To understand present-day China, its politics, society, and culture in general, we have to go back to the beginnings of the Chinese civilization.

In this book, you will be led on a journey through almost 2,000 years of Chinese history, showing you all the ups and downs of those ancient times, the sufferings and joys of the Chinese people, along with their greatest achievements and failures.

Dynasties will change, people will be killed and born, art made and destroyed, but the Chinese civilization will prevail, rising from humble beginnings to an empire that at some points outshined any other in the world at that time. And yet it won't be only a tale of kings and queens, emperors and rulers. Of palaces and forts, of swords and shields.

It will also tell a story of farmers and merchants, artisans and artists, philosophers and scientists. And hopefully by the end of this introductory guide, you will gain a sense of what, who, and how the Chinese civilization was made as great as it was and still is.

From that, a better understanding of this amazing Far Eastern culture and its history should arise as well as a greater appreciation of its achievements and contributions to the world. And with a better knowledge of history, a clearer understanding of the world will come as well.

In Ancient China: A Captivating Guide to the Ancient History of China and the Chinese Civilization Starting from the Shang Dynasty to the Fall of the Han Dynasty, you will discover topics such as

• Chinese Lands and Birth of China
• Shang and Zhou Dynasties and the Rise of Royal Power
• Disintegration of Royal Power
• Birth of Imperial China
• Rise and Fall of the Han Dynasty
• Society of Ancient China
• The Ancient Chinese Culture
• Inventions and Innovations of the Ancient Chinese
• And much, much more