Chinese History: A New Manual (Harvard-Yenching Institute Monograph Series)

This is the latest incarnation of Wilkinson's 1973 150-page book The History of Imperial China: A Research Guide, about which at the time I thought "where was this when I needed it--all this stuff I had to learn painstakingly and piecemeal in graduate school in the 60s, gathered here in one place." Then in 1998, the revised version (Chinese History: A Manual) came out, expanded to nearly 1100 pages and filled with exquisitely detailed sidebars on aspects of traditional China--the strengths of various periodization schemes, the various names that Chinese males used at different stages of life, the ins and outs of traditional calendars, the evolution of the word for "China," etc. as well as a much more extensive annotated bibliography in the standard source for research in Chinese history before 1911. Then in 2000, put came the "revised and enlarged" version of the 1998 work, expanded to include the Republican period. Finally, the current version, at 1100 pages but with greatly expanded print per page three times longer, is the single indispensable starting point for study of China before 1949. It's a full-scale graduate education in itself and much more--a monument in the field and a staggering achievement. I used to carry the 1998/2000 version around with me to read on long airline trips. The current version is far too heavy to do that--but I wish I could. If only an e-reader version were available.

I have just bought a copy of the new edition of `Chinese History - A Manual' by Endymion Wilkinson.The first printing of this work appeared in 1973, the preface of the author was dated August 1972,others printings were made from time to time since when James H. Cole published his `Updating Wilkinson', in the year 1991. A new important step was made with the publication of the `Revised and Enlarged Edition', printed in the years 1998 and 2000 (first and second ed.).Nowadays, with the publication of `A New Manual' we have reached a new culmination in the editorial history of this work.I consider this book as a masterpiece, I believe that no other work can be so useful in introducing students and in accompanying researchers in the realm of the Chinese History, a rare and precious reference guide, the fruit of a painstaking effort.

This book is a true masterpiece.Everything you wanted to know about an ancient and complex civilization in condensed form.Pithy reviews of otherreference works.Want a summary of major Chinese novels?Here it is with an evaluation of English translations.How about Chinese naming practices through the millennia.?It is here served on a silver platter.You can browse it topic by topic.I have had some experience compiling encyclopedic reference works.Endymion Wilkinson's achievement is in a class by itself.If you have any serious interest in China,this book is a must buy

This brand new book has monstruous information about China. I can't imagine how much effort was necessary to write such great amount of good quality information (the autor says 50 years) If you don't find the information you want on this manual, the autor brings lots of other fonts for you to go further on your researches. For anyone who really want to study Chinese culture I recommend, just pay attetion: this is a reference book, not a holiday/vacation/free-time book.

This is a fascinating resource book that takes you through the history of China, not chronologically through the dynasties, but through the culture, foods, and "things" that make up China. How boys are named? The history of dim sum? Clothing? The Manual traces the background of these artifacts from pre-history throgh the twentieth century. You can open the book at any page and find your self immediately engrossed.

This is an encyclopedic book for professionals and students of Chinese history & culture.i would have welcomed illustrations but understand that the price would be to high.Its Ok for references or enchiridion. But not a book you will take with you on a holiday.

A very useful volume, if one could simply lift it. To call it a Manual is to make a joke of that word.

Even if this huge book is really a must for everybody interested by China (History, Culture, Philosophy, etc.), I regret that the characters are often very small (specially for not so Young readers, like me). I woulf rather prefer a two volumes book, easier to hold in hands...

This updated and extensively revised edition of a reference book that is indispensable to all students of Chinese history and culture is too heavy to be a vade-mecum, being almost twice the size of its excellent predecessor. But the formidable heft of this magnificent feat of scholarship is more than compensated for by the much greater range of topics covered, and the depth of coverage accorded to each one. For instance, the greatly amplified section on Chinese names explains more clearly than in any other reference work the complexities surrounding the choice of, for example, 'courtesy names' and of self-chosen 'alternative names'. But every subject dealt with is exhaustively sifted through. The bibliographies alone are more than worth the cost of the book.This is much more than just a reference work, however. One can browse happily through its pages, and never get bored for a moment.

Having seen the New Manual at a friend's house, I have just ordered my copy. As you would expect from the Harvard Press it is an authoritative and comprehensive reference. But more than that, it is highly readable. Just open it at any page and you are drawn into amazing details that lead you into Chinese history as no other work does.

Ein ausgezeichnetes Nachschlagewerk. Für jeden, der lange im Bereich der China-Studien lernt und arbeitet, ein absolutes Muss.Schade nur, dass es keine Hardcover-Ausgaben gibt. Da hätte ich mich noch mehr drüber gefreut.

For students of Chinese studies or Sinology, please do get on copy of the book as soon as possible. For such a huge volume, mistakes are inevitable. Also the classification of the entries is sometimes confusing. In spite of all the deficiencies, the book is still a must!

dice un proverbio cinese......chi non ha mai sentito una frase del genere? Certo, questo libro è in cinese per chi conosce la lingua, di buona qualità di stampa, non può mancare nella biblioteca degli amanti/studiosi di questa grande civiltà.