Editors’ Preface........................... ix
Preface.................................. xi
CHAPTER 1 The Formative Age: Beginnings to Third
Centurybce............................... 1
CHAPTER 2 The First Empires: Qin (221–206 bce) and
Han (206 bce –220 ce)..................... 20
CHAPTER 3 The Era of Division (220–589)............... 37
CHAPTER 4 Reunifi ed Empires: Sui (581–618) and
Tang (618–907)........................... 50
CHAPTER 5 Diminished Empire and Nomadic Challengers:
Song (960–1279) and Yuan (1279–1368)....... 67
CHAPTER 6 Early Modern China: Ming (1368–1644)
and Early Qing (1644–1800)................. 85
CHAPTER 7 Decline, Fall, and Aftermath of the Qing Empire
(1800–1920)............................ 102
CHAPTER 8 Civil Wars, Invasion, and the Rise of
Communism (1920–1949).................. 119
CHAPTER 9 The People’s Republic of China (1949 to the
Present)................................ 135
Chronology............................. 157