{"id":2581,"date":"2025-01-08T17:29:21","date_gmt":"2025-01-08T17:29:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/duchinese.net\/blog\/?p=2581"},"modified":"2025-01-08T17:29:23","modified_gmt":"2025-01-08T17:29:23","slug":"best-books-to-learn-about-the-history-of-china","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/duchinese.net\/blog\/2025\/01\/08\/best-books-to-learn-about-the-history-of-china\/","title":{"rendered":"Best Books to Learn about the History of China"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"2581\" class=\"elementor elementor-2581\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-8b197ab elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"8b197ab\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-a2bdc2e\" data-id=\"a2bdc2e\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b5a8661 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"b5a8661\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.23.0 - 15-07-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#69727d;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#69727d;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<p>Reading allows us to immerse ourselves in the past, present, future and beyond. Through books we can learn and gain insights into the world around us. The books featured on this list allow us to dive deeper into the History of China and while there, allow us to discover more.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-38bc0bf elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"38bc0bf\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-27dbadf\" data-id=\"27dbadf\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e2a3de2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"e2a3de2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.23.0 - 15-07-2024 *\/\n.elementor-heading-title{padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title[class*=elementor-size-]>a{color:inherit;font-size:inherit;line-height:inherit}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-small{font-size:15px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-medium{font-size:19px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-large{font-size:29px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xl{font-size:39px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xxl{font-size:59px}<\/style><h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Art and Relics<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dc6059a elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"dc6059a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>China\u2019s art is a window into its ancient history. These books can help you learn about China through its impressive relics, poetry, and literature.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-547cc68 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"547cc68\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ol><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Great Wall in 50 Objects<\/span><\/em> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">by William Lindesey<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Missing Buddhas &#8211; The Mystery of the Chinese Statues that Stunned the Western Art World<\/span><\/em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by Tony Miller<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Art of Chinese Poetry<\/span><\/em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by James J.Y. Liu<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Story of the Stone<\/span><\/em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><em>, translated<\/em> by David Hawkes and John Minford<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><em>Superstars: My China in Tang Poetry<\/em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by Susan Won Dolling<\/span><\/li><\/ol>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-890f508 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"890f508\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-9e5d471\" data-id=\"9e5d471\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a1b31d6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"a1b31d6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Shanghai<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9f50ed4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"9f50ed4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>From its humble beginnings as a port city in the Tang dynasty, to its current status as a modern metropolis, learning about Shanghai is a great way to learn about China in general.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cbf485e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"cbf485e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ol><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kaleidoscope: The Uchiyama Bookstore and Its Sino-Japanese Visionaries <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">by Naoko Kato<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Last Kings of Shanghai<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by Jonathan Kaufman<\/span><\/li><\/ol>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-cf2e988 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"cf2e988\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-e5abf07\" data-id=\"e5abf07\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d43bf5f elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"d43bf5f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Modern Chinese History<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ce17fff elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"ce17fff\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Considering its influence on the world stage, China&#8217;s modern history is as important as its ancient past. Here are some great reads to understand how today&#8217;s China came to be.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f6495bd elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f6495bd\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ol><li aria-level=\"1\"><i>In Search of Modern China<\/i>\u00a0by Jonathan Spence<\/li><li aria-level=\"1\"><i>The Class of \u201877 &#8211; How My Classmates Changed China<\/i>\u00a0by Jaime FlorCruz<\/li><li aria-level=\"1\"><i>A Modern History of Hong Kong<\/i>: 1841 \u2013 1997 by Steve Tsang<\/li><li aria-level=\"1\"><i>Shifting Gears in China- Inadvertent Travels 1980-2020<\/i>\u00a0by Richard Kirkby<\/li><li aria-level=\"1\"><i>River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze<\/i>\u00a0by Peter Hessler<\/li><li aria-level=\"1\"><i>The Beautiful Country and the Middle Kingdom: America and China, 1776 to the Present<\/i>\u00a0by John Pompfret<\/li><\/ol>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-52da6f7 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"52da6f7\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-f3421b0\" data-id=\"f3421b0\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-57d555e elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"57d555e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Ancient History and Philosophy<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dede44f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"dede44f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>This selection of books covers everything from China&#8217;s philosophy and ancient history to tea culture.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c7e95e9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c7e95e9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ol><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">\u00a0<i style=\"font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif;\">Emperor of China: Self-Portrait of K\u2019ang-Hsi<\/i><span style=\"font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif;\"> by Jonathan Spence<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spring Flower Book Series <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">by Jean Tren-Hwa Perkins \/ Richard Perkins Hsung<\/span><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1: A Tale of Two Rivers<\/span><\/i><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2: Facing the Red Storm<\/span><\/i><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3: Torn Between Shifting Worlds<\/span><\/i><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The History of Philosophy 1 &amp; 2 &#8211; The China History Podcast Transcripts<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by Laszlo Montgomery\u00a0<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The History of Tea Book 1 &amp; 2 &#8211; The China History Podcast Transcripts<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by Laszlo Montgomery\u00a0<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">China\u2019s Cosmopolitan Empire: The Tang Dynasty<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (Book 3 of 6: <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">History of Imperial China<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">) by Mark Edward Lewis and Timothy Brook<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Genius of China: 3000 Years of Science, Discovery and Invention<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by Robert Temple<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Confucianism in China<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by Tony Swain<\/span><\/li><\/ol>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b2091aa elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"b2091aa\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Featured Series: <\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-77d3a5b elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"77d3a5b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">My China in Tang Poetry by Susan Won Dolling<\/h3>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-d855a51 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"d855a51\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-f1d1810\" data-id=\"f1d1810\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6841edf elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"6841edf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.23.0 - 15-07-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=\".svg\"]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"249\" height=\"385\" src=\"https:\/\/duchinese.