Most book sites only show you the good stuff. I track everything—the books people love, the ones they hate, and the ones that make them lose their minds.
Ray Huang (1981)
1587 is absolutely one of the great books on Chinese history. It is a series of vignettes, each a chapter centered on the life of a single notable individual in a single year during the Ming dynasty's decline.
Jonathon P Sine
Twitter thread recommendation
Ray Huang (1988)
An aside, his China: A Macro History is also really good, concise, often incisive intro text overviewing the duration of the country's history. I don't know of any that do a better job!
Jonathon P Sine
Twitter thread recommendation
Ezra F. Vogel (2011)
I recommend six books that serve as the necessary foundation for in-depth understanding of China.
Zixuan Ma
Twitter thread - Six Foundational Books on China
Ray Huang (1981)
I recommend six books that serve as the necessary foundation for in-depth understanding of China.
Zixuan Ma
Twitter thread - Six Foundational Books on China
Immanuel C.Y. Hsu (1999)
I recommend six books that serve as the necessary foundation for in-depth understanding of China.
Zixuan Ma
Twitter thread - Six Foundational Books on China
Zhao Ziyang (2009)
I recommend six books that serve as the necessary foundation for in-depth understanding of China.
Zixuan Ma
Twitter thread - Six Foundational Books on China