The culmination of a lifetime's field work and research, William Lindesay selects fifty artefacts from around the world to tell the story of the Great Wall from the second century BC to the late-twentieth century. Abraham Ortelius' pioneering world atlas, the unexpected origins of 'wolf smoke', the proliferation of the blunderbuss in the fifteenth century Great Wall theatre of war, even Kafka's classic short story 'At the Building of the Great Wall' are some of the unique objects that were shaped by China's most famous national landmark. Enhanced by stories of their discovery, and those of their modern-day keepers, The Great Wall in 50 Objects is a personal and historical exploration of a world wonder. 'William Lindesay has a knack for approaching the iconic Great Wall of China in ways that are creative, idiosyncratic, and deeply personal . . . He has succeeded again with The Great Wall in 50 Objects.' Peter Hessler, author of River Town and Oracle Bones 'William Lindesay shows us the Wall in a completely new light by looking at the smaller objects that make up its history . . . Through these objects we feel the Great Wall transform from architecture into a living part of the history and culture of China.' Jack Weatherford, author of Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World 'For years, Lindesay has hiked and studied the Great Wall with exceptional passion. To him, it seems, the Great Wall is not a mere structure, a political icon, or a cultural curiosity, but a treasure trove of stories.' Jaime FlorCruz, former Beijing bureau chief of Time magazine and CNN 'If you are going to China, and intend to see the Great Wall (or even if, unwisely, you don't), take this book on the plane with you, and absorb as many of its intriguing nuggets of Wall-lore and China-lore as you can – it will make your visit infinitely richer.' Prof. Christopher Cullen, Emeritus Director, Needham Research Institute, Cambridge 'William Lindesay lives and breathes Great Wall history and he exudes it with an engaging passion.' Mike Loades, author of Swords and Swordsmen 'Lindesay presents a coherent and highly informative account of the geography, history, and material culture of China's Great Wall. His compelling and well-written account is rich in profound and often quite unexpected insights.' Lothar von Falkenhausen, Professor of Chinese Archaeology and Art History, UCLA
It is arguably the greatest feat of civil engineering in history, and indisputably earth s largest single cultural relic: begun during the Qin Dynasty (around 208 BC) and completed nearly 1,800 years later during the Ming Dynasty, the Great Wall of China spans more than 4,000 miles. At the dawn of the Beijing Olympics, the eyes of all the world are upon it. Two men who navigated every inch of the Wall have collaborated on a lavishly-illustrated tribute to this amazing structure. Michael Yamashita, an award-winning "National Geographic" photographer, spent a year shooting the Wall, its environs, and the people who live in its shadow, for the magazine. One hundred and sixty of his magnificent photos grace this volume, which features text by William Lindesay, who not only conducts tours of the Wall and spearheads the movement to preserve it, but has actually run its entire length. Broken into three sections, "The Great Wall" provides an overview that debunks myths and dishes up rare facts and figures, a comprehensive history that proceeds dynasty by dynasty through its construction, and an account of Lindesay s personal experiences of the Wall.
William Lindsey has spent three years travelling 35,000 km across North China, reconstructing vintage photographs - the earliest dating from 1871 - by retaking new images from the same viewpoints"-- OhioLink.
The only man-made object visible from the Moon, The Great Wall stretches from north China to the Yellow Sea. This "Close-Up" guide tells the story of this massive structure, its purpose and effectiveness, and the human toil and the sacrifices involved in its creation. 44 illustrations. 2 maps.
For more than 2,100 years the ancient Chinese built chang cheng, or long walls, in the north of their empire to defend it from nomadic invasion. Recording in earth, stone and bricks the protracted and violent conflict between the nomadic tribes of the north and the sedentary farming peoples of the south, these structures -- Great Walls of China -- go far beyond history. So labour intensive, and so time and material consuming were these projects that, even after the passage of centuries, long sections of the Great Wall remain as major landscape features, thus defining a special geography of north China. William Lindesay was lured to China in 1986 to explore the Ming-dynasty Great Wall, which evolved between 1368 and 1644 in direct response to the threat of a re-invasion by the Mongols. Travelling on foot in 1987 between its most westerly and easterly points, Lindesay discovered "that the Great Walls are not objects, but subjects." Guided in his belief that "field work is the key to understanding" he has remained in China for 15 years to systematically explore the Great Wall's geography, history, architecture, archaeology, military function, construction logistics, purpose and performance. All of which are covered in this book, revealing many new aspects of this fascinating subject.
Set in a historical context, this guide takes the reader round Xian starting from early Paleolithic sites, past Qin Shihaungdi's terracotta warriors to a park created during Chairman Mao's Great Leap Forward. Literary excerpts and sidebars illuminate local culture.
On October 1st 1949, Mao Zedong announced the creation of the People''s Republic of China to the crowds in Tian''enmen Square. This was the beginning of Mao''s struggle to stay in power. The posters in this book chart his political development.
Michael Lynch presents an engaging and thorough account of Mao's life and politics, making use of a wealth of primary and secondary sources. He locates Maoism in the broader context of twentieth century Chinese history, discussing the development of the Chinese Communist Party, the creation of the People's Republic of China and the Cultural Revolution, and the part played by Mao in the Cold War. Details of Mao's controversial private life as well as his political and philosophical thought add to this diverse picture of the influential leader. This well-written biography will be essential reading to anyone interested in twentieth century China and its most memorable figure.
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