough。 Injecting a feminist and slight LGBTQ angle is appreciated。 There's always contention that the voice writing of a race/country should hail from there and I wonder if that might apply here。 I would suggest a definate western undertone Esp in the final chapters discussing Hong Kong one person's protestor is another rioters and the author doesn't mention their crimes against bystanders or police， which I find telling。 The au DELIVERING a tight overriew of a vast history the author does well enough。 Injecting a feminist and slight LGBTQ angle is appreciated。 There's always contention that the voice writing of a race/country should hail from there and I wonder if that might apply here。 I would suggest a definate western undertone Esp in the final chapters discussing Hong Kong one person's protestor is another rioters and the author doesn't mention their crimes against bystanders or police， which I find telling。 The author occasionally drops films as reference too many she's translated which I find undermines her effort particularly when misrepresenting the plot of Farewell My Concubine。 Over all an abridged and accessible read that might prompt the reader to seek out more。 。。。more
Thomas Lambe
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Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this！ This is exactly what we need right now。。。 a well-written， concise （meaning hopefully more people will read it！） history of the most important country to understand now。 EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS！ You will learn what you need to know to understand why China does what China does。Well-done。 Buying copies for my Staff。 The author nailed it。
Joost Hintjens
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What ciuld china mean for the future of world ploiticsVery enlightning， very well written。 Reads like thriller。 It seems fairly balanced。 The chinese names are not too confusing and it gives food for thought。 Imloved it。 Anybody who wonders what the future of global politics will bring and wants tounderstand the role china will play must read this
Peter Johnson
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A pocket pot-boiler of a book。 Interesting and thought provoking as well as providing an easy to follow China narrative。 Scary in parts and leaves you a bit scary about today。 Well worth the shortest time！
Robert Campbell
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A succinct， but highly readable and informative survey。
Tanja
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I know history is very big but I appreciate the conciseness of the Shortest History of China， as compared to a Chinese history book I once began reading which from now on I will call the Longest History of China。
Lizzy
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Insightful reading about China's history。 It gave me a real appreciation and understanding for Chinese culture and politics。 Having only studied China since Mao， understanding great dynasties gave great perspective into the present political state。 Insightful reading about China's history。 It gave me a real appreciation and understanding for Chinese culture and politics。 Having only studied China since Mao， understanding great dynasties gave great perspective into the present political state。 。。。more
Jim
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What a blessing this concise， readable history is for my students。 I teach AP World History to high school sophomores and learning about China is always a daunting task。 Enter "The Shortest History of China。" In fifteen relatively brief chapters， the author present thousands of years of history my students would have feared learning。 This will serve nicely as a Fall Break reading assignment that won't seem punitive！ I was lucky enough to get an advanced readers copy and was able to build it into What a blessing this concise， readable history is for my students。 I teach AP World History to high school sophomores and learning about China is always a daunting task。 Enter "The Shortest History of China。" In fifteen relatively brief chapters， the author present thousands of years of history my students would have feared learning。 This will serve nicely as a Fall Break reading assignment that won't seem punitive！ I was lucky enough to get an advanced readers copy and was able to build it into this year’s curriculum。 Thanks， Netgalley and @experimentbooks for making this high school teacher's life a little easier！ 。。。more
Diane Hernandez
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China has definitely been frequently in the news lately。 If you are curious about the world’s longest written history， you could spend an eternity reading books about the various dynasties。 Or you can read The Shortest History of China in an afternoon and understand our number one trade partner’s history in a flash。Beginning about 780，000 years ago and continuing to 2020， The Shortest History of China at 252 pages is amazingly compact for packing in so many details。 Some of the eras depicted are China has definitely been frequently in the news lately。 If you are curious about the world’s longest written history， you could spend an eternity reading books about the various dynasties。 Or you can read The Shortest History of China in an afternoon and understand our number one trade partner’s history in a flash。Beginning about 780，000 years ago and continuing to 2020， The Shortest History of China at 252 pages is amazingly compact for packing in so many details。 Some of the eras depicted are sure to incite further research。 Overall， a fast and easy way to learn about China and how it became the megapower it is today。 4。5 stars rounded up to 5 stars！Thanks to The Experiment and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review。 。。。more
Keely Malady