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/617mOtXM5vL._SY385_.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-2608\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/duchinese.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/617mOtXM5vL._SY385_.jpg 249w, https:\/\/duchinese.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/617mOtXM5vL._SY385_-194x300.jpg 194w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 249px) 100vw, 249px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-f437c12\" data-id=\"f437c12\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fbe90e8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"fbe90e8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"249\" height=\"385\" src=\"https:\/\/duchinese.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/61rt0mMY7SL._SY385_.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-2610\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/duchinese.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/61rt0mMY7SL._SY385_.jpg 249w, https:\/\/duchinese.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/61rt0mMY7SL._SY385_-194x300.jpg 194w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 249px) 100vw, 249px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-d86af06\" data-id=\"d86af06\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-22e69bf elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"22e69bf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"288\" height=\"445\" src=\"https:\/\/duchinese.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/41Q0IcLscQL._SY445_SX342_.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-2609\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/duchinese.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/41Q0IcLscQL._SY445_SX342_.jpg 288w, https:\/\/duchinese.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/41Q0IcLscQL._SY445_SX342_-194x300.jpg 194w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 288px) 100vw, 288px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-8e3a9e0 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"8e3a9e0\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6a86595\" data-id=\"6a86595\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e7ae7e7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e7ae7e7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif; font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight );\">We begin with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/B0CXRB9Z3P\">Superstars<\/a>, the stories of the two giant Tang poets, Li Bai (aka Li Po) and Du Fu (aka Tu Fu). Their stories are told through their poems and the times they lived through. Interwoven with the poems are even older stories that the poems tell. Together, they take you on a lively tour of Chinese history and culture not usually found in a book of poetry.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif; font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight );\">I have studied and enjoyed these poems all my life, and my years of teaching have taught me how best to make them accessible. As teacher, storyteller and poet-translator I have made myself your medium and your guide through this Golden Age of Chinese poetry. Along the way, I sometimes share the history of my own experience with these poems, adding a personal touch to these much-researched studies. My students liked that. I hope you will too.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif; font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight );\">From another personal perspective, these translations aim to build a bridge between the two languages and cultures that I love. Let me end by quoting from the Epilogue to the series, \u201cThe vocabulary of classical Chinese poetry is composed not only of words and images, but of allusions to even more ancient stories. Such stories are usually buried in footnotes. In this series I have combined these stories with their verses to help you hear what my ancestral ghosts have to say.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p>Volume Two,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/B0DCYWRPPM\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Floating on Clouds<\/a>, and Volume Three,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/B0DM67KWHP\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Friends and Lovers<\/a>, offer even more poetry from the Tang Dynasty. Want to know more about the Tang Dynasty? Check out our course:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/duchinese.net\/lessons\/courses\/19-tales-of-the-tang-dynasty\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Tales of the Tang Dynasty<\/a>\u00a0to learn more about the major events and famous figures of this historic time period.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b209995 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"b209995\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Meet the author, Susan:<\/h3>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-833aa2d elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"833aa2d\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-70fe2c5\" data-id=\"70fe2c5\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dadeeda elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"dadeeda\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Hi there! I am a Chinese American writer, living in Austin Texas with my family and two dogs. I was born and bred in Hong Kong. For my first years of schooling, I attended the Diocesan Girls\u2019 School, from kindergarten to Upper Six. Then, I went on to college in Japan and America.\u00a0<\/p><p>I graduated from Princeton University with an AB in English and Creative Writing, and a PhD in Comparative Literature, and have taught English Literature at Fordham University and Chinese Literature at the University of Texas at Austin.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-08a3fbd\" data-id=\"08a3fbd\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e7cc0c4 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"e7cc0c4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"601\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/duchinese.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/pvvubukdlf7b0sk63tgs4a1c4o._SY600_.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-2611\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/duchinese.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/pvvubukdlf7b0sk63tgs4a1c4o._SY600_.jpg 601w, https:\/\/duchinese.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/pvvubukdlf7b0sk63tgs4a1c4o._SY600_-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/duchinese.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/pvvubukdlf7b0sk63tgs4a1c4o._SY600_-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 601px) 100vw, 601px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b0d5b4d elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"b0d5b4d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>\u00a0<\/p><p>For more details, please visit my website, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.susanwandolling.com\">www.susanwandolling.com<\/a>, where you will find some poems, my publishing history, some excerpts from my works-in-progress, and my blog.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-3e69e8b elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"3e69e8b\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-f2d55da\" data-id=\"f2d55da\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-4559441 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"4559441\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-069921b\" data-id=\"069921b\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Reading allows us to immerse ourselves in the past, present, future and beyond. Through books we can learn and gain insights into the world around us. The books featured on this list allow us to dive deeper into the History of China and while there, allow us to discover more. Art and Relics China\u2019s art&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2627,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false},"categories":[2],"tags":[17,19],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/duchinese.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/aaron-greenwood-xZDWEEMS3sA-unsplash-scaled.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/duchinese.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2581"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/duchinese.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/duchinese.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/duchinese.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/duchinese.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2581"}],"version-history":[{"count":40,"href":"https:\/\/duchinese.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2581\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2636,"href":"https:\/\/duchinese.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2581\/revisions\/2636"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/duchinese.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2627"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/duchinese.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2581"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/duchinese.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2581"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/duchinese.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2581"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}