Where did you get your information about chinese history?

[bushbush]

I am just wondering what kind of sources people are using to learn about chinese history, especially for posters who are from countries where teaching chinese history is not mandatory unless in specific programs in universities.

if possible, i think a discussion on these potential sources' impacts on people's understanding of china would be great too.

[il padrino]

from you...



and from the TV,Internet,and a chinese friend i had at school.

[Babur]

I am just wondering what kind of sources people are using to learn about chinese history, especially for posters who are from countries where teaching chinese history is not mandatory unless in specific programs in universities.

if possible, i think a discussion on these potential sources' impacts on people's understanding of china would be great too.

you left out videogames too!

[motiv-8]

I learned about China mostly through a History of Modern China class taught by Dr. Rebecca Ruhlen, who actually is more a Korean specialist than Chinese, but the book we used was pretty comprehensive -- The Search for Modern China by Jonathan D. Spence.

[bushbush]

I learned about China mostly through a History of Modern China class taught by Dr. Rebecca Ruhlen, who actually is more a Korean specialist than Chinese, but the book we used was pretty comprehensive -- The Search for Modern China by Jonathan D. Spence.

yes indeed, a good book on recent history, try the ones written by john fairbank too, great scholar on chinese history in general

[Babur]

yes indeed, a good book on recent history, try the ones written by john fairbank too, great scholar on chinese history in general

what about John Keay's history of China?

[bushbush]

what about John Keay's history of China?

haven't read that one but i think it's better to start with ones published by reputable university press. Those are generally considered more reliable.

[Babur]

haven't read that one but i think it's better to start with ones published by reputable university press. Those are generally considered more reliable.

he's a graduate of Oxford University lol, his works are reliable,well researched and sourced plus most importantly readable .

Rayne Kruger has a great history of China too, he sadly passed away some years ago but he was a writer,historian and businessman all rolled into one.

[Odovacar]

We were anxious not to draw a chinese history question at university exams. The same with India.
Of course I draw one....

[motiv-8]

try the ones written by john fairbank too, great scholar on chinese history in general

He's one of the editors for the Cambridge history, right? That collection should tell anyone what they ever wanted to know... ever. It has a staggering number of volumes.

[bushbush]

He's one of the editors for the Cambridge history, right? That collection should tell anyone what they ever wanted to know... ever. It has a staggering number of volumes.

ya that series is the ultimate on chinese history in english language, unless u r doing phd on chinese history, u probably won't touch that thing , fairbank and other editors for that series know about china more than 99% of chinese population...

from you...

i am not a good source lol, chinese history is not my major.

[Dr. Croccer]

http://chinahistoryforum.com/

[ALFAJI]

96% videogames
4% other

[Boyar Son]

pretty much i learned it from bushbush.

[Azog 150]

Documentaries, casual books and the internet. I am not really into Chinese history enough to start buying academic books etc.

[RollingWave]

orignal soruces such as contempory manuels / writings during that time period, and interperation of them by later scholars

[asianboy]

Simply put, China History Forum

[frontier-auxilia]

Before any serious attempt in studying history, my sources of Ancient China to Qing were....soap opreas , what my elders haven't to spew out of their mouth when i ask them about it and Jing Rong Novels. For dramas, hong kong one may be crap bastardised for house wives but those being made in CCTV is deffinately well worth watching. The Genghis Khan series is the finest thing ever to grace the screen of mainland china (don't on me, just an opinion). Otherwise my general education also teach us a very basic understanding of chinese history. Namely this include the name and order of important dynasties, major events (unification by Qin Shi Huang Di, Mongol invasion) plus a coverage on 3 kingdoms to keep the brats happy thanks to a certain bestseller in the Ming Dynasty plus a videogame. Otherwise details be damned cos most people learn in HK just to get by and not have their life ###ked over from marks rather then the purpose of education.

My general understanding of modern chinese history is brought about from a big fat book written by Immanuel C.Y Hsu called The rise of modern china http://www.amazon.com/Rise-Modern-Ch.../dp/0195125045. Its easily acessible, free from pretentious scholarly Jargorns, well illustrated (in the literal sense). It also uses a wide diversity of english and chinese sources.

[hellheaven1987]

Well, my information regarding Chinese history was/is, depended on my life time period, divids into school textbooks/academic resources.

After all, I completed my elementary education in Taiwan... Although my first serious academic sources, which I finished at grade 6's summer, was Shiji, which was quite fun to read.

But the works that actually open my interest of military history was JFC Fuller's "Generalship of Alexander the Great" and Liddell Hart's "The History of Second World War" (especially the part about Rommel, which is soooooo awesome), which both always have a special place in my heart (quite a shame the my own nation's history did not open my interest; although story my grandfather told me when I was a child did eventually spare my interest regarding modern Chinese history between 1911 to 1949).

[Aru]

Frankly I know next to nothing about Chinese history. Probably few Wiki articles and few documentaries on Nat Geo.
Also, I'm not too interested in Chinese history. I'm very Eurocentric and have no problem to admit it, but every once in a while I become very interested in certain non-European country or region. China will get it's chance sooner or later.