How to Learn about China: Basic Education

I have to admit that I know much less about China than I should. At this point, I'm a lot more interested in South and Latin America than I am China, so I don't often sit down to read a book having to do with that part of the world.

It's no excuse, really, seeing as China is one of the world's leading powers and especially after the economic crisis, it's important to learn and educate yourself on China, it's culture, it's power.

I recently read Fareed Zakaria's The Post-American World. In Zakaria's book, he explores how America is not falling, but rather all other countries are becoming more powerful. His book begins, ""This is not a book about the decline of America, but rather about the rise of everyone else."

He spends an entire chapter on the culture and history of China. How has it become so powerful? But more specifically, when we were discovering America, what were the Chinese doing? Were they encouraging exploration or focusing more inward?




The Last Emporer is a good movie that'll educate and entertain. The 1987 Bernardo Bertolucci film does a nice job describing the Last Emporer of China, Pu Yi. It takes us through his life from the point when he was named Emporer when he was 3 years old to the point of his death, as a gardener. We witness the revolution and some of China's transition into a republic about a hundred years ago.




Fareed Zakaria's Website


The following sites are useful in getting basic information on China:
A good, detailed wiki article on China

China Today

World Factbook, China

China.org

State Gov Facts