In this volume, Mu-chou Poo offers a new overview of daily life in ancient China. Synthesizing a range of textual and archaeological materials, he brings a thematic approach to the topic that enables a multi-faceted understanding of the ideological, economical, legal, social, and emotional aspects of life in ancient China. The volume focuses on the Han period and examines key topics such as government organization and elite ideology, urban and country life, practical technology, leisure and festivity, and death and burial customs. Written in clear and engaging prose, this volume serves as a useful introduction to the culture and society of ancient China. It also enables students to better understand the construction of history and to reflect critically on the nature of historical writing.

‘… [those] concerned with China’s early history, be they first year students or veteran scholars, will be grateful for this clear and concise account of the conditions that affected the conduct of life in China’s early empires. Enriched as they have been by the material finds of recent years, thanks to an overview such as this book, they may well be able to place these discoveries in their context, fully conscious of the need to accept both historical and archaeological evidence as aspects of one and the same situation.’

William A. Everett - University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory