China has more than 3,000 years of recorded history, but misconceptions abound at every stage. This series takes you on a thematic tour of four important topics in ancient Chinese history: religion, ethnicity, law, and eunuchs. Justin M. Jacobs, a professor of Chinese history at American University, gives you a nuanced overview based on the latest scholarship and illustrated with copious slides.
Jacobs is the author of The Compensations of Plunder: How China Lost Its Treasures. He recently completed a 24-episode series on UNESCO World Heritage Sites for The Great Courses and is currently conducting research on the voyages of Captain Cook in the Pacific.
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Ethnic Identity in Chinese History
The Chinese people are often perceived as a relatively homogenous ethnic group, but the reality is far more complex and surprising. Jacobs analyzes the earliest ideas regarding civilization and barbarism, the crucial role of northern nomads and their creation of the ethnonym “Han,” and just what it meant to be considered “Chinese” or “Han” in different places and times throughout history.
Additional Sessions of the Journey through Ancient China Series
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