~~The Golden Age of Ancient China~~
340793
The author has written this book for ages 6 - 15 and grades 2 - 8.  Most interesting book that starts out showing the exact location of China on a global map.  From there, the reader is taken back to the Han Dynasty which ruled from 206 BC to 220 AD.  This story takes place in 150 AD and covers the Golden Age of Ancient China and the Han Dynasty.  I like the fact that the author defines the word dynasty near the beginning of the book.  Chang'an was located in central China and this is the location for the story.

Four major professions are included as well as the three major religions that were taught to the younger children.  Clothes, diet which varied by location in China, and even the manner in which others could tell how wealthy one was by the spices in their food.  Only the wealthy had ample supplies of spices.  An interesting fact I learned is that chop sticks were used to stir food in the preparation and not iwhile eating the food.

For me many fascinating items were included.  One being the manner in which silk is produced (thus the importance of the Silk Road) and also the invention of paper.  Porcelain was also created which was a real bonus for the trade industry, as well.

I must say that the Emperor did indeed eat well and that he was the only person allowed to wear yellow.  There are a lot of interesting tidbits of information included which are educational for all.  Respect for the elders and the manner in which houses are laid out is fascinating to read.  The drawings are well done and contribute immensely to the text.  I read this utilizing  the Cloud Reader instead of my Kindle.  At the end of the book, there is a glossary included as well as a list of some of the important people in Ancient China.

Most highly recommended.
3122127
This book is only one in a series of books about ancient civilizations and cultures called "Facts on File " , which cover the Roman Empire, the Greek city-states, medieval Europe,ancient Egypt,ect. They are all very great volumes, heavily illustrated with maps,diagrams,and photographs of the personalities, people, places,and cultural/social aspects of the area & time being covered. The text is very thorough and informative,also. A definite valuable addition to any library on ancient times,I enjoyed it tremendously !!!!!!!!!
515484
An excellent book written with humor and interesting fact.  BIll Porter, the author, is a fine writer with a good sense of the long history of China.  There are almost too many facts to learn in this book!
1476406
An extremely valuable compilation and study, liable to be appreciated on different levels, even just for viewing the fascinating photographs, mostly never previously printed, exquisitely reproduced, nearly all from the author's collection, a collection that could not possibly be amassed again today because of the enormous increase in number and wealth of China collectors.  The research about the lives and careers of the individual photographers is comparably impressive, together with the connections between the cameramen and military, commercial, and missionary invasions of China, plus the input of scientists and travelers.  Bennett believes and hopes additional significant photographs will yet emerge from private and archival holdings of the work of various non-professionals, but already this much knowledge and these many illustrations are far more than we might have imagined would exist.  Thank you Terry Bennett.

This volume also supplements information to that recorded by the author in an earlier work titled History of Photography in China 1842 -1860.
1002463
I enjoyed Undress Me in The Temple of heaven -- I found it was a fascinating non-fiction book about China both in 1985 and recently!!

I have bought 3 copies and given two away -- so far everyone is enoying it immensely!!
1110879
This book covers the Qin and Han societies really well. It includes clear and unbiased analyses of their political, economic, social, and religious aspects. The chapter on foreign and military policies is particularly illuminating. The relationship between the Chinese and the Xiongnu empires is described brilliantly. Romaniticisation and exaggeration are eschewed, and the strength and weaknesses of both dynasties are displayed convincingly. It also includes valuable quotes from primary sources like Shiji, Hanshu and Hou Hanshu. Five stars.
3250326
the insights into the antiquity of our most ancient culture is a must for all. i am impressed by the way it has pushed back the age of metals
1400567
I bought this book because I had seen a free video of Ron Teeguarden online at a conference put on by David Wolfe.  I was highly impressed with Ron.  He's had training in herbalism (and other subjects such as meditation and breathing exercises, which are not discussed in this book) from a number of Asian teachers, including Daoist Master Sung Jin Park.  I hadn't realized it, but the traditional teachings is that certain of the "premier" Chinese herbs can have profound vitalizing effects, and can retard aging.  The book gives an overview of the traditional Chinese teaching about jing (physical reserves of the body), chi (energy), and shen (the "light" of consciousness) which I had heard from an acupuncturist but didn't know much about.  Certain herbs, when consumed, have the ability to increase one or more these if they have been depleted, or maintain them.  Some herbs have a "bidirectional" effect on various physical conditions, i.e., lowering blood pressure if it is high, and raising it if it is low.  I enjoyed reading this book.

