General Resources | Chinese History | Special Topics

General Resources

• Asia for Educators (Columbia University) http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/
  Provides information by topic and format; includes a featured resource on Contemporary Japan by Theodore Bestor and Helen Hardacre.

• China: A Country Studies http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/cntoc.html
  This volume is one in a continuing series of books prepared by the Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress under the Country Studies/Area Handbook Program sponsored by the Department of the Army. It includes the country profile, the writings on history, physical environment, social system, education and culture, etc.

• China WWW Virtual Library http://sun.sino.uni-heidelberg.de/igcs/
  An extensive site; scrolling to the bottom of the first page produces a table of contents organized by subject.

• Six Paths to China http://ozline.com/webquests/china/
  Six activities were created as models for ways to integrate the World Wide Web into classroom learning.

• CIA Fact File on China & Hong Kong & Macau https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ch.html
  Basic information about China, Hong Kong and Macau by CIA

• China the Beautiful http://www.chinapage.com/china.html/
  Provides images, audio files and introductory text on Chinese literature, calligraphy, paintings, classical literature in translation, festivals and history.

• Taiwan Online: Guide to Taiwan http://www.roc-taiwan.org/
  Official government web site for information on Taiwan, including multi-media sites for Taiwanese culture and traditions.

Chinese History

• History of China (University of Maryland) http://www-chaos.umd.edu/history/toc.html
  Based on the history portion of the Army Area Handbook on China, the site provides introductions to Chinese history from the earliest civilization to the modern time (1988), including bibliographies, maps, and pictures.

• Condensed China: Chinese History for Beginners http://condensedchina.com/index.html/
  Condensed China is an introduction to Chinese history. It exists to inform, enlighten and attract netizens interested in China. It is not a complete history of China. It is more like “Chinese History: the Cliff Notes version” or “Chinese History’s Greatest Hits.” than a full-fledged history.

• UCSD Modern Chinese History http://orpheus.ucsd.edu/chinesehistory/
  Modern Chinese History covers Qing Dynasty to contemporary China. It provides sections on reviews & essays; Cultural Revolution; sources; archives, bibliography and related web links.

• History of Taiwan: A Taiwanese Perspectivehttp://www.taiwandc.org/history.htm/
  An overview of important milestones of the history of Taiwan from the early 1600s to the present. Or go to the "Taiwan-400 Years of History and Outlook", written by Dr.Kiyoshi Ito, translated and edited by Walter Chen, or check out an excellent overview of historic documents, treaties, declarations, and communiqués which impacted Taiwan's history.

• Morning Sun http://www.morningsun.org/nonflash.html
  Excellent web site on the Cultural Revolution. A range of techniques and perspectives are used website to reflect on the origins and history of the Cultural Revolution (c.1964-1976). Multimedia section features some of the cultural 'red noise', including radio, songs, films, TV that created the unique atmosphere of the Cultural Revolution era. Images of the Cultural Revolution and of Mao during that period include a wide range of material such as posters, paintings, artwork, photographs and artifacts (including Mao buttons).

• The Gate of Heavenly Peace http://tsquare.tv/film
  The Gate of Heavenly Peace documents the history of the 1989 movement and reflects the drama, tension, humor, absurdity, heroism, and many tragedies of the six weeks from April to June in 1989." Very useful, not only for its information on the film The Gate of Heavenly Peace (Tiananmen) made by Carma Hinton but also for numerous documents about the Beijing spring of 1989 and the symbolism of the Tiananmen Square.

Chinese Music

• Chinese Music Society of North America organized in 1969 and was officially founded in 1976 as a federal non-profit international organization to increase and diffuse the knowledge of Chinese music and performing arts. Today it has grown to become the national association of Chinese musicians and scholars and National and International organization specializing in Research and Educational Material in English (Special Reports, Monographs, Pictures/Slides, Journal Publications, Archaeological Finds, Cultural Relics) concerning Music/Theater/Dance and Musical Instruments of China and Non-Western Cultures

• Traditional Chinese instrumental music

• Bibliography on Chinese music from MCLC

   

Special Topics

• Wu – Chinese Martial Arts http://library.thinkquest.org/04apr/00389/gindex.html
  Graphical introduction to 4 different styles of Chinese martial arts, important figures and references.

• The China Guide
  360 degree panorama tours of Beijing and its surrounding places. Also Includes introductions to Shanghia, Xi’an and Harbin.

• A modern-day journey on the Silk Road http://www.alumni.caltech.edu/~pamlogan/srart.html 
  Illustrated article by Pamela Logan, originally published in Asia Magazine, written for a general audience.

• Human Rights in China http://iso.hrichina.org/iso/
  Human Rights in China is an international nongovernmental organization founded by Chinese scientists and scholars in March 1989. It monitors the implementation of international human rights standards in the People's Republic of China and carries out human rights advocacy and education among Chinese people inside and outside the country. Many Chinese language documents and links.

• People’s Daily http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/
  The most important national newspaper in China.

• Taiwan News http://www.etaiwannews.com/
  A major English online news on Taiwan

• Chinese Imperial Cuisines http://www.china.org.cn/english/imperial/25792.htm
  Concerns history of Chinese imperial food, Chinese philosophy and food, introductory text on different styles of Chinese food, and how the Chinese dishes were named.