China: A New History, Second Enlarged Edition

A Review of “China A New History” by John King Fairbank and Merle GoldmanI read “China, a New History” after completing Ray Dalio’s book, “The Changing World Order”. Mr. Dalio offered three major reasons why nations or empires fail: viz. the accumulation of debt, internal discord, and a rising external powerful nation. One need not look too far to see these factors in America’s current history. Mr. Fairbank’s book, “China a New History, affords a look into the third factor, China. My reading sought to extract insight into China’s historical influences that correlate to modern Chinese state behaviors.Perhaps the characteristics of Chinese culture began when neolithic farming villages formed kinships and networks in a system of “subordination-superordination” that continued thru Mao Zedong and beyond. Or beginnings arose as Neolithic silkworms feasted on mulberry leaves initiating silk production establishing a home craft economic structure. Perhaps cultural norms were initiated with the quasi-historical “Three Empires” (Xia, Shang, and Zhou; 2200 B.C. thru 256 B.C) when a strong central authority was established, and the Zhou leadership forcibly contested with surrounding Nomadic tribes.China’s evolution was partially shaped by its geology. China’s borders extend from latitudes equivalent to Canada in the north and Cuba in the south. China began as an agrarian society and for much of its history depended on rice from the warmer southern climates and some grains from the North’s less arable soil and less cultivable area. This led to the importance of the family unit, village life, and subsequently to the hierarchical economic organization, noted above, for support and distribution. This structure evolved thru the feudal-like Empire periods and was conducive to the destructive Commune period of Mao Zedong. The Empires were essentially autocracies conditioning China for the Communist revolution and the post Mao period from Deng Xiaoping to Xi Jinping.The foundational philosophy of Chinese culture was Confucianism (Confucius 551-479 BC), which is, also, quintessentially hierarchical. The Analects of Confucius codified a set of behavioral principles; child to parent, citizen to the social stratification, and the society to the ruler. Conformity and adherence to the Confucian code would assure nobility in mankind and order in the society. As this developed in the Han and Shang periods, the most important part of the code was loyalty. This influence is unmistakable in modern China, whereas the Confucian distaste for the profit motive has been somewhat deflated by State capitalism.Additional philosophical influences in Chinese thought include Taoism (Lao Tzu), which is more to the mystical side, intimating a central ineffable Tao (the Way) akin to the Vedic Dharma or, perhaps, the essential nature of things. Introspective theosophies seem to have faded into the periphery of Chinese culture.After the decline of the Han dynasty- to which the Chinese trace their ancestry (221 BC to 220AD)- there was a “Buddhist Age”, which achieved a level of autonomy from the State (500 A.D.-850 A.D), incidentally evolving into a meditation form called Chan in Chinese and Zen in Japanese. Chinese thought does not invoke a deity, and Confucius’ attention to social stability seems to remain the most important underlying doctrine. A more extensive discussion of these philosophical influences would have been welcomed in Mr. Fairbank’s influential work.China’s history is replete with the interaction of the dominant Han Chinese and the nomadic tribes to the north and west. The author opines that China’s interior development of art, aestheticism, pictography, warfare, and isolationism (no early development of seafaring) was a cultural foundation stimulated as a reaction to the constant threat of “barbaric invasions” and establishing a cultural distinction from the nomad.The periodicity of Chinese Empires includes successes of nomadic tribes. The Mongol Empire (1279AD-1368AD) known as the Yuan Dynasty established its capital at Beijing under Kublai Khan, the grandson of Genghis Kahn. The final Chinese dynasty before the “Republican Revolution” of 1911 was the Qing dynasty (1644-1912), which was of Manchu origin (mostly descendants of seminomadic Ruzhen tribes which established the earlier Chinese Jin dynasty in the 12th Century); some examples of the Chinese National identity interspersed with governorships of tribal (semi)nomadic origins. The nomadic leaders generally followed Confucian ideation, which strengthened their central control. Chinese dynasties were often interrupted by periods of disorder such as the Warring States period (403BC-221BC) and the period of North-South disunion ((220-589AD) when the Han migrated to the warmer Yangzi valley and there was an ongoing incursion of nomadic tribes. This period was characterized by multiple small kingdoms in the north and south of China.Contestations of China with inner Asian tribes continues with modern China. The Chinese invaded Tibet in 1950. They are currently “re-educating” and forcefully confining the Uyghurs, a northern tribe with prominence since the 8th century and for a period dominated by the Tang dynasty (618AD to 907AD) in the continually shifting Sino-tribal relationships. Of course, China’s relationship with Taiwan is of critical importance currently. The history of Taiwan, (indigenous Peoples 3000BC-Portuguese (Formosa) settlement-Han (Hoklu) influxes post Portuguese-Taiwan secession to Japan-1949 Kuomintang democratic state-) argues against historical Chinese ownership. This issue is beyond the chronology of John King Fairbank’s book.Mr. Fairbanks presents approximately 150 pages detailing the history of Chinese empires, which is admixed with cultural, philosophical, important period contributors, and overview opinions, which makes a confluent demarcation of specific periods somewhat difficult to define. Tables and maps partially come to the rescue.China had an established wide East Asian trade before the Portuguese and the Spanish invaded East Asia in the sixteenth century. The evolution of Western influence in China led to a period of foreign dominace that has not been forgotten in Chinese memory, as it has evolved into the second largest world economy.The British East India company established trade with China in the early 18th century, which strengthened after 1759 thru their exclusivity in the port at Canton (Guangzhou). Opium was imported in exchange for Chinese silver and goods leading to the Opium Wars of 1839-1842 and 1856-1860. The treaty of Nanjing in 1842 and the treaty of Tianjin in 1858 essentially gave Great Britain extraordinary privileges in China (and ownership of Hong Kong to boot). The Coastal cities were Westernized, and the importation of Opium continued for 100 years. The author, John Fairbanks cites these events as more culturally significant than that of the Ruzhen, Mongols, and Manchus empires combined.Undoubtedly, the European, Russian, American, and Japanese encroachments in China, resulting in China’s “Century of shame” (1842-1949), was an enormous stimulus towards China’s subsequent growth, modernization, independence, and much later, economic dominance secondary only to the United States. The People’s Republic of China was established by Mao in 1949 after defeating Chiang Kai-Shek’s Kuomintang. The civil war ended foreign dominance in China.Mao Zedong’s ‘great leap forward’ and ‘cultural revolution’ are covered in great factual detail by Mr. Fairbank. The post-Mao reform era is recounted as an addition to Mr. Fairbank’s original tome by Merle Goldman including the influence of Deng Xiaoping in creating the China that the world now faces. The intent of this review was to focus on the way that China’s history from Neolithic origins thru Mao Zedong reflect on China’s worldview and its influence on possible Chinese policies. “China, a New History” is a scholarly exposition toward that intent.

