Whatever aspect of China interests the reader, this beautifully illustrated volume will provide a thorough and thought-provoking look at this complex and often volatile country.
Said to be the oldest continuous civilization, China is a country full of contradictions; it is at once tranquil and dramatic, unified and diverse. China: Ancient Culture, Modern Land gives the reader the experience of living in China today as well as an overview of ancient Chinese history and culture.
Approximately the same length as the Contemporary Atlas of China (1988) but shorter than the Cultural Atlas of the World: China (Time-Life, 1990. rev. ed.), and naturally without their emphasis on cartography, this volume offers 16 well-illustrated chapters by various scholars that chronologically explore topics such as the characters of written Chinese, Buddhism, the Tang and Song dynasties, and "Revolution, Evolution and Continuity." Grace S. Fong's contribution, "Early Literary Traditions," which asserts that "in no other culture has poetry played such a continuous and important role in social and intellectual life," is particularly noteworthy. With change so imminent in China, this text rightfully employs a historical approach and downplays such unstable realities as healthcare, industry, and trade, which are discussed in the above-cited atlases. This volume is, however, recent enough to offer a balanced account of Tiananmen Square. Editor Murowchick is the associate director of Harvard's Fairbank Center for East Asian Research. Recommended for all libraries.
Jack Shreve, Allegany Community Coll., Cumberland, Md.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
