What Life was Like in the Land of the Dragon: Imperial China Ad 960-1368

What Life Was Like

by Denise Dersin

Drawing on art, artifacts, and literature that was left behind, these richly illustrated volumes recount captivating tales of everyday life in long-ago vanished worlds.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, China, Research

144 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1998

Reviews

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The art in this book is fantastic, I loved it. The text isn't as good. That is probably a reflection of the style of book this is, flashy & short -- this isn't a nuanced history that takes a complex and objective view of Chinese history, it reads like a rather sensational type of documentary. Still interesting, especially some of the insets about particular topics, like children or poetry.

[Aaron · Rating 3 out of 5]

This history of about 400 years of Chinese history is very thin. As a popular history, it is fine. You will probably be left wanting more detail, but the point of this book is to introduce you to some concepts, and nothing more. As others here have noted, the strength of the book is in its art, which is very good. If, like me, you can find a copy at a good price, then the book is good value for money. But if you want real detail you will be left wanting.

[Nancy H · Rating 4 out of 5]

This excellent volume gives details about early life in China. Sometimes Chinese history is difficult to understand, yet this book makes it clear and concise. The book is well-written and well-researched, and covers all aspects of early Chinese life. It is fascinating reading.

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

What's great about these What Life Was Like books is that they always show a slice of life in a historical time period with lots of pictures for context. This installment about Imperial China was certainly interesting and informative, but it didn't really showcase what life was like so much as give a history lesson about Song Dynasty politics.

Usually, in these books, readers learn about people at different rungs of the social ladder. However, in Imperial China, users mostly read about the poets and politicians who either supported or criticized the Song Dynasty rulers. Note: a lot of people go into exile in this book.

That said, Imperial China does do a great job of laying out the principles and philosophies that the intellectuals of the Song Dynasty valued. You learn about the layout and character of different cities and regions of China. This can give a sense that you're learning what "daily life" was like, but the reader is only given a vague sense of that, unless you're reading about an exiled poet/politician.

This is still worth reading if you're interested in Imperial China. It's a good intro, if nothing else. Just be aware that there isn't much to learn about clothing or food or transportation here.

[Anders · Rating 3 out of 5]

An engagingly written popularizing work on what might be the most dynamic and fascinating period in premodern Chinese history: the Song dynasty and its nomadic competitors and successors. The narrative is lively and richly illustrated with some of the magnificent art and artifacts from that time.
That said, though, there is an odd lack of focus or consciousness about the choice of beginnings and endings. Though it purports to treat "what life was like", and does indeed offer some illuminating insights in well-crafted textual and pictorial inserts, the main body of text has a strong, if not exclusive focus on the high politics of the imperial court. These factional struggles between reformists and conservatives are, of course, fascinating in themselves, but would at most offer background to the stated aim of explaining everyday life for the population as a whole. The end product is somewhat disjointed, and does not offer a direct explanation as to what makes the period treated especially noteworthy. To understand what made the commercial, scientific and cultural renaissance under the Song so remarkable, it would have been helpful to discuss earlier dynasties and other contemporary civilizations more thoroughly.
It is certainly worth reading, but suffers from the lack of a clear goal and thesis, displaying how necessary these are for both academic and popular texts.