Ancient China

Many nations define themselves in terms of territory or people; China defines itself in terms of history. Taking into account the country's unrivaled, voluminous tradition of history writing, John Keay has composed a vital and illuminating overview of the nation's complex and vivid past. Keay's authoritative history examines 5,000 years in China, from the time of the Three Dynasties through Chairman Mao and the current economic transformation of the country.

From an award-winning international rising star, a dazzlingly inventive novel, spanning ancient and modern China, that interweaves stories of romance and showbiz Inspired by the vacant, uninhabited megacities of China, Ghost Cities follows multiple narratives, including one in which a young man...

🔍 What's it about? In this new novel, Judge Dee must assert himself in the rain-soaked and corruption-ridden trading city of Lan-fang. No sooner has he arrived than he finds himself facing not only hostile guild masters, but also three interwoven mysteries that demand all his ingenuity. A fisherman pulls a headless corpse dressed in a precious silk robe from the Imperial Canal—is it the missing guild master Wang? At the same time, a well-known usurer dies under mysterious circumstances in the arms of his young concubine, and a legendary puzzle box poses a riddle. As if that weren't ...

When Judge Di arrives in the remote village of Yangwei to introduce himself as the region's new magistrate, he is unexpectedly drawn into a mysterious murder case. A man has been brutally murdered in the local abandoned pagoda at night - his skin ripped from his body. Judge Di begins his investigation, and the more he learns about the history of the pagoda and the customs of the village, the more baffling the case becomes. Torn between superstition and real evidence, Judge Di must find a way to uncover the truth behind this inhuman act. In classic style, this thrilling detective story takes...

The man who unified China — and built an army of clay to guard him in death. In 1974, a farmer digging a well in central China struck something hard. Within months, archaeologists understood what he had found: eight thousand life-size terracotta soldiers, buried in battle formation, guarding the tomb of the First Emperor of China. Beyond them, still unexcavated, lay the tomb itself. His birth name was Ying Zheng. By thirty-eight he had conquered six rival kingdoms, declared himself First Emperor, and imposed on a vast and culturally diverse territory the most ambitious administrative ...

Step into a world where justice is not merely enforced—but pursued with intellect, courage, and moral clarity. The Cases of Judge Peng presents a masterfully adapted translation of the classical Chinese gong’an tradition—where crime, philosophy, and human nature intersect within the intricate structure of imperial law. Set against the backdrop of Imperial China, this collection unfolds a series of gripping investigations shaped by deception, loyalty, and hidden motives. From shadowed temples and corrupt officials to outlaw brotherhoods and imperial conspiracies, each case reveals a ...

Spend twenty-four hours with the ancient Chinese. Travel back to AD 17, during the fourth year of the reign of Wang Mang of the Han dynasty, a vibrant and innovative era full of conflicts and contradictions. But as different as the Han culture might have been to other great ancient civilizations, the inhabitants of ancient China faced the same problems as people have for time immemorial: earning enough money, coping with workplace dramas, and keeping your home in order.

Academic Links “Quick Read” series is a history collection designed to introduce readers to important topics from the past and spark an interest to learn more. These books contain short, easy to read articles that relate to the main topic and make each subject engaging and accessible. The series encourages curiosity, helps readers explore new ideas, and opens the door to deeper learning about history and the world. Each book introduces different time periods, events, and topics in history while helping readers build a stronger understanding of the past and how it connects to today. ...

Michael Wood has travelled the length and breadth of China, the world's oldest civilization and longest lasting state, to tell a thrilling story of intense drama, fabulous creativity, and deep humanity that stretches back thousands of years.

This audiobook narrated by Jim Lee provides a rich, discovery-filled account of how a forgotten empire transformed the ancient world.

*A New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice* From celebrated Yale professor Valerie Hansen, a “vivid” and “astonishingly comprehensive account [that] casts world history in a brilliant new light” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) and shows how bold explorations and daring trade...

