DK Eyewitness Books: Ancient China: Discover the History of Imperial China from the Great Wall to th

Product Description

A spectacular and informative guide to the history of the great Chinese empire and the customs and traditions of its people. 

Stunning real-life photographs and lifelike models offer a unique "eyewitness" view of life in imperial China, from its earliest beginnings in the Bronze Age to its final years in the early 20th century. See the stunning bronze work of the ancient Chinese and the beautiful techniques used for Chinese calligraphy. Learn why the First Emperor created the Terracotta Army, what kinds of goods were carried along the Silk Route, who invented paper, and much, much more. 

The most trusted nonfiction series on the market, Eyewitness Books provide an in-depth, comprehensive look at their subjects with a unique integration of words and pictures.

Top Reviews

Five Stars
by patty herziger (5 out of 5 stars)
November 9, 2017

It's basic learning but very colorful and endearing!
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Book: Ancient China
by Charles L. Rever Jr. (5 out of 5 stars)
June 14, 2013

A very excellent teaching book. The Chinese were farming a full thousand years before the Egyptians. The pictures helped my student understand better.
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Five Stars
by George Squiers (5 out of 5 stars)
February 8, 2015

great book
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OK, but for students not adults
by Movie Nut (2 out of 5 stars)
July 26, 2016

I didn't realize that this was a picture book with very little text. I liked what it was, but probably would have sought something of more substance if I had realized that this book was so skimpy.
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Three Stars
by Amazon Customer (3 out of 5 stars)
November 22, 2015

Bought for my 11 year old nephew for xmas so I hope he likes it.
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Not so much.
by DublinGirl (3 out of 5 stars)
May 27, 2015

I just ordered this book as a gift for my adult aged daughter who has a great interest in China. I was very disappointed in the size of the book. It is very thin. I wish I had paid more attention and gotten something a little more like a heftier coffee table type book. I was looking for something with beautiful pictures of the mountains, temples, etc. You won't find those in this book. It's like a mini-encyclopedia, with a little bit about a lot of things. The price should have told me I wouldn't be getting too much. But it is a start. Will look for something else later on, having learned what to look for.
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Solid introduction to Ancient China for young readers
by Steven Peterson,Top Contributor: Baseball (4 out of 5 stars)
August 17, 2008

The institutional review coming with this page says: "Grade 5-10-Done in typical "Eyewitness" format, this volume touches upon such topics as Chinese history, the first emperor, inventions, health and medicine, waterways, food and drink, clothing, the Silk Road, and arts and crafts. Material from as recent as the last dynasty, which ended in 1912, is included. . . ." That summarizes nicely--both the age group for whom this book is intended and for the wide range of issues considered.

As such, the book works pretty well. As with all in this series, it reminds one of the first couple phrases in some lines about the Platte River: "A mile wide, an inch deep. . . ." Lots of coverage but not a whole lot of depth. But for young readers, this is a fine work.

The work begins with a bit of history, from the origins of the Chinese civilization under its first rulers, to the creation (by force) of a unified empire under the Qin Dynasty (China, the name, comes from this dynastic term), to the full unfolding of the empire under the Ming Dynasty after the expulsion of the Mongols.

There follows a discussion of the first dynasty (Shang, from 1650 to 1027 BC), the importance and central views of Confucius, the first emperor of a united China (Zheng), the development of an early civil service.

Then, some of the artifacts of the culture--printing and books, medicine, agriculture, food and drink, housing, dress, and so on.

The book closes out with a discussion of "The Silk Road" (during which time trade flourished between China throughout Asia to Europe), ocean voyages (voyages to the Middle East, Africa, India, the great islands of the Indian Ocean), and the end of empire, with the final emperor being deposed in 1912.

Again, as with others in this series, you get rather shallow coverage--but the illustrations are great and the amount of information provided really lined up with the age group targeted.
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Beautiful photos & lots of good info
by yarden (5 out of 5 stars)
January 28, 2001

DK eyewitness books are some of the greatest non-fiction books around. The distinctive white background and high-quality photography gives this book an edge over any other nonfiction picture book. And -- these pictures are real! They're beautiful museum-quality photos of all things related to Ancient China, accompanied by informative captions and text.

Learn about Ancient China, its rulers, and its people. SEE the objects common to everyday life in Ancient China. If you know someone (young or old) who is fascinated by Ancient China, then you must introduce them to this book!
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Great Book To Support Curriculum
by Dennis E. Joyce (5 out of 5 stars)
April 20, 2013

I am a middle school reading teacher. I like to support the curriculum of the other subjects if possible. Right now, in 6th grade world history, the classes are studying ancient China. This book seemed like the perfect resource for students to have access to. I wasn't disappointed. The first day I put the book out, one of my students checked it out.

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