From Yao to Mao: 5000 Years of Chinese History

By: Kenneth J. Hammond, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Kenneth J. Hammond

For most of its 5,000-year existence, China has been the largest, most populous, wealthiest, and mightiest nation on Earth. And for us as Westerners, it is essential to understand where China has been in order to anticipate its future. These 36 eye-opening lectures deliver a comprehensive political and historical overview of one of the most fascinating and complex countries in world history.

You'll learn about the powerful dynasties that ruled China for centuries; the philosophical and religious foundations-particularly Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism-that have influenced every iteration of Chinese thought, and the larger-than-life personalities, from both inside and outside its borders, of those who have shaped China's history. As you listen to these lectures, you'll see how China's politics, economics, and art reflect the forces of its past.

From the "Mandate of Heaven," a theory of social contract in place by 1500 B.C.E., 3,000 years before Western philosophers such as Thomas Hobbes and John Locke, to the development of agriculture and writing independent of outside influence to the technologically - advanced Han Dynasty during the time of the Roman Empire, this course takes you on a journey across ground that has been largely unexplored in the history courses most of us in the West have taken.

In guiding you through the five millennia of China's history, Professor Hammond tells a fascinating story with an immense scope, a welcome reminder that China is no stranger to that stage and, indeed, has more often than not been the most extraordinary player on it.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2004 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2004 The Great Courses

A good listen

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes because it is a great crash course to Chinese history and seems to cover all of the main events.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Professor Kenneth J. Hammond?

That depends on the subject. He wasn't a particularly great story teller and didn't really make the subject come to life. I was interested in most of the lectures so I could pay attention, but occasionally he would dwell on some less interesting topics and I would lose interest.

Any additional comments?

I certainly enjoyed the audiobook but it was not one I could listen to for hours at a time because the Professor was not very energized. I was also disappointed that he did not talk about the building of the Great Wall at all. However, it was a great introduction/overview of Chinese History.

Great overview and introduction, but...

This was a great first dive into the history of China. The delivery is much cleaner if you listen at 1.5-1.7 speed. The author is far too lenient in his presentation of Mao's leadership. Mao and his cronies were greedy, murderous thugs. This is an established historical fact. They went the way that all the failed communist and fascist state leaders did, taking what they wanted for themselves using the power of the state, at the cost of countless millions of their people's lives and livelihoods, leaving a colossal monument to the greed in the human heart in their wake. There is no mention of Mao's violent suppression of religious faiths, and the wholesale enslavement/imprisonment of millions of people in state concentration camps, which is still happening today, especially with indigenous peoples such as the Uighur. Of course there is only so much time for each lecture, and the professor is obviously pro-China in general and may want to maintain the ability to have some interaction within China and with native Chinese scholars and programs in the future, so he is limited in what details he might share, but still. I would still recommend this overall, and the PDF lecture summaries are very useful and a nice touch.

An excellent lens on Chinese history.

A very insightful production. It was focused as well as entertaining. A very rare match.

Absolutely gripping

I studied Chinese language and literature in college but spent very little time on history outside of the more contemporary items. This lecture series has inspired me to dig in more deeply to different periods. I'm addicted to Great Courses!

Spoilt by an uninspiring presentation

Too many "ah... " and "umm's..." punctuated an otherwise interesting history of China. Also, the expanse of 5000 years made it difficult to cover in detail the full scope of China's history,l. The presenter often summarised long periods of interesting history that might have been given attention in a longer course or a course separated into modern and ancient China.

Long long book on China

While the author clearly knows the subject matter.”, his delivery is very bland.. Madd it hard to follow at times.

very comprehensive

This series of lectures gave me note perspective on Chinese history than I even knew I lacked.

Very comprehensive

This course gives you a brief thumbnail sketch of all of Chinese history. I think it is a must for anyone who wishes to understand China's role in global politics. Certainly should be considered a classic. This professor's pronunciation of Chinese proper nouns, although not perfect, is a lot better than most audio productions of anything having to do with China.

A great overview of Chinese History

Any additional comments?

This was a very thorough and enjoyable overview of Chinese history. The professor does a great job touching on many important subjects and nuances in Chinese history, including even an overview of Chinese geography, which I think is essential for understanding the history of any country. Like all history it can become a little dry or hard to remember or distinguish all the different peoples and dynasties at some points. I would highly recommend these lectures to anyone looking for a good, thorough overview of Chinese history from the earliest times to the near present.

Interesting but biased.

Puts China in a golden light, praising Communism, ignoring any negative acts against it’s people or the Military actions against others. Still a great book, but suggest providing more unbiased lectures in the future or visiting the actual country and hearing from the people about people disappearing or being sent to prison camps for speaking against the government or even less . I have been there and talked with many Tibetans, Chinese and expats from there. I am not saying China is evil, but there are good and bad parts of all Country histories, and they need to be taught in an honest and unbiased way, so that we can learn from the mistakes of the past and grow as a people.