This book shows what makes China such a special country and civilization, with topics ranging from the natural wonders of mountains and rivers to the Silk Road, from the arts and great monuments of the past to the booming cities of today. Full-color photos throughout.

China is the oldest continuous civilization on earth and holds a unique global place in the 21st century, this books uniquely wide focus shows what makes it such a special country, with topics stretching from the natural wonders including mountains and rivers to the Silk Road, the technological innovations of printing and the compass and the modern vibrant cities of today as well as famous monuments such as the Forbidden City in Beijing and the Great Wall. In this new and updated edition, a team of leading scholars from Asia and the West provide an unmatched account of this vast country. Beyond the quality of the individual entries, The Great Wonders of China provides an unmatched account of Chinese history and culture as well as an essential contribution to understanding and appreciating this ancient land.

Expands on the traditional "Seven Wonders" to examine an impressive number of ancient marvels from around the globe. How were the ancient wonders of the world built? How many people did it take to build the Great Wall of China or the Sphinx at Giza? The Seventy Wonders of the Ancient World answers these and many more questions, examining antiquity's most spectacular feats of engineering and celebrating the achievements of the builders who worked without the aid of modern technology. Expanding upon the theme of the traditional Seven Wonders, The Seventy Wonders of the Ancient World incorporates marvels from around the globe, spanning the centuries from the first stone monuments of the fifth millennium BCE to the Great Temple of the Aztecs in the sixteenth century CE. Lesser-known monuments as well as famous sites are explored in detail, such as the giant stelae of Aksum and the mountain palace at Sigiriya. The raising of the stones at Stonehenge, the laying out of the Nazca Lines on the face of the Peruvian desert are all described and explained by an international team of experts. Packed with fact files, this is a testament to the skill of the ancient architects and engineers who continue to impress successive generations down the ages. Recently updated and in a new accessible paperback format.

"In vivid detail... examines the little-known history of two extraordinary dynasties."--The Boston Globe "Not just a brilliant, well-researched, and highly readable book about China's past, it also reveals the contingencies and ironic twists of fate in China's modern history."--LA Review of Books An epic, multigenerational story of two rival dynasties who flourished in Shanghai and Hong Kong as twentieth-century China surged into the modern era, from the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist The Sassoons and the Kadoories stood astride Chinese business and politics for more than one hundred seventy-five years, profiting from the Opium Wars; surviving Japanese occupation; courting Chiang Kai-shek; and nearly losing everything as the Communists swept into power. Jonathan Kaufman tells the remarkable history of how these families ignited an economic boom and opened China to the world, but remained blind to the country's deep inequality and to the political turmoil on their doorsteps. In a story stretching from Baghdad to Hong Kong to Shanghai to London, Kaufman enters the lives and minds of these ambitious men and women to forge a tale of opium smuggling, family rivalry, political intrigue, and survival.

Clear and engaging, this is the definitive history of China, one of the most important political, economic, and cultural players in the modern world. 8-page color photo insert.

Edward Rutherfurd, the internationally bestselling author of Sarum, London, New York and PARIS, turns his pen to the bustling modern behemoth that is China - a country full to the brim with a deep, beautiful and sometimes violent heritage.Set from the 1800s onwards, Rutherfurd's beautiful novel explores the modern history of China with all the signature authenticity and interlacing personal stories that make him one of the most beloved authors of our time.

Explore diverse landscapes, travel back in time, and discover unique populations, all without leaving your chair! Start your international tour in China, land of the Forbidden City, the Yangtze River, the Great Wall of China, more than 1 billion people, and so much more. This colorful, informative book introduces China's history, geography, culture, climate, government, economy, and other significant features. Sidebars, maps, fact pages, a glossary, a timeline, historic images and full-color photos, and well-placed graphs and charts enhance this engaging title. Countries of the World is a series in Essential Library, an imprint of ABDO Publishing Company.