If you were to meet a Mainland Chinese person they would very proudly declare that their country and nation and, most importantly), its people, have 5,000 years of history. When you let that get through your head and realize that everyone has 5,000 years of history, you might start to wonder where they get this idea from.
While it might be true to some degree that the geographical place we currently associate with “China” has a lengthy history, one that has had all sorts of stops and starts and the changing of borders, it is the last 100 years that has seen some pretty big changes. But in reading some of the longer time-span histories, you might start to see how the last hundred years may not be all that different from the thousands of years before it.
With that I offer you a reading list of a few books that I think will help you understand more about what China is, how it views its history, and how its approaching its own future. There are quite a few memoirs in the list, a few novels, some books by non-Chinese people and a select few of the Chinese “classics”.
This list is by no means exhaustive but I think it provides a diverse selection of readable books on how China has shaped itself over the years.
History
The Penguin History of China by Jonathan Fenby – Sober look at China’s history within the last 100 years or so.
Gang of One: Memories of a Red Guard by Fan Shen – Honest account of times under Mao and the whole Cultural Revolution.
Wild Swans by Jung Chan – Three generations of women share their stories. The book spans the last 100 years or so.
The Rape of Nanking by Iris Chang (or watch the movie City of Life and Death which is based on this book). Rather harrowing look at how the Japanese took over Nanjing city. This event, among others from WW2, are often what keep divided the Chinese and Japanese.
Novels
The Fat Years by Chan Koon Chung – Originally published in Hong Kong and now banned in China, got your attention? The “epilogue” alone is worth a read, though it makes up about a third of the whole book. Talks about a month that goes missing from the history books and only a few people are aware of its occurrence.
Wolf Totem – Jiang Rong – A look at how China integrated Inner Mongolia, its traditions and customs, into its borders and made it an agrarian society rather than nomadic, hunting-gathering society.
The Three-Body Problem – Liu Cixin – Science Fiction but the book is part of a well-known trilogy of books. Another instalment came out titled The Wandering Earth which sort of closes the storyline. They say if you want to understand modern China, read its science fiction.
Life and Death Are Wearing Me Out – Mo Yan – I found it difficult to read but the book goes through the literal life and death of the main character as he is reborn and experiences different parts of Chinese history.
Red Sorghum – Mo Yan – Haven’t read it yet but everybody talks about it. Also made into a movie.
Future prognostications
The Next 100 Years – George Friedman – Founder of STRATFOR and its former CEO, fantastic look at what could transpire geopolitically within the next century.
The Next Decade – George Friedman – Same idea as the above but within the next ten years. Book was written a while ago by now so good for checking whether or not the guy has been accurate.
Modern Times
Mr. China – Tim Clissold – Foreign investors rock on up to China with bundles of cash to fund whatever they can. Chinese businesses look at the bundles of cash and see that it’s a lot of money. Foreign investment wants meets Chinese poverty needs in this book.
Age of Ambition: Chasing Fortune, Truth, and Faith in the New China – Evan Osnos – Fantastic look at how the younger generation is business-minded and on the move more so than previous generations.
Wish Lanterns: Young Live in New China – Alec Ash – Five young individuals are followed over the years to see how they cope with coming of age and living in modern China.
China’s Asian Dream: Empire Building Along the New Silk Road – Tom Miller – Highly touted but I have yet to read this one.
Factory Girls: From Village to City in a Changing China – Leslie Chang – I worked on farms before and heard stories of terrible conditions. This book is all about young women heading to the factories to make the money to make a better life for themselves. Same same, right?
Travelogues
The Great Railway Bazaar by Paul Theroux – On his journey across Europe and Asia he transverses through China. A peak of one of his later adventures.
Riding the Iron Rooster – by Paul Theroux – The author heads out into China to ride the rails and talks about what he sees. Takes place in the late 1980s so it’s a good “history” book in that regard.
Country Driving – Peter Hessler – Apparently part of an unofficial trilogy of his time in China, discusses his road trips out of Beijing and into the surrounding area.
Classics
Journey to the West – A classic novel about a trio of pilgrims heading to the West (that is, Central Asia and India) to find some holy scriptures. The story is made memorable by the group who consist of a monk who travels with a monkey, a pig-man, and a shapeshifter-type of character. It is the mischievous monkey who makes the group so memorable as his character is often adapted to a variety of different contexts given his playful nature.
Art of War by Sun Tzu – Mention this book and most people will know it but probably only because they have to read parts of it if they study Chinese literature. Others wouldn’t be able to quote much of it but would understand that many of these sayings are present in day-to-day life in China.
Analects by Confucius – You need to say “Kong Zi” in order for people to understand who you mean, as that is Confucius’ Chinese name. Again, this is one of those books that kids would have to read and wouldn’t exactly rush into conversation with. They would rather discuss other, more contemporary works of literature. That being the case, many of the teachings in Confucius’ work have steeped into mainstream Chinese culture and are ever present today.