China and the West to 1600

Empire, Philosophy, and the Paradox of Culture

Häftad, Engelska, 2016

AvSteven Wallech

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A comparative history of Chinese and Western Civilization from the dawn of agriculture to the dawn of modernity in Europe, China and the West to 1600 explores the factors that led to the divergent evolution of two major cultures of the ancient world, and considers how the subsequent developments saw one culture cling to tradition even as the other failed to do so, inadvertently setting the stage for the birth of the Modern Era. An accessible and inventive comparative history, suitable for all students at the college level as well as general readersCompares the history of Chinese civilization with Western civilization from the rise of agriculture to the dawn of the modern periodExplores the ways in which Western failures in the Middle Ages after the Roman Empire’s collapse, and China’s successes in the same period, laid the groundwork for each culture’s divergent path in the modern periodMakes meaningful connections between cultures and over time, through the use of themes such as agriculture, philosophy, religion, and warfare and invasionBridges the gap between antiquity and modernity, looking at many factors of the global Middle Ages that influenced the development of the modern worldFeatures a timeline, maps, endnotes, and complete index

Produktinformation

Utgivningsdatum2016-02-12
Mått147 x 224 x 15 mm
Vikt454 g
FormatHäftad
SpråkEngelska
Antal sidor336
FörlagJohn Wiley and Sons Ltd
ISBN9781118880074

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Steven Wallech is the senior Professor of World History at Long Beach City College. He developed the world history program there, and integrated the world history curriculum with community colleges and universities throughout California. He is the author of World History: A Concise Thematic Analysis, Volumes One and Two (Wiley, 2012). He earned a Ph.D. in History from Claremont Graduate University and has been teaching at the college/university level for over 30 years.

Acknowledgements ixPreface xiIntroduction 1Maps 4Timeline 71 The Paradox of Agriculture and its Impact on China and Western Civilization 8The Oldest Paradox 8Chinese Agriculture 13The First Chinese Dynasties 19Roman Agriculture 30Italian Agriculture 31Egypt 37The Levant and Mesopotamia 41Greece 43Overview of the Roman Economy 46Notes 492 Ancient Philosophy: Chinese versus Western 52The Chinese Quest for Stability 54Implementing Legalism: Li Si and the Qin Dynasty 65The Han Dynasty 67The Greek Worldview: Part One—the Problem 69The Greek Worldview: Part Two—the Quest for a Solution 71The Roman Worldview 79The Kosmopolite 83Christianity 84Notes 923 The Nomads 96Two Incompatible Lifestyles: Nomads versus Farmers 96The Persistent Nomadic Threat, Cannon, and China’s Three Main Issues 99The Silk Road: Revelation of a Deadly Paradox of Culture 109Loyalty, the State, and Paradise Lost 112An Era of Chaos 116The Fall of Rome 118Chinese Potential for Reunification versus Western Fragmentation 120Notes 1234 Contrasting Medieval China and Europe 126Unexpected Consequences 126Revisiting the Paradox of Agriculture 128The Sui Dynasty (581–618) 130The Tang Dynasty (618–906) and the Rejuvenation of China 133The Song (960–1279): The Golden Age Continues 140A Nomadic Interlude 145Evolution of Feudalism during the Fall of Rome 149Medieval Agriculture: The Rise of Feudalism 152The Late Middle Ages (1300–1500) 159Contrasting Systems: A Unified China versus a Fragmented Europe 164Notes 1655 China and Medieval Europe: Cultural Orthodoxy and Creativity 169The Economy, Administration, and Formation of a Chinese Orthodoxy 172Foundations of a Medieval European Orthodoxy 180A Revival of Learning: The Medieval Orthodoxy 189Conclusions 203Notes 2046 The Nomad Apogee of Power 207The Paradox of Culture Springs a Trap 207Mongol Conquest and Rule 210The Yuan Dynasty: A Century of Uneven Rule 221The Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) 223The Qing: The Second Nomadic Regime to Rule China (1644–1911) 231Notes 2447 Modernization 251Germanic Europe during the Early Middle Ages 254China does not Modernize: The Pitfalls of Tradition 286Conclusion 296Notes 297Select Bibliography 301Index 309