New Perspectives on China's Past: Twentieth-Century Chinese Archaeology Review

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New Perspectives on China's Past: Twentieth-Century Chinese Archaeology Review(1) Description of the books: Two volumes totalling 1000 large format pages printed on high quality thick (? too thick -- see below) paper and fully replete with hundreds and hundreds of photos, maps, diagrams and a very fine text. Some photos are in black and white because of their age; most are in wonderful color. Also is included an extensive glossary of Chinese characters, very extensive bibliography (unfortunately, many/most in Chinese),
and a complete index with which I find its greatest fault (again see below).

(2) Content: The first volume consists of more subjective discussions of many subjects of art, history, archeology/anthropology, religion, and a broader picture of these subjects'
relationship to the rest of the world.
The second volume is a chronologic (chapter by chapter) description of 74 areas to be discussed.
(3) Faults: It is admitted in the introduction that to save space (and weight! -- about 5 pounds each), the bibliography to both volumes is only at the end of the FIRST volume. I have never previously experienced, in a two volume production, (rarely, but then customarily at the end of the second volume [but same inconvenience]) this cumbersome practice. So this is my major fault (more below when I analyze one portion). A minor fault is no description of the qualifications, positions, or publications of the authors -- except one elaborate one on the end paper of Mr/Mrs/Ms X. Yang, the "editor and principal author". Perhaps if the high quality and heavy paper had been a tad lighter, there could have been a separate biblography for volume 1, at its end, and likewise the one for volume 2 at its end.
(4) Analysis of one section: I have chosen that of the mausoleum and necropolis of Qin Shihuangdi (the "terra-cotta army) since this is probably the area most readers are acquainted with.
The discussion in the first volume discusses, among other matters, the possibility (author = 'probability') of western influences and its 'isolation', i.e., no previous or subsequent influences of this 'eighth wonder of the world" -- as one author states. This was most interesting, particularly (to me), since I have not seen any book later than 25 years ago on Chinese archeology+ (surely there are more recent articles in magazines and journals, 99% of which are in Chinese!)
The second volume deals with the same subject in the usual (but very fine) and descriptive manner. Here is an example of this frustrating 'bibliography' problem: On page 229 of v. 2, discussing this same subject, is, at the end: Bibliography: "Shihuangling 1975, 1978, 2001, and 2001b; . . . " Now, to check these, one must lay aside this 5 pound volume 2, and resurrect the 5 pound volume 1, to find this reference. Good luck!
Summary" This is a set which is definitive and probably will not be equalled or ??surpassed in a hundred years -- at least, probably not in English.
It is expensive to many; however the quality in every aspect is worth the money. If you can afford it, and this subject is of sufficient interest to you to spend this money, it is a MUST -- particularly, since (at least, to my knowledge) there is no one (smaller) volume covering recent knowledge -- even without the photos and extras offered in this monumental production.
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New Perspectives on China's Past: Twentieth-Century Chinese Archaeology Overview

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