“The empire, long divided, must unite; long united, must divide.” Thus begin the famous opening lines of The Three Kingdoms, by Luo Guan Zhong, summarizing…
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Tag: Chinese History (Books)
The Liao-Shen campaign of 1948—Part 1
Manchuria was where Chiang Kai-shek lost China to Mao. Thereafter, Mao swept south below the Yangtze to destroy the Nationalist armies south of the river.…
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China and Japan – Part 1
Emperor Hirohito’s surrender speech, delivered on August 15, 1945, over the radio, was in classical Japanese that was heavily influenced by classical Chinese, especially in…
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Buddhism in China – Part 2
During and post-Mao Under Mao, all religions, including Buddhism, were regarded as “feudal superstitions.” After Mao died, Deng Xiaoping allowed the restoration of religious sites…
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Buddhism in China – Part 1
Post-Western Encroachments Faced with the threat of the British and French taking territory by force, making China strong became a major concern of the Qing court…
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China under Mao – Part 2
Was Mao essential to the CCP’s victory over Chiang Kai-shek? The Long March was not a glorious trek to avoid encirclement by CKS as presented…
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Majie – Part 1
Majie, in Cantonese, means “mother and sister.” The term refers to unmarried women who migrated from a small locale in Guangdong, China, to work as…
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The Leader Who Divided History
What did Mao do to deserve his reputation to be remembered as a top leader of China? From the time the CCP defeated Chiang Kai-shek…
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The Hidden Power of Yongzheng
Silas H.L. Wu wrote two excellent books back in the 1970s, published by Harvard University Press, on two topics not duplicated in any books since…
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Zhou En Lai A Life – Part 5
Emphasis on Education The early life of Zhou En Lai shows the importance the ordinary Chinese as well as the Chinese government placed on education,…
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