China's imperial past : an introduction to Chinese history and culture

China’s Imperial Past: An Introduction to Chinese History and Culture provides a broad and accessible survey of China’s long imperial era, tracing its development from early dynasties to the fall of the Qing dynasty in the early twentieth century. The book explains how imperial rule shaped Chinese political institutions, social structures, cultural values, and intellectual traditions over more than two thousand years.

Rather than focusing only on emperors and dynasties, the book emphasizes the ideas and systems that sustained imperial China, such as Confucianism, the bureaucratic civil service, the family system, and the relationship between the state and society. It also explores everyday life, religion, art, literature, and economic practices to show how ordinary people experienced and contributed to Chinese civilization.

By placing historical events within their cultural and philosophical contexts, the book helps readers understand the continuity and change that characterized China’s imperial past. Overall, it serves as an introductory guide for readers seeking to understand how China’s imperial history laid the foundations for its modern identity and cultural traditions.