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

Author: (Italian) Maurizio Scalpari
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: Ancient China nurtured a great civilization, the influence of which spread across Southeast Asia, its brilliance and complexity recorded by millennia of tradition. The vast treasures discovered in the 20th century amazed numerous archaeologists, confirming some events and information in historical records and encouraging further research to yield fruitful explorations. The text by Maurizio Scalpari, 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 Xia Dynasty (21st century BC–16th century BC), Shang Dynasty (16th century BC–11th century BC), and Zhou Dynasty (11th century BC–221 BC) before the Qin Dynasty. It then covers the brief Qin Dynasty (221 BC–206 BC), the prosperous Han Dynasty (206 BC–220 AD), and the Tang Dynasty (618–907 AD).
This book includes a significant 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 warfare. It places special emphasis on 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 wealth of diverse artifacts were discovered (such as exquisite lacquerware, jewelry, armor, documents written on bamboo slips and silk, bronze ritual vessels, musical instruments, and finely crafted burial suits made of jade and gold thread). The book also features the spectacular Terracotta Army of Emperor Qin Shi Huang and the grand Buddhist grottoes, which are a form of religious art, showcasing the religious fervor of the ancient Chinese people.