14 replies to this topic

[Master Jiang KI]

i hope you all can be off help. i just started to get into the Qing era, and im looking for a good book to get me started. anybody have any good ones i can pick up in stores?

[General_Zhaoyun]

I recommend reading the following:

1. The Dynasties of China: A history by Bamber Gascoigne, Christina Gascoigne - A concise history of China from beginning till modern times, including Qing dynasty
More info: http://www.amazon.co...=books&n=507846

2. The Search for Modern China by Jonathan D. Spence
Chinese History from 1600 onwards, with information on Qing and modern China.
More info: http://www.amazon.co...=glance&s=books

3. The Rise of Modern China by Immanuel Chung-Yueh Hsu
More info: http://www.amazon.co...=glance&s=books

4. China's Cultural Heritage: The Qing Dynasty, 1644-1912 by Richard J. Smith, which talks about cultural history of Qing dynasty
More info: http://www.amazon.co...=books&n=507846

[khwarazm]

I recommend reading the following:

1. The Dynasties of China: A history by Bamber Gascoigne, Christina Gascoigne - A concise history of China from beginning till modern times, including Qing dynasty
More info: http://www.amazon.co...=books&n=507846

2. The Search for Modern China by Jonathan D. Spence
Chinese History from 1600 onwards, with information on Qing and modern China.
More info: http://www.amazon.co...=glance&s=books

3. The Rise of Modern China by Immanuel Chung-Yueh Hsu
More info: http://www.amazon.co...=glance&s=books

4. China's Cultural Heritage: The Qing Dynasty, 1644-1912 by Richard J. Smith, which talks about cultural history of Qing dynasty
More info: http://www.amazon.co...=books&n=507846

Spence's works has to be used critically, although his lively style brings many of the issues to life.
Hsu's Rise of the Modern China is the best book on the subject.

[joanna]

I also recommend -----The Rise of Modern China by Immanuel Chung-Yueh Hsu

If you are interested in modern Chinses History, you can begin with this book. It's easy to read.

[lifezard]

Since it is the Qing Dynasty, the following books are not too bad too:

The Manchu Way: The Eight Banners and Ethnic Identity in Late Imperial China
More Info: http://www.amazon.co...3343828?ie=UTF8

The Manchus (The Peoples of Asia)
More Info: http://www.amazon.co...3343828?ie=UTF8

they are more about the Manchu elite rather than the common people though

[QinShi HuangDi]

I can't believe nobody recommended J.K.Fairbank's works. "China, A new history" is one of them.

[Iovah]

I can't believe nobody recommended J.K.Fairbank's works. "China, A new history" is one of them.

J.K. Fairbanks, although a momentus figure in Chinese history, has outdated overly simplistic thinking. But he is still the classic authority.

I highly recommend Spence's work, not just because of its lively style, but he has good support for his claimes.

Elliot's "The Manchu Way" is great!

Immanuel Chung-yue Hsu's book is another another authority, but I cannot say I always agree with him. I sometimes find him with not so great support and not specific enough in his explanations, but still a must read.

I also recommend Peter Perdue's "China Marches West"

Patricia Buckley's "The Illustrated History of China" is great for beginners in Chinese history. I've personally known Dr. Buckley, she's an outstanding scholar on the Song dynasty and women's issues.

I also recommend, for more advanced studied, "The Cambridge History of China" series.

There are too many good books on the Qing. Depends on ones subject really.

[Guangtou Xiansheng]

I found Jonathon D. Spence's "God's Chinese Son" a very interesting account of 洪秀全 Hong xiu-quan and the 太平天囯 Taiping Rebellion. I particularly liked his description of the missionary and foreign community in Canton. The chapter where Spence recounts Hong's dream where he meets God is just a great read.

[Gondring]

The Spence book is very good, I am reading it right now for my Modern China course. I can stay awake for it which is quite rare for a textbook.

[yongzheng freak]

I am currently reading China And The Manchus by Herbert A. Giles. It's rather concised and it does give a general overview of the dynasty.

[Jaz]

there is a famous book Dream of the Red Chamber ,Daiyu is the most beautiful girl, her poems are also beautiful.
花谢花飞飞满天， The flowers out fly over the sky.
红消香断有谁怜。 The red fade，fragrant disappeared,who pity for?
游丝软细飘春榭， The hairspring flies softly on pavilion.
落絮轻粘扑绣窗。 Falling down batts stick on embroidery window.

I am currently reading China And The Manchus by Herbert A. Giles. It's rather concised and it does give a general overview of the dynasty.

[ScottLeger]

Professor Immanuel Hsü's The Rise of Modern China is my course study book in university. And I think this is a must read book for everyone who wants a deep understanding of the history of China. It not only covers the history of China but also analyzes the emergence of China as a global superpower at the beginning of the 21st century. At first I was rather frightened by the size of the book, but I ended up reading this book twice because it is so informative and readable.

 

[1Bear4U]

Well.....it's been a long while since anyone's posted any additional reading material on the Qing Dynasty, so I thought I'd share with you something I stumbled across in my readings on the subject.

 

"Monarchy In The Emperor's Eyes: image and reality in the Ch'ien-lung reign"  By Harold L. Kahn (Harvard University Press)

 

I'm finding the information provided quite interesting and insightful.  Just began this book, so I'll have a little better perspective of the books content after I've completed reading it and give a review at that time. 

[chinooook]

In my opinion this book gives some important insight in the Qing Dynasty borders.

The most comprehensive study of the less known Qing Great Wall.

 

Northern Frontiers of Qing China and Tokugawa Japan

A comparitive study on frontier policy

ISBN 0-89065-118-3

 

 

-chinoook

[f0ma]

In my opinion this book gives some important insight in the Qing Dynasty borders.

The most comprehensive study of the less known Qing Great Wall.

 

Northern Frontiers of Qing China and Tokugawa Japan

A comparitive study on frontier policy

ISBN 0-89065-118-3

 

 

-chinoook

 

An interesting read no doubt (I own a copy myself), although it's quite specialist, since it's a publication of the author's PhD thesis. 

 

Smith, Fairbank and Spence are the big three still, but William Rowe's China's Last Empire: The Great Qing might be another readable introduction.