Robert Andre Lafleur

China

• Gebundenes Buch

Produktbeschreibung

An up-to-date, concise examination of China-past and present-providing detailed information on a country whose substantial impact on the global economy and consumer culture continues to grow. Part of ABC-CLIO's Asia in Focus series, this authoritative resource is designed to help a wide variety of readers understand the complexities of the world's most populous country-a nation of ancient glory and rising importance, yet one that remains elusive and not generally well known. Packed with recent scholarship and fascinating details, this concise, multifaceted volume offers an updated look at China's geography and history, from the political and technological dominance of the imperial period to the communist revolution and the present state. The work also vividly captures the "living" China of today-its economy, politics, and culture-with extensive coverage of topics ranging from education, languages, arts, and cuisine to industrialization, gender issues, population control efforts, and human rights controversies that have impacted the country's relationship to the global community.

Produktdetails

• Verlag: ABC-CLIO
• Seitenzahl: 528
• Erscheinungstermin: 25. November 2009
• Englisch
• Abmessung: 260mm x 183mm x 33mm
• Gewicht: 1179g
• ISBN-13: 9781598841664
• ISBN-10: 1598841661
• Artikelnr.: 26438986

Autorenporträt

Robert André LaFleur is professor of history and anthropology and chair of the Asian Studies program at Beloit College, Beloit, WI .

Inhaltsangabe

About the Editor and the Contributors
Introduction
1 Geography
Robert André LaFleur
Warren Bruce Palmer The Physical Setting and China's Population
Geographical Regions
Land
Agriculture
and the Laojia
Coming to China: Invasion and Tribute
Themes in Chinese Geography
Imaginative Geography
2 History
Robert André LaFleur Archaeology
Foundation Myths and Early History (to c. 1100 b.c.e.)
Charting the Rise and Fall of China's Dynastic Tradition-Sima Guang's Perspective
The Zhou Dynasty (c. 1100-221 b.c.e.)
The Qin Centralization (221-206 b.c.e.)
The Han Dynasty (206 b.c.e.-220 c.e.)
The Period of Division (220-589)
The Sui Dynasty (581-617)
The Tang Dynasty (618-906)
The Five Dynasties (907-959) and the Kingdoms of Liao
Xi Xia
and Jin (c. 900-1234)
The Northern and Southern Song (960-1279)
The Mongols and the Yuan (1234-1368)
The Ming Dynasty (1368-1644)
The Qing Dynasty to 1800
The Early 19th Century-Stasis
War
and Diplomacy (1800-1850)
Rebellion and Beyond (1850-1870)
Attempts at Restoration and the Fall of Qing (1870-1911)
Republican China and the War Years (1912-1949)
The People's Republic of China (1949-Present)
Notes
3 Politics and Government
John A. Rapp From Traditional to Modern: The 20th-Century Chinese State
Themes from Communist Systems
Combining Traditional and Communist System Models
Ideology
Party-State Structure
Domestic Policy: Human Rights and Dissent
Foreign Policy: China and Global Politics
Greater China Issues
4 The Modern Chinese Economy
Warren Bruce Palmer China's Traditional Agricultural Economy
The Chinese Economy
1900-1949
China's Economy: The Mao Era
1949-1978
Economic Reform
1979-1989
The Chinese Economy Today
Resources
China's Economic System
Intellectual Property Rights
China's Financial System
China's Trading Partners and China's Trade Balance
5 Society
Robert André LaFleur
Tamara Hamlish Religion and Thought
The Hundred Schools of Thought (c. 700-200 b.c.e.)
Buddhism and Religious Daoism During the Period of Division (c. 200-600 c.e.)
Neo-Confucian Thought
Religion
Thought
and the Power of Gathering
Social Classes and Ethnicity
People
Wealth
Class
and Status in Chinese History
Wealth and Status in Contemporary China
Ethnicity and Outlying Peoples in Early Chinese Thought
Ethnic Minorities in Modern China
Women and Marriage
Women in Chinese Society
Marriage and Family in Traditional China
Traditional Marriage and Family Life
Women in Contemporary China
Education
Language and Locality
Education and Acculturation
Traditional Education
Contemporary Education
Educational Curricula
Education in Taiwan and Hong Kong
Educational Challenges
6 Culture
Chinese Language
Shin Yong Robson The History of Written Chinese
Formation of the Characters
Simplified Characters
Problems of Simplification
Pronunciation
Phonetic Writing (Romanizational) Systems: Peking or Beijing?
Mandarin versus Dialects
Useful Chinese Expressions
Social Relationships and Etiquette
Tamara Hamlish
Warren Bruce Palmer
Robert André LaFleur Nested Boxes
Social Relationships-Guanxi
Social Relationships-Family
Social Relationships-Beyond Home
Social Relationships-Practical Etiquette in Chinese Social Situations
Literature
Daniel Youd Introduction: Continuity
Discontinuity
and Diversity
The Classic of Poetry
The Songs of Chu
Early Prose
Han Dynasty Poetry
One Poet from the Period of Division: Tao Qian
Two Poets from the Tang: Li Bo and Du Fu
Cí Poetry of the Song Dynasty
Fiction: Tales and Short Stories
Drama
Ming and Qing Novels
The Modern and Contemporary Periods
Chinese Art
Kenneth S. Ganza Chinese Art and the Supernatural World
Nature in Chinese Pictorial Art
Chinese Decorative Art
Music in China
Ann L. Silverberg Introduction
Differences between Chinese and Western Music
Characteristic Types of Traditional Chinese Music
Food
Robert André LaFleur
Tamara Hamlish Food in Chinese Culture
Food in Chinese History
Chinese Regional Cuisines
Tea Culture and Chinese Festival Foods
Leisure and Sports
Robert André LaFleur
Tamara Hamlish
Kevin Latham A Walk in Shanghai
Daily Life in Chinese Societies
Pilgrimage and Everyday Activities
Spectator Sports and the Olympic Games
Popular Culture and Traditional Beliefs
Robert André LaFleur
Kevin Latham
Tamara Hamlish The Internet
Gaming
and Communication
Film and Cinema
Popular Religion
Calendars and Almanacs
Numbers and Directions
Yin-Yang
the Five Phases
and Color Symbolism
Language and Popular Culture
7 Contemporary Issues
Anita M. Andrew Contemporary China: Echoes of the Past
China's Traditional Worldview
European Maritime Powers and the Qing Dynasty
The Opium War
1839-1842
The Century of Humiliation
Environmental Problems
Pollution
Coal Dependence and Mining Dangers
Three Georges Dam Controversies
Poaching of Endangered Species
Tainted Products from China
Lead Paint Products from China
Political Events in China: China's Government Crackdown against Political Protests by Tibetans and Uighurs
The Chinese Adoption Industry
The Beijing Summer Olympics
Conclusions
Glossary
Facts and Figures
Chinese Festivals and National Holidays
China-Related Organizations
Annotated Bibliography
Thematic Index
Index