The Rise of a Nation (Volumes 1 & 2) - Illustrated Edition (Illustrated Edition)

Author: Cai Dongfan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: A popular historical masterpiece that has gained fame both domestically and internationally. Renowned historian Cai Dongfan used official history as the backbone and anecdotes as the weft. After ten years of painstaking effort, he vividly portrayed five thousand years of Chinese history in a novelistic style. The novel follows a traditional chapter structure, employs accessible language, and includes witty commentary, authentically recreating the tumultuous process of the evolution of Chinese civilization. It depicts the emperors like Qin Shi Huang and Han Wudi, Tang Taizong and Song Taizu, as well as the customs and livelihoods of the people during dynastic changes. It delves into the bloody battles on the frontiers and the intrigues in the court, revealing the survival wisdom amidst the rise and fall of civilizations. The Popular History of the Republic of China, volumes 1 to 3, were written by my friend Cai Dongfan. Cai had a lifelong passion for newspapers, and with a rich collection, he meticulously compiled this work. Enhanced by his polished writing style and intricate structure, it became a perfect blend of historical narrative and fiction. After its publication, it spread rapidly across the world without needing to be promoted. The owner of Huiwen Tang, believing that Cai’s work should be continued after 1919 (the ninth year of the Republic of China), approached me, asking me to write the fourth and fifth volumes. These volumes cover events from the suicide of Li Chun in 1919 to the unification of the Nationalist Government across the nation in 1928, with each volume consisting of 40 chapters and totaling 300,000 words.