All Under Heaven
A Complete History of China
Published on 21. November 2003
Book
Hardback
432 pages
978-0-470-86533-0 (ISBN)
Description
A one--volume narrative history of China, from the earliest inhabitants to the twentieth century, for a popular readership China is a country with an ancient and highly sophisticated civilization of which the Chinese have been justly proud.When the countries of Europe were struggling to move beyond mud huts and stone tools the Chinese already had a highly complex society and were creating works of great beauty. Yet, although it has for many years been a source of great fascination to the West, the history of China remains a mystery to the layman. In this highly accessible narrative written for the general reader, Rayne Kruger produces a synthesis of Chinese history for the non--specialist reader. Rayne Kruger was born in South Africa and began his working life in a Johannesburg goldmine before becoming in succession a lawyer, broadcaster and actor. He emigrated to England in 1947 where he joined the BBC. He wrote a number of successful novels, followed by a history of South Africa (1959) Goodbye Dolly Gray, which has remained in print ever since. An astute business man, he then founded a property group.
He subsequently went into partnership with his wife, the successful restauranteur and cookery school entrepreneur Prue Leith (business woman of the year 1990). He died on 21 December 2002.
He subsequently went into partnership with his wife, the successful restauranteur and cookery school entrepreneur Prue Leith (business woman of the year 1990). He died on 21 December 2002.
Reviews / Votes
"!Kruger posthumously presents a lively synthesis of Chinese history, mythology and customs!" (Western Daily Press, 17 January 2004) "!Kruger's monumental and magnificent book charts 25 centuries of Chinese history ! An astoundingly good volume!" (Scotland on Sunday, 25 January 2004) "! his thoughts are worth hearing, and the author is always good company!" (Daily Telegraph, 24 January 2004)More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Chichester
United Kingdom
Publishing group
John Wiley and Sons Ltd
Target group
College/higher education
Illustrations
Illustrations
Dimensions
Height: 225 mm
Width: 142 mm
Thickness: 37 mm
Weight
644 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-470-86533-0 (9780470865330)
Copyright in bibliographic data is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or its licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Rayne Kruger was born in South Africa and began his working life in a Johannesburg goldmine before becoming in succession a lawyer, broadcaster and actor. He immigrated to England in 1947 where he joined the BBC. He wrote a number of successful novels, followed by a history of South Africa in 1959, Goodbye Dolly Gray, which has remained in print ever since. An astute businessman, he then founded a property group. He subsequently went into partnership with his wife, the successful restaurateur and cookery school entrepreneur, Prue Leith. He died on 21 December 2002.
Content
Preface. About the author. 1. Ape--men to the Shang (700,000--1750 BC). 2. The Shang (?1523-- ?1027 BC). 3. TheWestern Chou (?1027 -- 771 BC). 4. The Eastern Chou (771--476 BC) -- I. 5. The Eastern Chou (771-- 476 BC) -- II. 6. From Confucius to Empire -- I. 7. From Confucius to Empire -- II. 8. Ch'in into China. 9. The Former Han -- I (206--141 BC). 10. The Former Han -- II: WuTi (141--87 BC). 11. The Former Han -- III (87 BC -- AD 9). 12. Interregnum (AD 9--25) and the Han revived -- I. 13. The Han revived -- II (25--220). 14. Partition (220 -- 589). 15. The Sui (581--618). 16. The T'ang (618--907) -- I. 17. The T'ang (618--907) -- II. 18. TheT'ang (618 -- 907) -- III. 19. Five Dynasties,Ten Kingdoms and the Sung -- I. 20. The Sung -- II (960--1279). 21. The Mongols' YuA" an Dynasty (1271 -- 1368). 22. The Ming -- I (1368--1487). 23. The Ming -- II (1487--1644). 24. The Ming Dynasty in perspective. 25. The Manchus' Ch'ing Dynasty (1644--1911) -- I. 26. Ch'ing: OpiumWars and theTaipings -- II. 27. Into the twentieth century. 28. Epilogue: the twentieth century. Bibliography. Index.