China: A New History

This splendid general history of China is an authoritative guide through millennia, yet it also includes a great amount of material on recent Chinese history, especially in the chapters added by Merle Goldman. The late professor Fairbank is our guide most of the way, and his easy style makes for delightful reading.
The book addresses a number of continuing themes, such as the contrast between state and family, between urban and rural, between ruling elite and the masses. It devotes considerable time to the development and evolution of Confucian thought and the way that philosophical system influenced the government and culture of China. Fairbank also spends some time tracing the development of Mao thought. In addition, the author eases show more the way for the Westerner by comparing developments in China with similar developments in European history.
Two very useful features in this book: 1.) every so often Fairbank will pause to survey areas that should receive further scholarly research; 2.) an extensive guide to further reading for any subject that the reader might find of interest. All in all, this book is a wonderful narrative history and a worthy introduction to an important topic. show less

Only Ancient Egypt and India rival the length and development of the four millennia long development of Chinese civilization, one that for centuries was more advanced than other locations on the Eurasian landmass until suddenly it wasn’t and challenged. China: A New History is the last work by noted historian John King Fairbanks with addition from Merle Goldman covering the post-Mao years to the beginning of the 21st century.

Covering a 4000-year-old civilization in a total of 455 pages of text, of which only 405 were written by Fairbanks, is a daunting history however Fairbanks quickly develops the threads and themes he will follow throughout the history of a nation and a culture. Barely over half the book is dedicated to the show more ‘Imperial’ period from the first appearances of the elements that would become then shape Chinese culture to the fall of the Qing dynasty and the rest of the book covering the 20th Century that saw the Republican, Nationalist, and Communist eras. Goldman’s last chapter and epilogue attempts to follow Fairbanks threads and themes though in her own words and style which meshed well. This is not a history the delves into important people until the arrival of Mao, yet those Fairbanks points out and gives significant page space to are connected to the threads and themes. The number of sources and closer we get to our own time means the speed of history slows down, which given the number of pages is understandable but there were some sections of Chinese history I which Fairbanks would have given more time to.

China: A New History is the masterpiece of noted historian John King Fairbanks with a well written addition by Merle Goldman bringing the nation’s history up to the 21st Century. Given the amount of time needed to be covered and the number of pages its down in, it’s a fantastic history. show less

Excellent summary of China. I liked how it doesn't always go chronologically, but walks through different aspects of Chinese society and history so you can see it as a whole.

I'm only one chapter in, but I like the author's approach. He is reputed to be the go-to scholar for a one-volume China history. He is even-handed and includes all of the classic forces that shape human development: geographic, cultural, economic. political, and religious determinants, etc. He writes clearly, and well, and my hard-bound copy he good maps. Yes!

Fascinating book. I knew next to nothing about China's history before reading it, and I usually have difficulty reading history at all, but Fairbank handles the subject quite well, and adds the occasional dash of dry humor (which I was entirely not expecting).

Quintessential book of the history of the Chinese people and culture. Written without the prejudice born during the Red Scare. Factual and seemingly unbiased. Wonderful read.

There is more of a focus on the Qing dynasty and after. In general, when compared to Hucker and Gernet, Fairbank & Goldman (I abbreviate 'Fairbank' from here on) are more closely interested in mechanisms, both governmental and economic, that predominated during historical times. He gives references to the range of academic studies concerning particular issues without getting bogged down in academic disputes.

However none of the books give a convincing explanation of the decline in wealth that took place in the 18th and 19th century. Fairbank emphasizes the law of diminishing returns, which existed in Europe, as well, so why should it be the primary explanation in this case? More reasonable is his comment that "merchants never broke free show more of official supervision, if not domination" (p. 179).

Note that the coverage of foot-binding here is far superior to that of Gernet and Hucker, who both largely ignore this practice.

Merle Goldsmith's 40-page coverage of the period following the Cultural Revolution is quite useful, although it covers only to 1998. show less