His book has the recommendation of three Chinese Ph. D.s, two of whom are or were professors at China Pharmaceutical University, and have a string of other academic credentials, and a president (probably former president by now - the book was written in 1998).
575507
This is the book I wish I had written!!

It is simply one of the most fascinating and pracitical books on Traditional Chinese medicine to heve emerged in recent years. As Dr Wang himself said to his student and collaborator Jason D Robertson, you should not write "just another boring text book..."  And that wish has certainly been fulfilled. This book is an exciting read, that draws together both the wisdom of the classics with current clinical practice. The text is very much alive, written as a conversational dialectic between Dr Wang and Jason D, in the time-honoured tradition of Huang Di and his physician Qi Bo, in the Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine. It addresses and repairs many of holes that the Cultural Revolution blew in Chinese Medicine and firmly 're-embodies' acupuncture energetics within the reality of the channel networks.  Well done! Bravo! Gong Xi!
1700226
This set of three books contain illuminating information in a very readable way.  I used to own all three, unfortunately have lost 'The Golden Understanding' and I cannot believe what some people are selling them for!!!
571395
This re-imagination of possibly the first Asian American suoerhero was a joy to read. A wonderful gem uncovered from the Golden Age with a fresh origin story.
73324
An enlightening book, it offers many valid pieces of the puzzle
how maternal Clan life around the world was organized,
and why it functioned well for the benefit of
the Clans, and the Land.
Because our patriarchal system has tried to erase from
records and our minds all existing evidence
of the high status of women in the maternal-Clan
during the millennia of the Mother-Goddess civilization
it is hard work to piece together a valid theory,
or valid vision of every day life and the
matri-focal law systemsin the Creatress Goddess Golden Age.

The overall picture that emerges from the various books
I have read about the Creatress Goddess Civilization is
that people were humane, highly civilized,
honored the preeminent position of women in their
(wonderful) nature-religion and within the Clan,
in the communal and governmental assemblies, trade too,
for the right reasons.
People enjoyed a lot of freedom,
as well as had noble obligations to serving the Clan
and the Land.
Human life was valued highly, animal life and nature too,
the people were freedom loving, they had
"live and let live" cultures based on fine, freedom loving laws.

We can choose the best of maternal-Clan laws
to re-create valid agriculture, valid spiritual teachings,
a non-profit making healthy economy, a brilliant educational system,
flourishing societies, an egalitarian, peace loving
and true civilization.
775672
Excellent introduction to Early Chinese history.  Next volume is also worth owning.  There are a few spots were I felt the exposition of the era or personage involved was not as clear as it could be.  Still, excellent place to start if you know nothing about Chinese history.
3856272
This is a wonderful book full of interesting information about the history of ancient civilizations. I personally enjoyed reading about the rise and fall of the various egyption dynasties. It gives an detailed look at the dynasties and how each ended and another began. The author did a great job of keeping the information interesting and yet easy to read. I would recommend this book for anyone who is remotely interested in the history of Ancient Egpyt and other ancient civlizations.
2975617
This is great on social history of the period between the Han and Sui unifications of China. It covers development of religion, legal doctrine, agriculture, urban life, art and especially literature.  This was not a period of anarchy or lawless sub-culture that one might expect from other interregnum episodes. The contending states had significant contributions to culture and law. The book does a good job of showing the cultural advancement between the Han and Tang eras. While not a period of unification the era was not a period of political anarchy that one might expect. There were many social advances made. One important and surprising aspect is the influence of the Northern barbarian tribes on the sinification process.

The political history analysis is not up to par with the social history. The maps and chronology are not quite adequate to support the text, which oscillates sporadically between eras in this long period. One example is that I can't count the 16 kingdoms, but worse, is that I don't know if that has  any importance. Best is the coverage of external relations with neighbors, Korea and Viet Nam. This may be admirable as an erudite study, but it's not the place to start learning Chinese history although it's worth the time to read it. The book's aim may be a bit too ambitious for a single volume.
1844819
This is a very enlightening book about the development of religious traditions in China, India, Greece and Judea/Israel (and later on Arabia), from the dawn of history until the time of Mohammed.  It centers on a period in each of these cultures that is called the "axial" age, which is when the most profound enlightenments occured.  It's fascinating to learn the history of the development of different belief systems - both familiar and unfamiliar.
2290188
I very much enjoyed reading this book. It relates the author's personal and professional experiences leading a major market expansion in China for a fortune 100 company. It is a great eye opening to better understand how businesses operated in China and the unorthodox ways used to control people and foreign industries. The events related in the book took place the nineties and many things may have change, but the opportunity to go back in time and understand the mind set behind China's goverment control and its culture is unvaluable.