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Engaging from beginning to end - a living history。 Loved the 'shortest' format for an introduction to the biggest changes across a broad swathe of human experience。 Appreciated the emphasis on highlighting women's and minority experiences where information is known。 Engaging from beginning to end - a living history。 Loved the 'shortest' format for an introduction to the biggest changes across a broad swathe of human experience。 Appreciated the emphasis on highlighting women's and minority experiences where information is known。 。。。more
Lou （nonfiction fiend）
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The Shortest History of China is a richly informative and important book。 China's past is key to the modern world。 This nimble and pacy history of rogues， revolutions and rebellions can be read in a single afternoon but will transform your perspective for a lifetime。 Some people turn to Chinese history for clues to China’s present。 Others look to it as the missing piece in the puzzle of world history as it’s typically taught in the west。 And still， others find joy simply in exploring topics rang The Shortest History of China is a richly informative and important book。 China's past is key to the modern world。 This nimble and pacy history of rogues， revolutions and rebellions can be read in a single afternoon but will transform your perspective for a lifetime。 Some people turn to Chinese history for clues to China’s present。 Others look to it as the missing piece in the puzzle of world history as it’s typically taught in the west。 And still， others find joy simply in exploring topics ranging from the intellectual and cultural life of Chinese cities in dynastic times to the stories of China’s first feminists， the origins of Daoism， or even the history of history in China itself。 Chinese history is sprawling and gloriously messy。 It is full of heroes who are also villains， prosperous ages and violent rebellions， cultural vibrancy and censorious impulses， rebels， loyalists， dissidents and wits， and the story of women in China， from the earliest warriors to twentieth-century suffragettes， is rarely ever told。 And historical spectres of corruption and disunity， which have brought down many a mighty ruling house， continue to haunt the People’s Republic today。 Modern China is seen variously as an economic powerhouse， an icon of urbanisation， a propaganda state or an aggressive superpower seeking world domination。 Linda Jaivin distils a vast history into a short， readable account that tells you what you need to know， from China’s philosophical origins to its political system to the COVID-19 pandemic and where China is likely to lead the world。 Jaivin is an author who has lived and worked in China for years， first as a student then as a foreign correspondent。 She was in China during the Tiananmen Square massacres of 1989 and several of her closest friends were leading the protests。 The Chinese politics， language and culture expert posits that knowing the story of this extraordinary civilisation is necessary for understanding the revival of Chinese power and its increasingly aggressive role in the world。 Highly recommended。 。。。more
Sarah
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China's history spans tumultuous centuries。 It includes periods of great cultural and scientific advancement interspersed with eras of unspeakable violence and wanton cruelty。 It's simply not possible to condense 3，500 years of recorded history into under 300 pages， but Jaivin does her level best。 The breakneck speed （Confucius himself merits only three pages） does slow somewhat as it nears the modern day: 1900 to the present is allotted a third of the book。 The compressed time frame makes the h China's history spans tumultuous centuries。 It includes periods of great cultural and scientific advancement interspersed with eras of unspeakable violence and wanton cruelty。 It's simply not possible to condense 3，500 years of recorded history into under 300 pages， but Jaivin does her level best。 The breakneck speed （Confucius himself merits only three pages） does slow somewhat as it nears the modern day: 1900 to the present is allotted a third of the book。 The compressed time frame makes the historical cycles and cultural through lines quite noticeable。 Very readable and it does just what it says on the tin。 Thanks， Netgalley。 。。。more
Courtney
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This book is exactly what it claims to be and it does it well。 While not comprehensive it covers important points of each dynasty， highlighting key players， advances in philosophical thought and invention and well as covering the cyclonic nature of history。 Covering the rise and fall， prosperity and oppression。 Famine， flood and war。The writing is engaging and often leaves you curious to read up on certain figures or periods。 It explains the social mood of the time and how the leaders of the tim This book is exactly what it claims to be and it does it well。 While not comprehensive it covers important points of each dynasty， highlighting key players， advances in philosophical thought and invention and well as covering the cyclonic nature of history。 Covering the rise and fall， prosperity and oppression。 Famine， flood and war。The writing is engaging and often leaves you curious to read up on certain figures or periods。 It explains the social mood of the time and how the leaders of the time employed propaganda， religion and philosophical thought into the leadership。 And how they continued to do that to the present and most of all it explains the way we have reached the current climate we find ourselves in with the CCP。 It truely is a fantastic if brief education in the history of China。And as a last note， it's always fascinating to see when the English will show up and be complete and utter fucking wankstains。 Ugh。 。。。more
Pip Jennings
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Very interesting & readable。 A good background to China’s history。
Yash Raghuwansi
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This and the story of china （pbs/bbc） are great primers on 2000 years of Chinese history。
