China : visions through the ages / edited by Lisa C. Niziolek, Deborah A. Bekken, and Gary M. Feinman ; assisted by Thomas A. Skwerski.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 321-345) and index.

At the entrance of The Field Museum's Cyrus Tang Hall of China, two Chinese stone guardian lions stand tall, gazing down intently at approaching visitors. One lion's paw rests upon a decorated ball symbolizing power, while the other lion cradles a cub. Traditionally believed to possess attributes of strength and protection, statues such as these once stood guard outside imperial buildings, temples, and wealthy homes in China. Now, centuries later, they guard this incredible permanent exhibition. China's long history is one of the richest and most complex in the known world, and the Cyrus Tang Hall of China offers visitors a wonderful, comprehensive survey of it through some 350 artifacts on display, spanning from the Paleolithic period to present day. Now, with China: Visions through the Ages, anyone can experience the marvels of this exhibition through the book's beautifully designed and detailed pages. Readers will gain deeper insight into The Field Museum's important East Asian collections, the exhibition development process, and research on key aspects of China's fascinating history. Exhibition: The Field Museum, Chicago, USA.

Introduction; Timeline -- 1. Building the China Collections at The Field Museum -- 2. Domestication and the Origins of Agriculture in China -- 3. China during the Neolithic Period -- 4. The Bronze Age in China: What and When -- 5. Written on Bamboo and Silk, Inscribed in Metal and Stone: Varieties of Early Chinese Writing -- 6. -- Along the River during the Qingming Festival: A Living Painting with a Long History -- 7. Men of Culture: Scholar-Officials and Scholar-Emperors in Late Imperial China -- 8. Daoism and Buddhism in Traditional China -- 9. Shadows between Worlds: Chinese Shadow Theater -- 10. The Silk Road: Intercontinental Trade and the Tang Empire -- 11. The Java Sea Shipwreck and China's Maritime Trade -- Conclusion: Legacies of Qin Unification: A Hinge Point of Chinese History.