Understanding Imperial China: Dynasties, Life, and Culture

A knowledge of China’s imperial history is vital for any understanding of its present, as modern China is linked in many ways to the extraordinary culture of its empire. These 24 lectures take you to the heart of life during China’s imperial era, through the lives of individual subjects of all social ranks. Across the arc of the course, you’ll witness what daily life was like for government bureaucrats, for scholars, for women of the court, for soldiers, merchants, craftspeople, courtesans, imperial cooks, and many others – all against the backdrop of the diversity, the genius, and the majesty of imperial China.

You’ll hear about such memorable sights as the grand boulevards; splendorous palaces; imposing temples of Chang’an, the medieval world’s greatest city; and the Qingming Shanghetu, a 17-foot painted scroll that gloriously portrays Song Dynasty life. And you’ll meet unforgettable human beings, whose lives vividly reveal the world around them, such as Ban Zhao, Han-era woman of letters, poet, scholar, and teacher; Tao Yuanming, Daoist luminary and the empire’s first great poet; Zhu Yuanzhang, powerful warlord and founder of the Ming Dynasty; and Hong Xiuquan, visionary reformer and architect of the religiously inspired Taiping Rebellion.

Understanding Imperial China: Dynasties, Life, and Culture is your passport to this incredible, historic world.

About the Author

Dr. Andrew R. Wilson is Professor of Strategy and Policy at the United States Naval War College in Newport, RI. He received a B.A. in East Asian Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and earned his Ph.D. in History and East Asian Languages from Harvard University. An award-winning professor and an expert in both military history and strategic theory, Professor Wilson has lectured on Asian military history, the classics of strategic theory, Chinese military modernization, and Sun Tzu’s The Art of War, among other topics. Prior to joining the Naval War College, he taught Chinese history at Wellesley College and at Harvard University. Additionally, he has been invited to speak at numerous military colleges and universities in the United States. Professor Wilson is the author of numerous articles on Chinese military history, Chinese sea power, and Sun Tzu’s The Art of War. His books include Ambition and Identity: Chinese Merchant-Elites in Colonial Manila, 1885-1916; The Chinese in the Caribbean; China’s Future Nuclear Submarine Force; and War, Virtual War and Society. He has lectured on strategic theory and international security in nearly two dozen countries and six continents, and he has contributed to the curriculum of military colleges all over the world. The views expressed in this course are those of the professor and do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Department of Defense, or the U.S. government.

Product details

• Full Audiobook MP3 Program
• Full PDF Guidebook Included
• Listening Length: 12 hours and 27 minutes
• Author: Andrew R. Wilson, The Great Courses
• Narrator: The Great Courses
• Release Date: 22 September 2017
• Publisher: The Great Courses
• Version: Original recording
• Language: English
• ASIN B0758Q7BWL