The Water Kingdom: A Secret History of China by Ball, Philip
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The Water Kingdom: A Secret History of China by Ball, Philip
US $4.37
ApproximatelyRM 18.47
Condition:
Very Good
A book that has been read but is in excellent condition. No obvious damage to the cover, with the dust jacket included for hard covers. No missing or damaged pages, no creases or tears, and no underlining/highlighting of text or writing in the margins. May be very minimal identifying marks on the inside cover. Very minimal wear and tear.
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Item specifics
- Condition
- Narrative Type
- Nonfiction
- Intended Audience
- Adult
- Inscribed
- NO
- ISBN
- 9780226369204
About this product
Product Identifiers
Publisher
University of Chicago Press
ISBN-10
022636920X
ISBN-13
9780226369204
eBay Product ID (ePID)
5038271388
Product Key Features
Book Title
Water Kingdom : a Secret History of China
Number of Pages
320 Pages
Language
English
Topic
Earth Sciences / Hydrology, Asia / China, History
Publication Year
2017
Illustrator
Yes
Genre
Science, History
Format
Hardcover
Dimensions
Item Height
1.1 in
Item Weight
22.1 Oz
Item Length
9 in
Item Width
6 in
Additional Product Features
Intended Audience
Trade
LCCN
2016-042794
Reviews
The language of water has been spoken in China since the earliest times. This remarkable book explains why, and is one of the very few that will be respected both in the West and in China., What a splendid idea: to write a history of China through its relationship with water. Far-fetched you might think: not in the least, as you will find immediately when you start to read this fascinating book. You will never think of China in quite the same way again., "Ball's journey along the history, politics, and culture of China's waterways encompasses many heroes of Chinese hydrology, men who grappled with elemental forces and imperial censure and sometimes came out on top. . . . Ball argues that China's future, like the past, can be read in the fate of its water." , This is a book about water in China in virtually any context imaginable. As Ball, a longtime former editor of Nature says, he draws on 'travellers and explorers, poets and painters, philosophers, bureaucrats and activists, who have themselves struggled to come to terms with what it means to live within a world so shaped and permeated by water.' Historically, water figures in ancient Chinese myths as essential for human life and as a fundamental force of nature that has always ravaged China with the relentless flooding its great rivers cause. Water is a prerequisite for agricultural abundance and urban expansion. It appears as a basic component in Chinese philosophy, one of the basic five elements. Here, Ball considers water, in political, economic, and social aspects, as a factor in environmental pollution, political corruption, and social upheaval (the Three Gorges Dam project is a case in point). The book closes with a consideration of the 'fluid art of expression'--how water relates to Chinese painting, serves as a metaphor in literature, and is used by contemporary artists who perform their works in water. This book will serve diverse readers interested in China from the historical to the most contemporary perspectives. Suitable for all audiences. Recommended., A rewarding read. . . . At its most fascinating when describing how in China the laws of nature seem to have embedded in them a moral precept. . . . Ball puts water beautifully back at the heart of China's story., "A rewarding read. . . . At its most fascinating when describing how in China the laws of nature seem to have embedded in them a moral precept. . . . Ball puts water beautifully back at the heart of China's story." , The Water Kingdom presents us with an epic portrait of China's water management history and its deep interlacing with culture currents. It's essential reading for any serious understanding of the dynamic relations between humans and nature, not only in China, but in the world at large., Ball's passion for Chinese culture, and his broad reading on history, myth, and culture rewards readers with fascinating insights distilled from these sources, along with his own experiences. . . . For teachers, this book provides interesting nuggets to add to existing lectures on Confucianism (such as the deep historical importance of water control and administration from Yu the Great on), Daoism (the hermit man of the mountains and the idea of Dao as water), or Chinese painting and poetry (looking at imagery and wording which might be critical of current rulers or policies). For advanced students with a background in Chinese history and culture, this book provides extensive food for thought, as well as a good bibliography of essential readings., "Ball's journey along the history, politics and culture of China's waterways encompasses many heroes of Chinese hydrology, men who grappled with elemental forces and imperial censure and sometimes came out on top. . . . Ball argues that China's future, like the past, can be read in the fate of its water." , In his excellent, smartly written new book, The Water Kingdom , Ball identifies water as 'one of the most constant, significant and illuminating themes' in China's history and culture. . . . Along the way, the book punctures myths and draws illuminating connections., "In his excellent, smartly written new book, The Water Kingdom , Ball identifies water as 'one of the most constant, significant and illuminating themes' in China's history and culture. . . . Along the way, the book punctures myths and draws illuminating connections." , What a splendid idea: to write a history of China through its relationship with water. Far-fetched, you might think: not in the least, as you will find immediately when you start to read this fascinating book. You will never think of China in quite the same way again., Ball's journey along the history, politics, and culture of China's waterways encompasses many heroes of Chinese hydrology, men who grappled with elemental forces and imperial censure and sometimes came out on top. . . . Ball argues that China's future, like the past, can be read in the fate of its water.
