Chinese History

A Manual

Revised and Enlarged Edition

Endymion Wilkinson

    Note to Revised and Enlarged Edition

    Acknowledgments to Revised and Enlarged Edition

    Acknowledgments to 1998 Edition

    Contents

    Boxes and Tables

    Preface

    Conventions

    Introduction

    Recent Historiographical Trends

    Center and Periphery

    Periodization

    The Dynasties

    I Basics

    1. Language

    2. Dictionaries

    3. People

    4. Geography

    5. Chronology

    6. Telling the Time

    7. Statistics

    8. Guides and Encyclopaedias

    9. Locating Books

    10. Locating Secondary Sources

    11. Libraries

    II Pre-Qin Sources

    12. Archaeology

    13. Pre-Qin Archaeology

    14. Prehistoric Signs and Symbols

    15. Oracle-Bone Inscriptions

    16. The Characters: Evolution and Structure

    17. Epigraphy

    18. From Bamboo Strips to Printed Books

    19. Excavated and Transmitted Texts

    III Historical Genres

    20. Primary and Secondary Sources

    21. Annals

    22. Standard Histories

    23. Topically Arranged Histories

    24. Miscellaneous Histories

    25. Government Institutions

    26. Official Communications

    27. Law

    28. War

    IV Other Primary Sources

    29. Myth and Religion

    30. Literary Anthologies and Collected Works

    31. Leishu

    32. Biji

    33. Philosophical Works

    34. Popular Literature

    35. Agriculture, Food, and the Environment

    36. Medicine

    37. Technology and Science

    38. Calligraphy, Painting, and Music

    39. Women's Studies

    40. Non-Han Peoples (Inside China)

    41. Non-Han Peoples (Outside China)

    42. Foreign Accounts of China

    V Primary Sources by Period

    43. Introduction: Guides

    44. Qin and Han

    45. Wei, Jin, Nan-Bei Chao

    46. Sui, Tang, and Five Dynasties

    47. Song

    48. Liao, Xi Xia, Jin, and Yuan

    49. Ming

    50. Qing

    51. The Republic

    Appendix: Publishers

    Index of Terms Explained

    Index of Names

    Index of Book and Periodical Titles

    Subject Index

  • Cover: Chinese History

Endymion Wilkinson is Head of Delegation and Ambassador to China for the European Commission.