Steve
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Lives up to its name: Short but highly informativeI love this book。 I like the writing style with its clarity and conversational tone。 Considering the time span and magnitude of the subject matter， there is an astonishing depth of information in what is actually a relatively concise book Obviously， Linda Jaivin couldn’t go into a lot of details， but I feel like she covered all the major ones。 I also found that each era was treated equally with no undue emphasis on one or another。 The book is fas Lives up to its name: Short but highly informativeI love this book。 I like the writing style with its clarity and conversational tone。 Considering the time span and magnitude of the subject matter， there is an astonishing depth of information in what is actually a relatively concise book Obviously， Linda Jaivin couldn’t go into a lot of details， but I feel like she covered all the major ones。 I also found that each era was treated equally with no undue emphasis on one or another。 The book is fast-paced and impossible to put down， yet it doesn’t feel rushed。 This is a great introductory book for anyone interested in the history of China and for people who want to better understand China’s current role in the world。 Thank you to Netgalley and The Experiment for the advance reader copy。 。。。more
Cel Jel
，
A very interesting read。 Telling a history of Chinese dynasties and allowing an understanding of differing viewpoints。 I found new understanding of the period from the 1850s to now in the reading of this book。 I highly recommend it。 I took so long because I wanted to read fiction at the same time and also because I wanted to concentrate， and did not always have the chance。
Viv
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This was a great intro into the history of a nation that is almost impossible to condense。 Linda Jaivin has done a fabulous job of giving the a summary of a history that is as much defined by its longevity as the individual events that take place within it。 This lays out the story of a nation that has incredibly ancient roots， right from the myths of its origins to the modern day nation led by Xi Jinping。 At times I found myself wanting a little more storytelling from this。 There are some chap This was a great intro into the history of a nation that is almost impossible to condense。 Linda Jaivin has done a fabulous job of giving the a summary of a history that is as much defined by its longevity as the individual events that take place within it。 This lays out the story of a nation that has incredibly ancient roots， right from the myths of its origins to the modern day nation led by Xi Jinping。 At times I found myself wanting a little more storytelling from this。 There are some chapters and moments where each paragraph or each event feels a little disjointed。 I felt myself wanting to know ‘What’s the story of the Ming dynasty？ What’s the story of the downfall of the Qing？’ But at the end of the day， I don’t think that that’s what this book is for。 Ultimately， this book is titled: The Shortest History of China。 And it does a wonderful job of exploring just that - it’s a jumping off point and I truly believe that it’s something that everyone should read to understand the absolute breadth， depth and vibrancy of this nation that we see rising as a global power today。 In reading this book， I’m reminded that there is still so much that the ‘West’ doesn’t know or understand about China and the Chinese people。 This book would act as a wonderful introduction and as a result of reading it， I know that I’ll be looking into the areas that have interested me the post （particularly the last 200-300 years of history）。 I am a Chinese Australian young woman and I really found myself thinking to myself “Wow。 I truly never knew about 。。xyz…”。 China’s history is so vast and colourful。 It’s filled with benevolent rulers， scandalous stories and tyrants alike。 It’s full of so much art， so much literature and poetry that I wonder how it’s not talked about more。 I know I certainly will be looking into more of this。 Plus， I loved that Linda Jaivin spotlights the role of women at varying points throughout the book。 While we journey through China’s 4000+ years of history， Jaivin takes a moment to just point out this female character， or that Empress， or that suffragette （I LOVED hearing about the badass females throughout Chinese history）。 I particularly appreciated that LInda Jaivin takes to this history with the eye of someone who really admires China’s history and culture。 It’s clear that she has dedicated a great deal of energy to this and I was really intrigued to see what a Western woman would see and write about。 And I truly enjoyed reading it。A great read - really looking forward to reading more Chinese history。 。。。more
Grace
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Good overviewExcellent overview of the complex and rich history of “China”。 This should be considered essential reading in this day and age。
Viola
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The Australian spy novelist charged with espionage in ChinaAustralian writer Yang Hengjun has been detained by the Chinese government since 2019。 He’s been charged with espionage offences and could face the death penalty。 Today， Linda Jaivin on the mysterious case of Yang Hengjun and what his treatment says about the Chinese government's approach to human rights。https://7ampodcast。com。au/episodes/th。。。 The Australian spy novelist charged with espionage in ChinaAustralian writer Yang Hengjun has been detained by the Chinese government since 2019。 He’s been charged with espionage offences and could face the death penalty。 Today， Linda Jaivin on the mysterious case of Yang Hengjun and what his treatment says about the Chinese government's approach to human rights。https://7ampodcast。com。au/episodes/th。。。 。。。more
Angela
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