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The Rise of Modern China #1-2
The Rise of Modern China
Now in its sixth edition, this book has been updated to examine the return of Hong Kong in 1997 and the upcoming return of Macao in 1999. Hsü discusses the end of the last vestiges of foreign imperialism in China, as well as China's emergence as a regional and global superpower. U.S.-China rivalry and the prospect of unification between China and Taiwan are also considered.
1052 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1970
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
May 19, 2021
an excellent overview ... lots of detail, footnotes and suggested reading on every major issue ...
May 31, 2010
Fascinating account of the Opium War and the mid-19th century political turmoil. Another interesting segment concerns the late 19th Century Reform movement. The Wade-Giles encoding of Chinese names is a drawback, and I find all the apostrophes in the names difficult to work with. On the positive side, though, the index is quite complete and valuable (although there are some omissions that I have noticed).
However Hsu's view of Mao (which amounts almost to hagiography) starkly contrasts with the work of Chang and Halliday ("Mao: the Unknown Story"). One needs to find some bridge between these two works. Perhaps it is best to read Hsu first (I did the reverse) and then read C&H for a modifying update. Certainly Hsu tends to drastically underplay the disastrous impacts of certain events on the Chinese people, including the Taiping Rebellion, the Japanese depredations, the Great Leap Forward, and the Cultural Revolution. He is more interested in the political machinations, rather than the social and cultural impacts.
But even in the political machinations, there are questions. For example he says that Stalin was always against Mao, where C&H claim that Mao was Stalin's favorite and that Stalin essentially made Mao.
Also, Hsu endorses the idea that humiliation and losing face is the greatest tragedy suffered by the Chinese people. It was worth any sacrifice, including mass extinctions, in order to return the insults on the arrogant parties that would dare to disrespect the Chinese. Here is a typical statement: "Like all patriotic Chinese, Mao had always wanted to rectify the injuries China had suffered in the past" (page 682).
It's interesting that Hsu claims that Krushchev planned to bomb the Chinese nuclear bomb facilities in 1964 just prior to the first successful Chinese detonation of a nuclear weapon. He was removed from the leadership by Brezhnev and Kosygin for this. But Mao's megalomania drove Brezhnev (or at least military figures under his leadership), just five years later, to propose to the US that Russia destroy China's nuclear capability (with the US colluding or, at least, standing aside during this act). But Nixon angrily rejected this plan.
Further to the issue of humiliation and losing face, Hsu misrepresents the visit of Nixon to China in 1972, particularly the political ramifications of it. His main focus is on the extent to which the Americans humbled themselves, thereby providing the Chinese with valuable pride inflation. Along similar lines, Hsu justifies the costly and pointless Chinese invasion of Viet Nam in 1978 as necessary from the point of view of Chinese pride requirements (for having been insulted by the earlier Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia).
Overall, this is an important book and essential reading.
However Hsu's view of Mao (which amounts almost to hagiography) starkly contrasts with the work of Chang and Halliday ("Mao: the Unknown Story"). One needs to find some bridge between these two works. Perhaps it is best to read Hsu first (I did the reverse) and then read C&H for a modifying update. Certainly Hsu tends to drastically underplay the disastrous impacts of certain events on the Chinese people, including the Taiping Rebellion, the Japanese depredations, the Great Leap Forward, and the Cultural Revolution. He is more interested in the political machinations, rather than the social and cultural impacts.
But even in the political machinations, there are questions. For example he says that Stalin was always against Mao, where C&H claim that Mao was Stalin's favorite and that Stalin essentially made Mao.
Also, Hsu endorses the idea that humiliation and losing face is the greatest tragedy suffered by the Chinese people. It was worth any sacrifice, including mass extinctions, in order to return the insults on the arrogant parties that would dare to disrespect the Chinese. Here is a typical statement: "Like all patriotic Chinese, Mao had always wanted to rectify the injuries China had suffered in the past" (page 682).
It's interesting that Hsu claims that Krushchev planned to bomb the Chinese nuclear bomb facilities in 1964 just prior to the first successful Chinese detonation of a nuclear weapon. He was removed from the leadership by Brezhnev and Kosygin for this. But Mao's megalomania drove Brezhnev (or at least military figures under his leadership), just five years later, to propose to the US that Russia destroy China's nuclear capability (with the US colluding or, at least, standing aside during this act). But Nixon angrily rejected this plan.
Further to the issue of humiliation and losing face, Hsu misrepresents the visit of Nixon to China in 1972, particularly the political ramifications of it. His main focus is on the extent to which the Americans humbled themselves, thereby providing the Chinese with valuable pride inflation. Along similar lines, Hsu justifies the costly and pointless Chinese invasion of Viet Nam in 1978 as necessary from the point of view of Chinese pride requirements (for having been insulted by the earlier Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia).
