A Basic History of Ancient and Modern China: Understanding 5,000 years of history in one book - from ancient dynasties to a peaceful rise in the 21st century Kindle Edition

Features:How would you define China? By its government, its geography, or its people? Spanning over 5,000 illustrious years, China is one of the Four Ancient Civilisations. But having gone through "a century of national humiliation" from the 19th to the 20th centuries, how did China overcome all the obstacles and struggles to go from a semi-colonial and semi-feudal society to a superpower with the second largest economy in the world?From prehistoric times to the present, A Basic History of Ancient and Modern China takes you through China's fascinating past, highlighting the significant Qin, Han, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, as well as the Republic of China (ROC) and the People's Republic of China (PRC). To understand how the PRC has evolved into an economic powerhouse, a model for rapid modernisation, and a responsible geopolitical participant, you must learn its history.Along with the facts, Dr. Chui gives his opinions and insights about historical events to help the readers better understand the causes of China's ups and downs.Book highlights include: Over 200 images, diagrams, or maps to help illustrate Chinese historySummarised “Major Historical Incidents” and “Observations / Remarks” in each chapter provide a critical viewpoint to understand the most important events in Chinese history.A balanced and thoughtful account of the development of Chinese civilization from its beginnings to the present dayThis book is for anyone interested in Chinese history, especially all overseas Chinese who do not know Chinese characters but are curious about their ancestry.About the author:Dr. Chui Chuen-shun made the decision to pen his first book, A Basic History of Ancient and Modern China, at the age of 70. Without any formal training in history writing and having spent his entire career working as a professional accountant and businessexecutive, he still pursued the modest goal of writing his first book about the history of his own country, even though it was written in a language other than his mother tongue. There is only one goal: to make it possible for interested non-Chinese speakers to learn the fundamentals of China's 5,000-year history in one book without having any prior knowledge of Chinese characters.Dr. Chui recommends his book to the more than 40 million ethnic Chinese people who reside overseas and may find it challenging to read and understand Chinese characters but who may still be interested in learning some fundamental information about their ancestry.Dr. Chui served as the Daya Bay Nuclear Power Station's Chief Auditor in Shenzhen, China, until he retired. After that, he took a position as Executive Director for a publicly listed company, where he engaged in the jewellery business in the Greater China region. He spent more than eighteen years travelling and living in the Mainland throughout his previous two jobs. He personally witnessed China's profound transition since the turn of the twenty-first century.Being in the right place at the right time allowed Dr. Chui to write a large portion of his book from personal experience, as well as occasionally from first-hand knowledge and observations. Thus, he is able to explain how traditional culture has only evolved and been sustained in modern China. He demonstrates the connections between historic and contemporary China. Read more