The Pageant of Chinese History

by Elizabeth Seeger, Bernard Watkins (Illustrator)

Taking the Chinese point of view as far as possible, the author covers the important aspects of Chinese civilization in an introductory history of a great people. Told in human terms against the background of a rich and ancient culture, there emerges a vivid picture of the people the Chinese have been, their family life, their culture, their humor and philosophy. A vast panorama it is—from about 3000 B.C. to our time, Miss Seeger tells the story of a great nation.

Genres: History, China, Nonfiction, Juvenile

414 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1934

Reviews

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a Newbery, for good reason. However, it is also quite dated. This shows in several ways but especially in the last chapter where the twentieth century through about 1945 was discussed. The political situation of the time was described with no hint of impartiality. The Tartars and Japanese were bad guys, case closed. However, the rest of the book reads very much like a story, which it is. There is absolutely no research cited which I would expect these days. So this was an excellent book in its day. While it certainly belongs in Newbery collections, I don’t really feel it belongs in regular nonfiction collections. Although I do feel that good books on Chinese history are lacking, this simply can’t be used as an excuse to keep this title on library shelves. I’ll probably keep it in my home library. Probably more of a 3.5 stars than 4. 1935 Newbery Honor Award

[Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A long slog through, then I couldn't find it on my list because the book went to post-WWII. It had been revised. Another one checked off the Newbery list. Love the Internet Archive which allowed me to read this on my computer a chapter at a time over the past month.

[Thomas Bell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is meant to be an overview of Chinese history because the author, a teacher, and administrator, and a lover of Eastern history, found that the general history curriculum contained no Eastern history and that there really weren't any good books for secondary students that covered it. So this was written. Similarly, her colleague wrote a rough book on the history of India.

I thought it was a good book, though it skimmed in parts (all over actually), and there is at least one part that I know to be inaccurate. It is a common misconception that the porcelain 'china' is named after the country, China, where it originated. That explanation makes sense, but the word is actually a transliteration of the place name Changnan. I just don't the author was as careful with her facts as she ought to have been, and it makes me wonder a little bit about some of the other things she said.

I was also a little disturbed that the author put much of the blame for Chinese disasters on women. The emperors were often foolish, but she always throws their wives in as evil. She seems to argue, despite her bit at the end which is contrary to this, that women really don't belong in politics and are more likely to mess things up than anything else.

[Lynette Caulkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this older history of China is clearly outdated, even the third edition with its added chapter bring it up to World War II era, I found it far more interesting to read than I'd expected. Seeger accomplished a remarkable feat, creating the first "text" of Chinese history for U.S. children. Intended for a year's study versus a sit-down read, it was interesting as a straight-through read for an adult who was looking to learn a little more about Chinese history than Disney's original Mulan movie left me.

Seeger interweaves cultural information with historical facts, and even those facts are provided with far more readability than we tend to associate with history books. It is long, but it is not crushing. I've come away with - finally - a decent grasp of Tartar, Mongol, Turk, and Chinese history. And: Who knew - Marco Polo was *not* the first European traveler to China. . . That was his father and uncle, who took him back there with him the second time they went. Ah, common lore, how your deceptions entertain me when revealed.

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two stars, because if you're looking for a book covering Chinese history, find one written more recently than this. There's a lot of important Chinese history in the last one hundred years. This book was originally written in 1934. The edition I read had been updated in the 1960s, so it covered the communist revolution, but not its effects adequately. There was very little between the Boxer rebellion and the communist revolution. The writing clearly showed the beliefs of the 1930s from which eugenics evolved. The Chinese are peaceful and orderly, but the ones who live near the Tartars intermarry and start to become more barbaric at is the Tartar nature. Religions are treated as equal, sometimes giving them high value, sometimes treating them as an opiate of the masses. I read the first 150 pages, then skimmed the rest, as I need to find a way to get through the Newbery nonfiction books and save my sanity.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Regrettably I did not finish this one, but 3.5+ stars for what I did read. This is a broad overview of Chinese history from mythical times to 1912. Seeger, a teacher, wrote it because she saw a hole in the education of children; there was nothing of the history of the East - there is still very little taught on the that and any other non-European, non-North American area. What is clear is that the author loves and respects her subject matter: at one point she points out (a bit snidely) that the first Westerners changed Kung-fu-tse to Confucius because they couldn't pronounce it. I really wish I had been able to have the book for one more week to finish it, interlibrary loans can't renewed. I read this for my 2018 Reading Challenge and for my Newbery Challenge (Honor Book 1935).

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

very difficult to rate this book as I was bored through most of it but it did what it was written to do which was to present a histiry of China, a very brief history skimming over what should be given so much more volume. It took me a good deal of time to make myself finish this. I think it would be a must read to anyone starting out on a long term study of China. It was also intended for young adult readers, not me.

[Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here's the thing, I think it was a bit too ambitious to try to write a whole history of China in one book, for children. The history got kind of confusing because she was trying to simplify it but be complete. What I did like were the anecdotes that she told as she went. Maybe if she had gone for more of a short story format it would've worked better. Though I do applaud the effort.

[Mckinley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being asked to teach world history in elementary school where Asia and the east are not included, the author writes her own book after not finding one she could use.
I enjoyed learning more about China since I too missed that part of the world when I learned history.

[Desiree']

1935 Newbery honor book