China has influenced the military strategies, trade relations, aesthetics, philosophies and culinary traditions of countries around the world for thousands of years, and Chinese history is as controversial as any other. And despite all the inconsistency, it is characterized by certain patterns, the knowledge of which allows us to form a holistic impression of China with its limitless human, cultural and economic potential. Wanting to share her deep knowledge of China's past and present and her love for the country with interested readers, Linda Javin masterfully pieces together the intricate puzzle of Chinese history, illustrating the story with drawings, photographs, diagrams and maps. The author makes important generalizations and makes predictions about what awaits China in the foreseeable future and how this may affect the fate of the entire planet. “Faced with the need to choose between key figures, economic and social processes, military history, aesthetic and intellectual currents, I choose … All. I highlight topics, events and personalities that, it seems to me, shed light on the essence of their time, on the development of Chinese civilization and statehood. I am not mentioning all the many emperors, rebels, thinkers, artists, eccentrics, inventors, politicians and poets. I'll introduce you to some of the most interesting and influential people and, as much as possible in such a short book, I'll let them talk about themselves. I will give quotes from the works of ancient historians, modern politicians, poets and satirists. China is very diverse, and this complex diversity is part of its greatness.” (Linda Javin)The publishing design is preserved in PDF A4 format.