Complete China

Book excerpt: The history of China is a journey through time and space, a story that is both epic and intimate, stretching from the earliest records of human life to the thresholds of the modern era. When I first embarked on the ambitious task of compiling this complete history, my intention was not only to recount the major events and dynasties that have shaped China, but also to explore the cultural, social, and intellectual movements that have defined its people and influenced the world. China’s long history is often divided into epochs of unity and disunity, prosperity and hardship, tradition and reform. Yet, underlying these shifts is a profound continuity—a sense of identity and endurance that has allowed Chinese civilization to adapt and thrive through dramatic change. The aim of this book is to present that continuity alongside the remarkable transformations, from the ancient cultures of 10,000 BC to the end of the imperial era in 1950 AD. This volume is not merely a collection of dates, events, and rulers. It is an exploration of China’s philosophical contributions—from Confucianism to Daoism—its scientific innovations, its struggles for unity, and its responses to external challenges, both military and cultural. I have also sought to highlight the voices and lives of ordinary people, the workers, scholars, and artists whose contributions have often been overshadowed by the grand narratives of emperors and generals.