General History of China
Tracing Chinese civilization from its prehistoric origins to the fall of the Qing dynasty, this sweeping 100-part documentary explores the rulers, wars, philosophies, religions, cultural achievements and social transformations that shaped one of the world’s oldest continuous civilizations. Through archaeological evidence, historical records and expert commentary, the series presents a chronological account of China’s dynasties, peoples and institutions across thousands of years of history.
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Ep 1China Road
An introduction to the long development of Chinese civilization, tracing the ideas, institutions, cultural traditions and historical forces that shaped China’s distinctive path from antiquity to the end of imperial rule.
Ep 2The Earliest Chinese
Archaeological discoveries reveal the prehistoric peoples who lived across ancient China and the gradual formation of communities, cultures and shared traditions that would contribute to later Chinese civilization.
Ep 3The Rise of Agriculture
The episode explores the origins of farming in ancient China, including the domestication of millet and rice, the growth of settled communities and the social changes produced by agricultural life.
Ep 4The Origins of Civilization
Early cities, ritual centers, crafts and systems of social organization illuminate the transition from Neolithic cultures to complex civilization in the lands that became China.
Ep 5The Age of Early States
Competing regional societies developed fortified settlements, political hierarchies and ritual authority, laying the foundations for the earliest states recorded in Chinese history.
Ep 6The Xia Dynasty
Archaeology and ancient texts are examined in the search for the Xia, traditionally regarded as China’s first dynasty, with particular attention to the Erlitou culture and debates over its identity.
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