Pangu, a god asleep inside a giant black egg for 18,000 years, wakes up to create the world. Liu Bang, the founder of a Chinese dynasty, begins his life as a peasant. Sun Tzu, a fearless war strategist, writes one of the most popular books of all time. These are just a few of the captivating figures you'll meet in The Ancient Chinese World. Terry Kleeman and Tracy Barrett use a rich variety of intriguing primary sources-turtle shells, clay pots, an ancient wall, folk songs, poetry, and more-to construct a lively history of the politicians, farmers, warriors, and philosophers who created and shaped the ancient Chinese world. They also show us the fascinating process of constructing the historical jigsaw puzzle. Archaeologists discover a 400,000-year-old skull near modern-day Beijing and determine that it is one of our earliest human ancestors. A scholar who is prescribed "dragon bones" to cure an illness realizes that the bones-which are actually turtle shells-contain ancient Chinese writing used to send messages to the gods. The fantastic discovery of Lady Hao's tomb reveals that in ancient China a powerful woman led soldiers into battle. The letters exchanged by two military leaders show not only how the Chinese invented the sword, but also how they used the kite as a military weapon. Using these ancient artifacts and writings, Kleeman and Barrett weave the dramatic story of rulers, writers, soldiers, and citizens who made up the fascinating and unique world of ancient China.

Introduction: the creation of the universe -- Peking man: early humans in China -- "Surprise and delight:" the discovery of China's first culture -- Longshan: China's first civilization -- Everybody talks about the weather: agriculture and oracles -- Dragon bones and hidden treasures: the Shang court -- "Heaven is brightly awesome:" the western Zhou era and the mandate of heaven -- Who's in charge?: the rise of the hegemons -- The story of Shensheng: sacrifice and statehood -- From bronze to plastic: crafts in everyday life -- A wise man and his followers: Confucius and Confucianism -- The way: Laozi -- The art of war: warfare in ancient China -- China goes imperial: the rise of the unified state -- Kings and commoners: Liu Bang and the founding of the Han dynasty -- Who's Chinese?: ethnic groups and China -- Hard work and humility: women in ancient China -- New ways of doing things: inventions and technology -- Power and personality: Wang Mang -- A new relationship with the gods: the rise of Daoism -- "A golden man": Buddhism and the Silk Road -- "Someone with the talent to command": a general takes charge -- A "barbarian" leader: the three kingdoms and Liu Yuan -- A foreign god unites China: Buddhism after the Han.