China: A History in Objects

China: a History in ObjectsThis is a scholarly and endlessly fascinating history. I am very impressed with it.Here is a book that sets out to do something many have tried but, I suggest, few have succeeded: embody a single yet unintimidating and accessible volume with the ambitious scope of China's vast history. I have read several China histories before and while always interesting none have proved to have the stimulating, page-turning quality of this offering from the British Museum's Harrison-Hall.Presenting objects from the British Museum's own collection as well as Beijing's National museum and elsewhere, China: A History in Objects, imho successfully, guides the reader from the Neolithic to the modern age, fascinating and enlightening as it goes. You'll learn about ceramic and porcelain, bronze and metallurgy, jade, furniture, architecture, paintings, calligraphy, cloisonné and much more.The book blends the latest research and superb photographs to present archaeological finds and cultural treasures - the narrative underpinning - as you follow the chronology of the various states which in turn dominated the territories of the Middle Kingdom. You'll find brief biographies on key figures such as Qin Shi huangdi, Confucius, Zhu Di - Yongle emperor, and significant emperors right up to the last Qing ruler. Then modern China is covered through Mao to modernist artists like Wu Guan Zhong. I found the format utterly compelling: a blend of quality images and brief but informative notes giving you the context for, and insights into, the countless treasures within.Neolithic pots, Ming period Jingdezhen porcelain, the Admonitions Scroll, intricately carved lacquer vessels, and my favourites (so far!) include the Eastern Zhou gold sword hilt, the Tang tomb figures and Song period narrative paintings. Helpfully correcting perhaps a too persistent misconception, Harrison-Hall from the off, points out that China, rather than developing as an insular series of states, actually absorbed influences from outside continually. I expect to come across more scholarly insights as I continue to read it.As a primer for those intending to study the country and culture, it cannot fail. I wish I'd had something like this years ago! As background reading for those embarking on a tour, or as a compendium and gift for someone with a curiosity about China, the book will surely tick a lot of boxes. For its accessibility and potential for hours of exploration and not least for its undoubted ability to whet the appetite for further reading, it is a remarkable achievement and I thoroughly recommend it.

It was the perfect present for a historian interested in China. Good hardback substantial book with interesting content

Beautiful book, high quality illustrations and a learned text

Very good comprehensive book about the Chinese art objects

Beautiful and useful book. Thank you

This is an amazing book, covering a wide range of Chinese art. Inevitably each aspect is covered briefly but the bibliography provides useful references for further study. This book should be essential reading for anyone starting a course on on any subject within the range of Chinese art.

Not really a history, more an illustrated catalogue of the China highlights of the British Museum, with some significant objects from elsewhere thrown in. The historical information is rather perfunctory and disconnected, and given the many geographical references, the complete absence of maps is frustrating. A number of the larger objects are shown without enlargements of detail, and in many cases without even taking up the full width or height of the page; as a result they can't be appreciated. This is a particular problem with the painted scrolls. Where this book would be useful is as a prelude to studing the objects in the museum.