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Understanding Imperial China: Dynasties, Life, and Culture
- Narrated by: The Great Courses
- Length: 12 hrs and 27 mins
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Understanding Imperial China: Dynasties, Life, and Culture
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Publisher's Summary
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.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.More from the same
What listeners say about Understanding Imperial China: Dynasties, Life, and Culture
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Travers
- 2018-04-18
An excellent social history
This is the best selection from the Great Courses catalogue that I've yet encountered, and I've been listening for over a decade. The professor's cadence and voice are well suited to format, and his passion for the subject matter is evident. I can't provide an expert opinion on his Chinese pronunciation, but it sounds credible to my ear. If one is looking for a course on dynastic China, this is well worth your time.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 2020-10-03
Highly recommend
One of the best lecturers from Great Courses. Great work by Andrew Wilson. Thank you sharing in depth understanding of China.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Dan
- 2019-07-17
It was pretty good, I enjoyed it. Will play again.
The views expressed in this review are those of the listener and do not necessarily reflect the position -or policy- of the US Navy, the US department of defense, or the US government. The content of this review reflect the reader's efforts in his private capacity.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- James
- 2019-04-20
Great audiobook
Excellent audiobook, I will definitely recommend it , so much information, thank you very much for the great audiobook
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Susan Dedora
- 2019-03-28
Perfect Listening Experience
All those hours and I never got tired of his voice. He was consistent and enjoyable, adding personal touches.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Marin
- 2019-03-22
exceptional classes. I love the presentation
these series are great experiences. exceptional classes. I love the presentation. will continue downloading theses books
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Atalia Mejia Liverant
- 2018-09-19
Great Lectures
I loved Dr. Wilson's take on imperial Chinese culture. It was very informative and relaxing to listen to.
#Audible1
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 2018-02-28
Great Storyteller
Wonderfully composed stories illustrating life through China's history. Great compliment to some prior knowledge of chinese history.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- victorluis
- 2017-12-06
Imperial China: very well done!
To any person interested in China, this is an enjoyable course. Very clear, well structured and well presented. The professor knows and knows how to teach. I recommend it!
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14 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Deeparnak B.
- 2018-08-29
A comprehensive insight
History is more often than not, story of the dead. But in this course we get to look at things from the perspective of the people living at those times - Right from the sculptors of the first emperor's terracotta warriors to the little girl whose feet was bound as a submission to society's obscure perception of beauty; From the Ming dynasty soldiers who rebuilt and patrolled the Great Wall, to the fatherless boy, Temüjin, who went on to be the founder of the largest land empire in all of history; From the celebrated courtesans who entertained the educated elites, to the wannabe elites preparing for the prestigious Imperial civil service exams.
Imperial China was one of the most populous, influential and powerful state in the world for almost two millenia. And to be able to look at the history of this great empire unravel right from the eye of its protagonists was an wonderful experience.
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11 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- susitos
- 2018-05-25
Clear and entertaining history
I knew very little about Chinese history, and Prof. Wilson provided a clear and entertaining introduction. I like his emphasis on the lives of common people. He doesn't get bogged down in dates and wars as some historians do. Instead he presents an overview by general subjects that also has vivid details. He puts events in political and geographic context. Makes me want to learn more about China, and even take a trip to see some of the areas he mentions. Highly recommended!
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7 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 2020-03-31
strong storytelling mixed with focused historical analysis
I loved the topic-based lectures! I found it more engaging than attempting to summarize thousands of years of events in order, as many histories do. I wish it were more detailed in each chapter. It was a wonderful introduction, but a few lectures were mostly anecdotal - for example, there’s a section where he discusses an era of great poets and traditions with stories about a few, but it’s not clear how they’ve continued to influence the culture after their lives. The discussions end abruptly.
The narrator speaks calmly and conversationally, which works well for an audiobook. He does mistakenly say “white” when he meant well-off or wealthy (I can’t remember which) at one point - I hope it gets reviewed and edited out, since it is a mistake with racial/classist significance.
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6 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- James Staples
- 2017-10-07
Highly recommended!
This course was both engaging and informative. As a high school history teacher I appreciated the professor's approach to the subject and his obvious enthusiasm. I only wish there had been more lectures in the course!
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5 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Interested father
- 2020-07-10
Very good overview
Upon first go through there many names that make it difficult to keep track of characters; but the story is 5000 years and it gives great perspective. Will review this again and expect to enjoy it more. I will download the pdf and follow the story a little closer.
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- P. Davis-Muffett
- 2019-04-08
Good, US bent
The scholarship is sound for the most part but the professor perhaps tries too hard to relate Ancient Chinese forms of gov’t and experience to modern US ones.
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- B. C. Moleman
- 2019-11-12
Great stuff
Fascinating insight into another time and place. Describes the era and its culture in vivid detail. Only minor complaint is I could do without the Navy disclaimer at the end of every lecture.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- As
- 2019-07-09
Great job, mislabeled chapters
The actual lectures are great. Some of the lectures are out of order to the chapter headings.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Huldren
- 2017-12-26
Wonderful for academics and lay persons alike
This is a great overview of the history of China. Professor Andrew R. Wilson is a very knowledgable and engaging lecturer. I recommend this course for anyone with an interest in China.
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1 person found this helpful