TitleLeading
The
Dewey Edition
23
Dewey Decimal
951
Table Of Content
Introduction: Rain on the Summer Palace 1. The Great Rivers Yangtze and Yellow: The Axes of China's Geography 2. Out of the Water The Myths and Origins of Ancient China 3. Finding the Way Water as Source and Metaphor in Daoism and Confucianism 4. Channels of Power How China's Waterways Shaped its Political Landscape 5. Voyages of the Eunuch Admiral How China Explored the World 6. Rise and Fall of the Hydraulic State Taming the Waters by Bureaucracy 7. War on the Waters Rivers and Lakes as Sites and Instruments of Conflict 8. Mao's Dams The Technocratic Vision of a New China 9. The Fluid Art of Expression How Water Infuses Chinese Painting and Literature 10. Water and China's Future Threats, Promises and a New Dialogue Acknowledgements Picture Credits Notes Bibliography Index
Synopsis
From the Yangtze to the Yellow River, China is traversed by great waterways, which have defined its politics and ways of life for centuries. Water has been so integral to China's culture, economy, and growth and development that it provides a window on the whole sweep of Chinese history. In The Water Kingdom, renowned writer Philip Ball opens that window to offer an epic and powerful new way of thinking about Chinese civilization. Water, Ball shows, is a key that unlocks much of Chinese culture. In The Water Kingdom , he takes us on a grand journey through China's past and present, showing how the complexity and energy of the country and its history repeatedly come back to the challenges, opportunities, and inspiration provided by the waterways. Drawing on stories from travelers and explorers, poets and painters, bureaucrats and activists, all of whom have been influenced by an environment shaped and permeated by water, Ball explores how the ubiquitous relationship of the Chinese people to water has made it an enduring metaphor for philosophical thought and artistic expression. From the Han emperors to Mao, the ability to manage the waters to provide irrigation and defend against floods was a barometer of political legitimacy, often resulting in engineering works on a gigantic scale. It is a struggle that continues today, as the strain of economic growth on water resources may be the greatest threat to China's future. The Water Kingdom offers an unusual and fascinating history, uncovering just how much of China's art, politics, and outlook have been defined by the links between humanity and nature., In The Water Kingdom popular science writer Philip Ball navigates the turbulent and often confusing currents of Chinese history and culture by tracing peoples' relationships with water, from pre-historical founding myths to today. Water has been an enduring metaphor for philosophical thought and artistic expression in China, and from the Han emperors to Mao, the ability to manage water became a barometer of political legitimacy. Attempts at controlling China's vast waterways has involved engineering works on a scale unmatched the world over - for better or worse. Yet the strain that economic growth is putting on the country's water resources today may be the greatest threat to China's future. In characteristic style, Ball delivers an original portrait and as yet unseen cultural history of a country that becomes easier to understand when water is brought to the table.
LC Classification Number
DS727.B355 2017
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- t***i (999)- Feedback left by buyer.Past monthVerified purchaseWonderful condition, arrived fast.
- e***s (8180)- Feedback left by buyer.Past monthVerified purchaseGreat Transaction! Book is as close to NEW as you can get! Fast Shipping too! Many Thanks
- e***v (87)- Feedback left by buyer.Past monthVerified purchaseReceived early, just as described
- 0***0 (2219)- Feedback left by buyer.Past monthVerified purchaseI did not get the book I ordered, but I did get a fast refund!