China An Interpretive History

Download or read book The Wobbling Pivot, China since 1800 written by Pamela Kyle Crossley and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2010-01-28 with total page 328 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This comprehensive but concise narrative of China since the eighteenth century builds its story around the delicate relationship between central government and local communities. Rejects the traditional view of China as a wholly harmonious society based on principles of stability – the Unwobbling Pivot of Ezra Pound's translation of the Chinese classic Zhongyong Provides an original interpretation, arguing that developments can be explained through an understanding of China’s surprising swings between centralization and decentralization, between local initiative and central authoritarianism Serves as an introduction to the subject, while readers with a background in Chinese history will find the book offers a personal perspective and addresses long-standing interpretive issues Supported by a variety of timelines, maps, illustrations, and extensive notes for further reading Places China’s history within the context of global change