Out of the countless books there are on Chinese history meant for either a academic or general readership, this has the distinction of being one of the most comprehensive and definitive books on the subject. Before I get into the strengths and features of this book let me first do away with the negative reviews. The book is massive but a short paragraph in the introduction has made a subset of readers somehow disregard the whole book because of it. There are all from American conservatives who dislike it when someone disagrees with their political beliefs. The author simply mentions his disagreement with conservative politicians and their beliefs in relation to the reality of modern Chinese society. I recommend to these people to grow up. It's sad and infantile that the whole book was given a negative review just because of that. Anyway, let me finally touch upon the strengths of this book by making a list.The strengths and features of the book:1. Gives the most comprehensive overview of Chinese history from prehistory to the modern day still to date.2. Authoritative. This is the greatest work of the late John K. Fairbank who was a giant of Chinese studies. This revised edition also inlcludes contributions to the latest chapters from Merle Goldman, a scholar with expertise on modern China and it's economy.3. Includes many useful maps and information tables that illuminate the text.4. Many great photos and illustrations.5. Coverage of China's geography, everyday life, religions and more which is something few history books do in general.6. A detailed bibliography and invaluable resources for further reading. This is gold for students or scholars.7. Written in a accessible and entertaining way. This book is hard to put down.My only complaint is the book's lack of coverage of non-Chinese dynastie, states, and neighbors. This gives a lopsided account of China's history and continues to ignore the influence of ethnic groups in Chinese history. Little mention of Xinjiang or Mongolia are good examples of this. Even with all that said, I can't overstate the utter comprehensiveness and mountain of information this book contains. This is the best book on Chinese history which should be a essential read for anyone even remotely interested in China.

I found this history to be balanced and has a good broad coverage of the field. However, in some areas of interest to me, there was a lack of depth. Particularly the Neoliothic societies, and the transitions through the earliest dynasties.

I had wanted to purchase this back-to-front history of China for some time, and I am now glad that I own it. Written by one of America's mainline experts on the history, society, civilization and politics of China, John K. Fairbanks (and Merle Goldman, JKF's successor at Harvard), this book is thoroughly accessible from the first page to the last, and its prose is rewardingly clear. I urge everyone interested in the history and fate of this great civilization and our leading international rival today to acquire this book. Having read this book through, from beginning to end, the reader might indeed complement him/herself with a thorough knowledge of Chinese history, society and culture. Whatever work he/she might do in future on this subject might only work from the insights and narrative offered in this text by Fairbanks and Goldman.

It's a great book if you are looking to get a good understanding of Chinese history and roots, though, given the limited amount of pages, it cannot go in details.When I compare it with other books about Chinese history, the structure of the book is clear and it touches the author always touches the most important topics (not an easy task to summary over 4.000 years of history.