From kung fu to tofu, tea to trade routes, sages to silk, China has influenced the world for millennia and emerged as a global power. Journey through its riveting history in one compact volume. Journey across China’s epic history—through millennia of early innovation to modern dominance. The Shortest History of China charts a path from China’s tribal origins through its storied imperial era and up to the modern Communist Party under Xi Jinping—including the rarely told story of women in China and the specters of corruption and disunity that continue to haunt the People’s Republic today. A master storyteller and exacting historian, Linda Jaivin distills this vast history into a short, riveting account that today’s globally minded readers will find indispensable.