Why read China's Last Empire?

Book cover of China's Last Empire

Book description

In a brisk revisionist history, William Rowe challenges the standard narrative of Qing China as a decadent, inward-looking state that failed to keep pace with the modern West. The Great Qing was the second major Chinese empire ruled by foreigners. Three strong Manchu emperors worked diligently to secure an alliance…

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Asian history

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Why read it?

1 author picked China's Last Empire as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Henrietta Harrison

Author

I think this is the best up-to-date history of the Qing dynasty. I use it for teaching because it’s completely reliable, covers everything you might need to know, and lays it all out clearly.

It also has a really good balance between the history of major events like the Opium Wars and the Taiping Rebellion and the social history and context. And I like the fact that it explains the big debates that scholars are having in clear and simple terms.

From Henrietta's list on The best books on Qing Dynasty China from an Oxford historian.