jjares reviewed History of China: A Captivating Guide to Chinese History, Including Events Such as the First Emperor of China, the Mongol Conquests of Genghis Khan, the Opium Wars, and the Cultural Revolution on + 3278 more book reviews
Lately, I have been reading a great deal of Chinese history and current events. Although I decided this short book could not possibly mention how and why China claims Taiwan and Nepal (to this day), I was eager to see what this book had to tell about the events mentioned in the title. Lo and behold, the author did include the curious info about how rulers had a mandate from the heavens and their intersection with Nepal and Taiwan.
The Chinese proudly espouse a history of 5000 years and more. Chinese rulers have often referred to the 'Mandate of Heaven,' the idea that the ruler was selected by the deities to lead his people. On page 7, please note the following, "Natural disasters were seen as a definitive sign that a ruler had lost the Mandate of Heaven." If you watch any of the YouTube offerings about current events in China, you will have noticed the amazing number of natural disasters that have taken place all over China in 2020. The Chinese citizens obliquely (or even blatantly) refer to that 'Mandate of Heaven' today. If the speaker is outside of China, he/she questions the current leadership because of all the disasters. So this ancient attitude still carries weight with the Chinese now living.
I particularly liked the clear explanation of Chiang Kai-shek and Mao Zedong. My questions about these two were explained well. I really would have appreciated a Chinese dynasties timeline at the beginning of the book (such as on Wikipedia), so I could keep the info straight.
The Chinese proudly espouse a history of 5000 years and more. Chinese rulers have often referred to the 'Mandate of Heaven,' the idea that the ruler was selected by the deities to lead his people. On page 7, please note the following, "Natural disasters were seen as a definitive sign that a ruler had lost the Mandate of Heaven." If you watch any of the YouTube offerings about current events in China, you will have noticed the amazing number of natural disasters that have taken place all over China in 2020. The Chinese citizens obliquely (or even blatantly) refer to that 'Mandate of Heaven' today. If the speaker is outside of China, he/she questions the current leadership because of all the disasters. So this ancient attitude still carries weight with the Chinese now living.
I particularly liked the clear explanation of Chiang Kai-shek and Mao Zedong. My questions about these two were explained well. I really would have appreciated a Chinese dynasties timeline at the beginning of the book (such as on Wikipedia), so I could keep the info straight.
