Which books should I buy to understand history of China? I wanted some with primary sources like this, which I find interesting>"The (people of) Chien-chou and Mao-lin [YLSL always reads Mao-lien] are the descendants of the family Ta of Po-hai. They love to be sedentary and sew, and they are skilled in spinning and weaving. As for food, clothing, and utensils, they are the same as those used by the Chinese. Those living south of the Ch'ang-pai mountain are apt to be soothed and governed."
>>18456294My 2 recommendations to people who are just starting to study Chinese history are "the cambridge illustrated history of china" by Patricia Ebrey for ancient china, which moves very fast but gives a good overview, and "revolution and its past" by R Schoppa for modern history. It's a very balanced view, and gives a lot of recommendations for further reading. If you read the Ebrey book I recommend also getting as a companion her "Chinese history: a Sourcebook" which goes a long way to expand upon the main book with contextualized primary sources.
>>18456309>my suggestion for studying china is an american woman