Probably, there are few topics of conversation now as popular as the possible settlement of Siberia and the Far East by the Chinese, the creation of Chinese economic zones and the leasing of land in Central Russia. Let's not get into political and economic debates. Moreover, the presented book is about something completely different. To better understand a people, you need to know its history. This is once again offered to us by Rhine Kruger in his study of China.

Chinese civilization discovered the compass 1000 years before the Europeans; began making paper 1500 years ago; invented printing 600 years before its western neighbors; developed a calendar 1000 years before the ancient Greeks. She invented dumplings, tea, gunpowder... This list can stretch for several pages.

“The Chinese have a deep belief that the universe - nature and man - constantly strives for balance and harmony, so if evil violates balance, then good is necessary to correct the situation, and thus Yin and Yang balance each other. This principle runs like a red thread through the entire history of the country with its huge population and majestic civilization - a history that we have tried to briefly outline in this book,” says Rhine Kruger himself. Of course, it is impossible to reveal the history of China based only on Western sources, but touching it, which makes it possible to begin to understand this amazing and completely different from our world, is a big step forward for every person.

This book is short the history of the country from the early Paleolithic to the communist period of the 20th century, containing a huge number of facts and descriptions, comparative tables and everyday details. There is unsurpassed grace and fantastic cruelty, refined poetry and savage torture, gourmet cuisine and mass executions, martial arts and merciless wars until the complete destruction of the enemy. Much of the above is still characteristic of China today. Let's get acquainted?