From kung-fu to tofu, tea to trade routes, sages to silk, China has influenced cuisine, commerce, military strategy, aesthetics and philosophy across the world for thousands of years.Chinese history is nothing if not messy. Heroes are also villains; prosperity mingles with violence; cultural vibrancy coexists with censorship and repression. Modern China is seen variously as an economic powerhouse, an icon of urbanisation, a propaganda state and an aggressive superpower seeking world domination.Jaivin distils this vast history into a sparkling narrative, from mythical origins to the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s a story in which China’s women, from the earliest warriors to 20th-century suffragettes, receive long overdue attention.As historical spectres of corruption and disunity continue to haunt the People’s Republic, Jaivin discusses what may lie ahead – not just for China but for the world.
A propos de l’auteur
After graduating from Brown University in Asian history and political science, Linda Jaivin studied and worked as a journalist, in Taiwan, Hong Kong and mainland China for nine years. She has worked as a literary translator (from Chinese, specialising in film), written seven novels (two set in China), five works of non-fiction (including SHOC), cultural commentary and essays. She co- edits the China Story Yearbook for the Australian Centre on China in the World at the Australian National University, where she is an associate editor.