The Invention of China

By: Bill Hayton

Narrated by: Julian Elfer

Length: 10 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

A provocative account showing that "China" - and its 5,000 years of unified history - is a national myth, created only a century ago with a political agenda that persists to this day.

China's current leadership lays claim to a 5,000-year-old civilization, but "China" as a unified country and people, Bill Hayton argues, was created far more recently by a small group of intellectuals.

In this compelling account, Hayton shows how China's present-day geopolitical problems - the fates of Hong Kong, Taiwan, Tibet, Xinjiang, and the South China Sea - were born in the struggle to create a modern nation-state. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, reformers and revolutionaries adopted foreign ideas to "invent" a new vision of China. By asserting a particular, politicized version of the past the government bolstered its claim to a vast territory stretching from the Pacific to Central Asia. Ranging across history, nationhood, language, and territory, Hayton shows how the Republic's reworking of its past not only helped it to justify its right to rule a century ago - but continues to motivate and direct policy today.

©2020 Bill Hayton (P)2020 Tantor

informative but somewhat dry.

While this book is incredibly well researched and can be entertaining at times. Its ultimate goal is to make and back up its argument that the Chinese government is lying about its history. And at this goal it succeeds wonderfully. It gives a convincing and sometimes of hilarious recounting of china's strange history.

BUT you will need to push through some boring, very academic sections that are simply retreading points already made. Don't get me wrong, these sections have a purpose. They are present to add to the body of evidence and make a point. Not to be entertaining stories. In fairness however the pacing is consistent throughout and these academic *evidence lists* are spread out in appropriate places.

Overall I would wholeheartedly recommend this book! But maybe you should wait until your in the mood for some infotainment that is more info than entertainment.

Very clear and informative.

I liked the pacing and detail. Very enjoyable. A pdf with names would be nice.

An eye opening revelation

Haydon's, book is one of the best book ever written exploding the Chinese Communist Party's fabricated history of "China's" alleged historical destiny.
It lays bare, the fact that the Chinese Communist aped and replicated Western ideas to serve their own self serving narrative.
This book should be required reading to understand the origins and shallowness of the present imperialistic ambitions of the Chinese Communist elite.

Detailed Discussion of how China has

attempted to define itself. And this is not easy, but has been a real struggle.

Great Survey

Excellently researched, entertainingly presented. Only compliant is that the reader does not know how to pronounce Chinese, making names confusing

absolutely fantastic book!

thoroughly researched and easily understandable also for someone without any background in Chinese history
interesting, compelling and engaging
buy it
thank me now

I enjoyed the book a lot
Interviewed the author on my YT channel Studio Asia - a very, very interesting discussion

Very interesting and clear

A clear and innovative vision of China history. Great work. Really very interesting. And surpising.

I think the story about lineage from various tribes and races is a fascinating narrative

Loved the narrator. He spoke clearly and also managed to convey a message stemming from a highly knowledgeable author. It’s a perfect book which I will remember always and I love Chinese history and am fascinated with their development.

trash

most propagandist shit I've heard in a long time it's barely readable if you know something about the world