Overall, this is an important book and essential reading.
November 12, 2018
This is a huge book. I read the Chinese version, and it still took me more than 3 weeks to finish. If I read this English version I would have to spend 3 months or more...
I was once proud of my country, China. But I'm growingly not sure. What kind of country allows its people to suffer from dictators and suppression, for thousands of years? Ummm, a psychopath one?
I was once proud of my country, China. But I'm growingly not sure. What kind of country allows its people to suffer from dictators and suppression, for thousands of years? Ummm, a psychopath one?
March 27, 2016
I honestly regret not finishing this before I took my IB exams back in 2014. The amount of detail, supported by clear context and reasoned argument has proved highly interesting and doubtlessly would have earned me more than a few brownie points in my scripts.
November 6, 2018
读完了徐中约先生的中国近代史。这无疑是一本最好的关于中国近代史的教材，却是留给自己，留给孩子最好的礼物。徐先生温和的观点，乐观的构想，都让我兴奋不已。也深知，能读到这样的书，实属不易。
November 4, 2017
One of the most influential books on modern China. Easily understandable, engaging and balanced!
October 16, 2019
A holistic view of China’s modern history. However, a problem particularly in the second half of the book for China after 1949 is sources of information. The author frequently, if not all, referred to news report and treated them like facts. The book was trying to provide a neutral and objective perspective which was inevitably undermined by this problem. What a pity.
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August 23, 20201000页，1600年到现在将近400年的中国近代史，看了大约有10多天的时间吧，清朝廷对外国人的傲慢一览无余，因为磕不磕头的问题争执不休，直到外国人用武力强行打开国门，开始半殖民地的时代。
民国时期我很喜欢，孙中山的革命浪漫主义，袁世凯的无良政治都给我留下深刻的印象。
进入共和国时期，总体一个字，折腾。
淘宝上也有《中国近代史》，当然是删节版了，最后一章是《中华民族的崛起》，熟悉不？
民国时期我很喜欢，孙中山的革命浪漫主义，袁世凯的无良政治都给我留下深刻的印象。
进入共和国时期，总体一个字，折腾。
淘宝上也有《中国近代史》，当然是删节版了，最后一章是《中华民族的崛起》，熟悉不？
July 31, 2021
从徐中约先生笔下的文字可以感觉到他是一位温和从容严谨的学者。先生认为，近代中国历史的特征并非是一种对西方的被动反应，而是一场中国人应付内外挑战的主动奋斗。他们力图更新并改造国家，使之从一个落后的儒家普世帝国，转变为一个在国际大家庭中拥有正当席位的近代民族国家。可惜可悲可叹，先生的这本著作在豆瓣读书上已经消失了。
May 6, 2022
能让我到这个地方来标记，足见其功力。
August 12, 2019
A fantastic introduction to the history of modern China, detailing the cultural, economic, and political impact of western influence on Chinese society since the Qing Dynasty. The book documents China's journey from being a conservative monarchy into today's superpower. Certain historical events were brutal and often hard to read (i.e. the Opium War, the Cultural Revolution, the Tiananmen Massacre), but these events shed some light on the cultural mentality of China and how it became the way it is.
Socialism gained its momentum during the aftermath of WW1, where people in the world was devastated by the war and the role capitalism had in inducing it. Famous philosophers like Jean-Paul Satre was intrigued and yearned for a society with social good in mind. Yet socialism evolved into communism. The Soviet Union and China, the two countries that practiced this political ideology, turned out to be the most brutal oppressors of individuals. Under the strict communism ruling, people hardly lived a better life. I was intrigued by the question of whether or not a better system would exist - a sweet spot somewhere in between capitalism and socialism. This book helped explain some of the struggles that China went through to make communism work for them (or not work, since they embraced a market economy anyway). Definitely some food for thought.
The book also did a good job explaining the sovereignty of Taiwan, Okinawa, Hong Kong, Mongolia, Manchuria, and many more, as related events and disputes often date back to the Qing dynasty.
The author did brush through some of the details of the Sino-Japanese War, but that would be probably another difficult read for some other time.
Socialism gained its momentum during the aftermath of WW1, where people in the world was devastated by the war and the role capitalism had in inducing it. Famous philosophers like Jean-Paul Satre was intrigued and yearned for a society with social good in mind. Yet socialism evolved into communism. The Soviet Union and China, the two countries that practiced this political ideology, turned out to be the most brutal oppressors of individuals. Under the strict communism ruling, people hardly lived a better life. I was intrigued by the question of whether or not a better system would exist - a sweet spot somewhere in between capitalism and socialism. This book helped explain some of the struggles that China went through to make communism work for them (or not work, since they embraced a market economy anyway). Definitely some food for thought.
