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 readers
* Compares the history of Chinese civilization with Western civilization from the rise of agriculture to the dawn of the modern period
* Explores 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 period
* Makes meaningful connections between cultures and over time, through the use of themes such as agriculture, philosophy, religion, and warfare and invasion
* Bridges the gap between antiquity and modernity, looking at many factors of the global Middle Ages that influenced the development of the modern world
* Features a timeline, maps, endnotes, and complete index
สารบัญ
Acknowledgements ix
Preface xi
Introduction 1
Maps 4
Timeline 7
1 The Paradox of Agriculture and its Impact on China and Western Civilization 8
The Oldest Paradox 8
Chinese Agriculture 13
The First Chinese Dynasties 19
Roman Agriculture 30
Italian Agriculture 31
Egypt 37
The Levant and Mesopotamia 41
Greece 43
Overview of the Roman Economy 46
Notes 49
2 Ancient Philosophy: Chinese versus Western 52
The Chinese Quest for Stability 54
Implementing Legalism: Li Si and the Qin Dynasty 65
The Han Dynasty 67
The Greek Worldview: Part One–the Problem 69
The Greek Worldview: Part Two–the Quest for a Solution 71
The Roman Worldview 79
The Kosmopolite 83
Christianity 84
Notes 92
3 The Nomads 96
Two Incompatible Lifestyles: Nomads versus Farmers 96
The Persistent Nomadic Threat, Cannon, and China’s Three Main Issues 99
The Silk Road: Revelation of a Deadly Paradox of Culture 109
Loyalty, the State, and Paradise Lost 112
An Era of Chaos 116
The Fall of Rome 118
Chinese Potential for Reunification versus Western Fragmentation 120
Notes 123
4 Contrasting Medieval China and Europe 126
Unexpected Consequences 126
Revisiting the Paradox of Agriculture 128
The Sui Dynasty (581-618) 130
The Tang Dynasty (618-906) and the Rejuvenation of China 133
The Song (960-1279): The Golden Age Continues 140
A Nomadic Interlude 145
Evolution of Feudalism during the Fall of Rome 149
Medieval Agriculture: The Rise of Feudalism 152
The Late Middle Ages (1300-1500) 159
Contrasting Systems: A Unified China versus a Fragmented Europe 164
Notes 165
5 China and Medieval Europe: Cultural Orthodoxy and Creativity 169
The Economy, Administration, and Formation of a Chinese Orthodoxy 172
Foundations of a Medieval European Orthodoxy 180
A Revival of Learning: The Medieval Orthodoxy 189
Conclusions 203
Notes 204
6 The Nomad Apogee of Power 207
The Paradox of Culture Springs a Trap 207
Mongol Conquest and Rule 210
The Yuan Dynasty: A Century of Uneven Rule 221
The Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) 223
The Qing: The Second Nomadic Regime to Rule China (1644-1911) 231
Notes 244
7 Modernization 251
Germanic Europe during the Early Middle Ages 254
China does not Modernize: The Pitfalls of Tradition 286
Conclusion 296
Notes 297
Select Bibliography 301
Index 309
เกี่ยวกับผู้แต่ง
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.
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