Ancient China -- Ancient Chinese Civilization (up to the Tang Dynasty)

Author: (Italian) Manrizio Scarpari, translated by Chen Xin
Publisher:
Publishing Date: Not available
Features: Ancient China nurtured a great civilization, the influence of which spread across Southeast Asia. Its brilliance and complexity are recorded in millennia of tradition. The vast treasures discovered in the 20th century astonished numerous archaeologists, confirming some events and information in historical records and encouraging further research to yield fruitful exploration. The text by Manrizio Scarpari, along with over 400 images in the book, narrates the astonishing civilization and cultural history of ancient China, from the Neolithic Age (8,500 BC–1,700 BC) to the Bronze Age dynasties of the Xia (2,100 BC–1,600 BC), Shang (1,600 BC–1,100 BC), and Zhou (1,100 BC–221 BC) before the Qin Dynasty, to the imperial period starting with the brief Qin Dynasty (221 BC–206 BC), flourishing during the Han Dynasty (206 BC–220 AD), and the Tang Dynasty (618–907 AD). This book features an important chapter analyzing the social structure and multiple aspects of daily life in ancient society, from religious beliefs to politics, from ethics to family, from entertainment to war. The book places special emphasis on the description of art and various artifacts, including jade, metal utensils (especially bronze, as well as gold and silver often associated with bronze), ceramics, lacquerware, paintings, and objects made from precious stones, wood, and glass. Readers will explore some important archaeological sites, including the magnificent tombs of ancient nobles, where a large number of diverse artifacts were discovered (exquisite lacquerware, jewelry, armor, documents written on bamboo slips and silk, bronze ritual vessels, musical instruments, and exquisite burial robes made of jade and gold thread, among others), as well as the spectacular Terracotta Army of Emperor Qin Shi Huang and the grand Buddhist grottoes, which are a form of religious art, showcasing the religious passion of the ancient Chinese people.