China had 200 million people at the end of the 16th century. It was the dream of the Society of Jesus, the Jesuits, to convert…
View More The Jesuit in the Ming Court—Part 1Tag: Chinese History (Books)
Tibet and Photography
Tibet in history has two schools of thought. One views Tibet as a feudalistic backwater where religion and rule by theocracy imposed by the elites…
View More Tibet and Photography1911 Revolution—Part 1
Dr. Sun Yat-sen has been given too much credit for the 1911 Revolution that toppled the Ching dynasty. (The Unfinished Revolution: Sun Yat-sen and the…
View More 1911 Revolution—Part 1Reading Tibet
History of Modern Tibet (4 volumes) by Melvin C. Goldstein is considered the most authoritative and balanced history of modern Tibet. Goldstein uses both Chinese…
View More Reading TibetRed Star Over China
Red Star over China is now considered a classic work as it was the first account the world had of the Red bandits of China…
View More Red Star Over ChinaA critical analysis of Mao’s achievements – Part 3
The Long March began with many defeats for the Reds. The Troika struggled to come up with a strategic plan for retreat. In January 1935,…
View More A critical analysis of Mao’s achievements – Part 3A critical analysis of Mao’s achievements – Part 2
Thongdao, an obscure town in southern Hunan, is where Mao started in December 1934 to play a prominent role in the ultimate victory over the…
View More A critical analysis of Mao’s achievements – Part 2A critical analysis of Mao’s achievements – Part 1
Why is Mao revered and celebrated by so many when he is responsible for the “two political disasters” of the Great Leap Forward and the…
View More A critical analysis of Mao’s achievements – Part 1China and Japan – Part 2
Japanese culture and arts only grew after absorbing Chinese traditions via Korea and China from 600 to 838 AD. Absorption was the most during the…
View More China and Japan – Part 2The Tibet Question
What’s the origin of the conflict between the 14th Dalai Lama and China? What is the history of the relationships between Tibet and the Mongols…
View More The Tibet Question