About the Book: Imperial China
In 221 BCE, the Qin state conquered its neighbours and created the first
unified Chinese empire in history. So began the imperial era, where dynasties
claiming divine assent ruled for more than 2, 000 years. Borders shifted and
emperors struggled to exert control over every region of their diverse
territories. Elites held that they were inheritors of a rich, pre-imperial
culture, while their society produced world-changing inventions such as the
compass, printing, gunpowder and the gun. And imperial China itself was altered
as it came into contact with others through trade, exploration and war. For
anyone curious about this fascinating period,