The book also did a good job explaining the sovereignty of Taiwan, Okinawa, Hong Kong, Mongolia, Manchuria, and many more, as related events and disputes often date back to the Qing dynasty.
The author did brush through some of the details of the Sino-Japanese War, but that would be probably another difficult read for some other time.
March 11, 2021
11th book of 2021. actually i bought this book back in 2013, it was a pity that i only get to finish reading this now but fortuntate that i did not miss it. a must read for those who are interested in modern China history, the coverage is very wide although not that in depth. really enjoyed the parts regarding China's foreign relations development.
June 16, 2021
It was amazing when reading this book. It gave me a different experience to understand the modern history of China. I think the most worthy reading of this book is the description of this period of history in the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China.
June 19, 2018
Read this book for an undergraduate class at the University of Oklahoma in the Spring of 1982. One of two course I took from Professor Sidney Brown.
August 10, 2020
I read this for a undergraduate course on Modern China. I don't recall anything from the book.
Want to read
June 18, 2021recommened by Ying Xiao_Quora
February 9, 2022
假期重读了徐中约的《中国近代史》。每一次重读的过程，结合当下正在发生的事情，对今天的环境会多一分平静的认识，少一分盲目的冲动。
October 24, 2022
An extremely comprehensive book on China’s recent history. Helpful maps and data. Contains much I hadn’t previously learned or thought of.
November 23, 2022
贺卫方：一国两版——或“肢解名著，情何以堪？”
January 11, 2023
非常好的一本书，因为 1949 年以后的历史，这本书在中国大陆的一些网站上都被审查删除了相关条目
November 18, 2023
Superb account of the period of Chinese history which starts with the encounter with European trade and imperialism.
May 31, 2025
概述而不失事实本质
December 2, 2025
难得的一本好书，尤其1949年以后的部分。a great book
January 6, 2026
现在看真是老生常谈，非常主流，大陆版删减只是少了些具体内容而已，完全不影响叙事角度
December 9, 2023
History of modern China is a fascinating story. ~200 years of wildly transformative changes, of the world's most populous country and longest continuous civilization.
It's an intensely contested history even today, with many ideological conflicts still going on. There are least three differing accounts with varying degrees of agreements and disagreements, roughly speaking - that of both sides of the Taiwan strait, and that of the West.
Picking one that's as close to neutral as possible is a hard job. Prof Xu's book does a fine job. Anyone interested in learning about this period of history, and understanding how contemporary China has come into its shape today, should read it.
It's an intensely contested history even today, with many ideological conflicts still going on. There are least three differing accounts with varying degrees of agreements and disagreements, roughly speaking - that of both sides of the Taiwan strait, and that of the West.
Picking one that's as close to neutral as possible is a hard job. Prof Xu's book does a fine job. Anyone interested in learning about this period of history, and understanding how contemporary China has come into its shape today, should read it.
June 26, 2021
have to rate here because douban.com deleted this item. the censorship in mainland china is terrible.
徐中约Immanuel Hsu先生的这本《中国近代史》，是我最初学习这段历史时的启蒙读物。第一次读这本书是在2010年前后，在网上下载的港版电子版，但很遗憾没有买过实体书。后来工作后备课也多次用过本书。
总体评价这本书，是一本面面俱到的教科书，一本大陆读者探索真实历史最棒的入门读物。无论共产党还是国民党的官方历史书写，在我看来都有许多偏见。本书持论则更为中立、客观。
至于缺点，肯定也是存在的。毕竟这是一本初版于半个世纪前的书籍，受到当时美国中国学流行趋势的严重影响。有些具体论点在今天的学术研究者看来，也有一些问题。如有精力，日后当详细评论。
最后，对于这本书被豆瓣网删除，实在是非常意外。这本书的叙事立场相当中立，即使对文革和六四事件的论述，也相当克制（甚至有些“保守”）。或许从这本书的被删可见，中共政府对不符合其党史叙事的书籍，其忍耐度进一步降低。从高华先生的书籍，到石川祯浩《中国共产党成立史》一书，再到这本徐中约先生的著作，在与中共党史正统叙事的叛离度上是逐渐降低的，但都不免被禁、被豆瓣删除的命运。
徐中约Immanuel Hsu先生的这本《中国近代史》，是我最初学习这段历史时的启蒙读物。第一次读这本书是在2010年前后，在网上下载的港版电子版，但很遗憾没有买过实体书。后来工作后备课也多次用过本书。
总体评价这本书，是一本面面俱到的教科书，一本大陆读者探索真实历史最棒的入门读物。无论共产党还是国民党的官方历史书写，在我看来都有许多偏见。本书持论则更为中立、客观。
至于缺点，肯定也是存在的。毕竟这是一本初版于半个世纪前的书籍，受到当时美国中国学流行趋势的严重影响。有些具体论点在今天的学术研究者看来，也有一些问题。如有精力，日后当详细评论。
最后，对于这本书被豆瓣网删除，实在是非常意外。这本书的叙事立场相当中立，即使对文革和六四事件的论述，也相当克制（甚至有些“保守”）。或许从这本书的被删可见，中共政府对不符合其党史叙事的书籍，其忍耐度进一步降低。从高华先生的书籍，到石川祯浩《中国共产党成立史》一书，再到这本徐中约先生的著作，在与中共党史正统叙事的叛离度上是逐渐降低的，但都不免被禁、被豆瓣删除的命运。
December 5, 2015
This book covers from 1600 to 1990s. I like that it strikes to present a balanced and objective views of major events and changes in the history. I like to read about the details of history events and the reason and causes(including economics and culture) of them, which I didn't know when I learned history.