San Kuo: Or Romance of the Three Kingdoms is a historical novel attributed to Luo Guanzhong, set during the turbulent final years of the Eastern Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period (circa 184–280 AD). Widely regarded as one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature, it combines history, legend, and myth to depict the power struggles and heroic exploits of the era.

Reality has fractured. The past won't stay buried. And two unlikely allies must navigate a quantum nightmare to save a city. In the hidden alleys of Old Shanghai, disgraced physicist Li Wei gets a second chance: help Triad boss Brother Hui and eccentric historian Old Chen activate a device that can tap into the quantum echoes of the past. The promise is revolutionary—access to ancestral knowledge, lost skills, historical wisdom. But when the experiment catastrophically fails, it doesn't just break—it braids reality itself. The result is "The Tangle": a growing zone where quantum ...

FOR OVER TWO THOUSAND YEARS THE SECRET HIDING PLACE OF THE JADE SEAL HAS BEEN JUST THAT – A SECRET.The dragon seal of Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China, will be the most valuable ancient artefact to come from the Middle Kingdom, if they can find it. The accidental destruction of a small antique porcelain pillow reveals the secret of the seal, leading the young Australian teacher and his Scottish friend away from their peaceful college at Nandaihe on the shore of the Bo Sea, drawing them up into the freezing bleakness of the jagged mountains of Huangshan as they try to locate the ...

From kung-fu to tofu, tea to trade routes, sages to silk, China has influenced cuisine, commerce, military strategy, aesthetics, and philosophy across the world for thousands of years. Chinese history is nothing if not messy. Heroes are also villains; prosperity mingles with violence; cultural vibrancy coexists with censorship and repression. Modern China is seen variously as an economic powerhouse, an icon of urbanization, a propaganda state, and an aggressive superpower seeking world domination.

Before Rome’s legions ever dominated Europe, a massive power was already ruling the Indian subcontinent. It stretched from the mountains of present-day Afghanistan to the Bay of Bengal, carving its path deep into southern India. This was the Mauryan Empire. What if the most powerful figures in ancient China were the ones you’ve never heard of? When archaeologists uncovered the untouched tomb of Lady Fu Hao in 1976, they didn’t just find treasure—they found a story that rewrote history. She wasn’t just a queen. She was a fierce general, a high priestess, and a leader lost to time… until now.

In this audiobook, you will be led on a journey through almost 2,000 years of Chinese history, showing you all the ups and downs of those ancient times, the sufferings and joys of the Chinese people, along with their greatest achievements and failures. Dynasties will change, people will be killed and born, art made and destroyed, but the Chinese civilization will prevail, rising from humble beginnings to an empire that at some points outshined any other in the world at that time.

Did you know that the Chinese New Year (過年) began as the Hebrew Passover (逾越節)? Did you know that the red on the door posts and lintels of Chinese homes (now red banners) used to be the blood of the Passover Sacrifice? Did you know that Israelites (以色列人) settled in China shortly after the 10 Tribes were conquered and exiled by the Neo-Assyrians in year c. 722 BCE? Did you know that scattered Israelites also settled in Korea and Japan? This work uncovers little-known evidence of a group of Israelites (בני ישראל) that settled in China in year c. 712 BCE. The Hebrew ...

Song Sun likes to talk but never listens. After talking too much to a stranger, Song Sun accidentally gives away the Chinese secret of silkmaking. Will Song Sun be able to save the secret?

The Roman Empire and the Silk Routes investigates the trade routes between Rome and the powerful empires of inner Asia, including the Parthian regime which ruled ancient Persia (Iran). It explores Roman dealings with the Kushan Empire which seized power in Bactria (Afghanistan) and laid claim to the Indus Kingdoms. Further chapters examine the development of Palmyra as a leading caravan city on the edge of Roman Syria and consider trade ventures through the Tarim territories that led Roman merchants to Han China.