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China: History, Society & Culture  

Use this guide to locate resources and research strategies for the study of Chinese history, society, and culture.
Last Updated: Mar 5, 2013 URL: http://hbl.gcc.libguides.com/china Print Guide RSS UpdatesShareThis

Starting Your Research: Tools & Tips Print Page
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Chinese Civilization & Culture

 

Background Reading - History

  • Salem History Online
    Full-text access to the Great Lives & Great Events encyclopedias from ancient times through the 20th century.
  • Cambridge History of Ancient China
    Includes articles on the history of China from its origins to 221 B.C.
    1 volume.

    Topics covered include language, writing, art, architecture, archaeology, and more.
  • Cambridge History of China
    Includes articles on the history of China. Volume 1 begins in 221 B.C. and later volumes cover content through 1982.
    Also available in print: Ref DS 735 .C3145 1988

    13 volumes.

    Topics include trade, relations with the West, politics, education, intellectual change, and literature.
  • The Cambridge Encyclopedia of China
    Call Number: Ref DS 705 .C35 1991
  • Federal Research Division: Country Studies
    "A description and analysis of the historical setting and the social, economic, political, and national security systems and institutions of countries throughout the world" (from the Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress).
  • Daily Life through History
    Includes the everyday details about past eras.
  • World Eras Series
    The titles in this series provide introductions to topics including geography, the arts, communication, transportation, exploration, society, economics, politics, law, the military, leisure, daily life, family, religion, philosophy, science, and technology. Each volume includes chronologies, topical articles, and biographies. One of the volumes covers imperial China from 617-1644.

    Bibliographies of both primary and secondary sources are included.
 

Librarian's Research Tips:

Start with some background reading. While it is tempting to start your research by identifying available books and articles, this process will be very time-consuming if you have not read up on your topic.

Use some of the reference databases and/or books recommended on this guide to help you locate important names, dates, and keywords. Using this strategy, research is often better and takes less time!

 
After you have completed your background reading and developed a good list of keywords, you are ready to move onto finding Books.

 

Background Reading - Culture & Literature

  • Country Watch
    Provides country-specific data including demographic, political, economic, business, and cultural information.
  • Global Road Warrior
    Cultural, social, travel and business information about countries around the world.
  • Worldmark Encyclopedia of Cultures & Daily Life
    Call Number: Ref GN 333 .W67 2009 v.1-5
  • Countries and their Cultures
    Call Number: Ref GN 307 .C68 2001 v.1-4
  • China Today: an Encyclopedia of Life in the People's Republic
    Call Number: Ref DS 777.6 .C458 2005 v.1-2
  • Cambridge History of Chinese Literature
    This two-volume history covers Chinese literature from the earliest times (vol. 1) through the present (v. 2).

    Call Number: Ref PL 2265 .C36 2010 v.1-2
  • The Indiana Companion to Traditional Chinese Literature
    This two-volume companion provides background on Chinese poetry, fiction, drama, and more. Bibliographies are included.

    Call Number: Ref PL 2264.L5 I53 1986 v.1-2
 

Helpful Series

Search the Library Online Catalog:

In addition to dictionaries and encyclopedias, there are a few series in the library that can provide valuable overviews and help you identify important keywords for additional searching.


Use the search box above to locate relevant titles from the series listed below.

  • Greenwood Histories of the Modern Nations

  • Historical Dictionaries of ...

  • Cambridge Illustrated History

 

Instruction Librarian

 

Kim Marks
Reference/Instruction Librarian
Office: Library -- Room 205
Email: ksmarks@gcc.edu
724.450.1532

My Reference Hours

 

Background Reading - Other Resources

  • CQ Global Researcher  Icon
    Find background info, timelines and more on controversial international issues.
  • CIA World Factbook
    Use this source to locate the following information about countries around the world: geography, people, economy, communication, transportation, military, transnational issues, and government. Government information includes constitutions, national holidays, political parties and leaders, and more.
  • Encyclopaedia Britannica Online
    Full-text of the complete encyclopedia.
  • Oxford Reference Online Database
    Online reference library covering a wide-variety of subjects.
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