The history of China― brilliantly told and brought vividly to life through more than 6,000 years of artifacts and treasures
This illustrated introduction to the history of China offers a fresh understanding of China’s progress from the Neolithic age to the present. Told in six chapters arranged chronologically, through art, artifacts, people, and places, and richly illustrated with expertly selected objects and artworks, it firmly connects today’s China with its internationally engaged past.
From the earliest archaeological relics and rituals, through the development of writing and state, to the advent of empire, the author charts China’s transformation from ancient civilization into the world’s most populous nation and influential economy, offering historical insights and cultural treasures along the way. This accessible book presents an eclectic mix of materials including Chinese theater, the decorative arts, costume, jewelry, and furniture-making, running through to the most recent diffusion of Chinese culture. 650 illustrations

China: A History in Objects (British Museum: A History in Objects)

Harrison-Hall, Jessica

Arts & Photography

Thames&Hudson

The British Museum holds the world's broadest collection of Ming ceramics, now published for the first time in its entirety. Nearly a thousand items are here illustrated, identified, dated and discussed, incorporating the most up-to-date archaeological discoveries and new scientific research previously available only in Chinese or specialist journals. Five introductory essays provide an accessible framework. Each of the catalogue's twenty chapters is then introduced with a brief summary of its defining characteristics. A wealth of additional information, much of it never before gathered together, is clearly interpreted and presented in a series of appendices, tables and maps for ease of reference and research by collectors, students and scholars.

Ming Ceramics in the British Museum

Reference

Art Media Resources Ltd

Sir Percival David made one of the finest collections of Chinese ceramics outside Asia. It includes many items of imperial quality, with beautiful examples of extremely rare Ru and guan wares as well as the famous David vases. Their inscriptions date to 1351, making them an internationally acknowledged yardstick for the dating of Chinese blue and white porcelain. Here are 50 selected highlights, all illustrated with colour photographs taken especially for this publication. The accompanying text provides details and draws out the important features of each piece. The range and scope of the collection provide the material for a stunning overview and accessible introduction to Chinese ceramic art.

Chinese Ceramics: Highlights of the Sir Percival David Collection

Krahl, Regina

BRITISH MUSEUM

The Ming dynasty (1368–1644) is regarded as China’s ‘golden age’, equivalent in British history to the Elizabethan era. The colourful and rich nature of life for the emperors and their families within the vast palaces of Nanjing, Beijing and beyond is captured in the exquisite imperial portraits, paintings, costumes and jewellery. Beyond the courts, outdoor spaces were enjoyed by many people, and journeys into the countryside undertaken for different purposes. Parties were held in gardens with friends and sports such as football and golf kept people fit. Amongst other goods, Chinese porcelain and silk were highly regarded throughout the world at this time. Through the themes of people and places and a wealth of objects, this beautifully illustrated little book provides a concise and fascinating introduction to the Ming period. The author looks at the main production centres, the extensive distribution networks, and the roles of craftsmen, salesmen and customers. As so much of our knowledge of Ming China derives from archaeology, tombs of royals and non-royals are featured and major finds from them illustrated. Religious sites – monasteries, temples and mosques – are also explored; rare surviving examples of architecture from the Ming period. The book concludes with an introduction to some of the imagined spaces of the Ming, including realms for various gods.

Ming: art, people and places

British Museum Press

Harrison-Hall (Department of Oriental Antiquities, The British Museum) presents 144 color reproductions of Vietnamese paintings and drawings depicting images of the life of North Vietnamese fighters, peasants, city dwellers, and others during the American war in Vietnam. Some of the paintings are official propaganda, but most are simply evocations of varieties of experience during wartime. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Vietnam Behind the Lines: Images from the War 1965-1975