June 19, 2020
两个星期断断续续地把这本书看完了，有一点无奈和启发。
美国虽然是当今最强大的国家，但也远非十全十美，受国内财团、法律、两党制约。在远期可能的被共产主义的经济控制和近期的利益面前，谨慎地做出对自己有利的选择。与其说现在的中美关系是错误的，不如认为是复杂选择的结果。
同时前领导人面对自身利益原则不让步，但隐忍，耐心，经营发展经济，也是印象深刻。利益集团，在权力面前怎么会舍得放手，这就是独裁的症结。发展经济也是双向的，利益集团期望用经济的发展来稳住人心，保住自己的统治，而不是发展经济带来的公民对自身权力的诉求。说到底是稳固的通知，不幸的是他们几乎做到了，管控媒体，军队，思想。
很期待后面的发展！中美关系走向何方，成为时代的见证者。努力去别的地方，避免自身的波及。
美国虽然是当今最强大的国家，但也远非十全十美，受国内财团、法律、两党制约。在远期可能的被共产主义的经济控制和近期的利益面前，谨慎地做出对自己有利的选择。与其说现在的中美关系是错误的，不如认为是复杂选择的结果。
同时前领导人面对自身利益原则不让步，但隐忍，耐心，经营发展经济，也是印象深刻。利益集团，在权力面前怎么会舍得放手，这就是独裁的症结。发展经济也是双向的，利益集团期望用经济的发展来稳住人心，保住自己的统治，而不是发展经济带来的公民对自身权力的诉求。说到底是稳固的通知，不幸的是他们几乎做到了，管控媒体，军队，思想。
很期待后面的发展！中美关系走向何方，成为时代的见证者。努力去别的地方，避免自身的波及。
December 21, 2024
花了一年时间断断续续读完，前面一部分读得比较慢，也总是被其他事情打断，但是读到49年之后就一发不可收拾，几乎在一个星期之内将剩余部分读完。
作为中国人，阅读这本书的感觉非常奇妙，就像是在读一本已经知道结局的小说，但明明知道有些事不存在任何转机，我的心还是拧成了一团。我不断在书中的事件发生的几十年后再次看到从前的影子，一些制度以及人性深处的弊病再次得到了验证，这让我感到有些失望和窒息。历史研究应该与心理学相辅相成，因为二者当中很重要的一部分都应该是基于对人的理解，心理学直接对人的心理活动及其导致的行为进行研究分析，而历史则将时间线拉到无限长，告诉我们人类总是一次又一次做出同样的选择。
将视角拉远，没有人有呼风唤雨的能力，也没有人像电影主角一样为了一个明确的信念始终如一地奋斗，每个人都是其他人的一颗棋子，在权力和利益的斗争，他们在一瞬间浮出水面大口呼吸着新鲜的空气，又很快被巨浪所吞噬。
作为中国人，阅读这本书的感觉非常奇妙，就像是在读一本已经知道结局的小说，但明明知道有些事不存在任何转机，我的心还是拧成了一团。我不断在书中的事件发生的几十年后再次看到从前的影子，一些制度以及人性深处的弊病再次得到了验证，这让我感到有些失望和窒息。历史研究应该与心理学相辅相成，因为二者当中很重要的一部分都应该是基于对人的理解，心理学直接对人的心理活动及其导致的行为进行研究分析，而历史则将时间线拉到无限长，告诉我们人类总是一次又一次做出同样的选择。
将视角拉远，没有人有呼风唤雨的能力，也没有人像电影主角一样为了一个明确的信念始终如一地奋斗，每个人都是其他人的一颗棋子，在权力和利益的斗争，他们在一瞬间浮出水面大口呼吸着新鲜的空气，又很快被巨浪所吞噬。
April 10, 2008
Hsu's dense work is not what I would call fun reading, but he is very thorough. The subject matter is fascinating and he deals with it maturely. His treatment of China is authoritative, and if you want a starting point for further sinological studies, this is a good one.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews