Program overview
The Ancient Chinese History program is essentially the study of China's long history from the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties all the way to the fall of the Qing dynasty in 1912. You'll learn about the politics, economy, culture, and society of each dynasty—why Qin Shi Huang unified the six states, how the Tang dynasty became the center of the world, and what overseas trade was like during the Ming and Qing. Core courses include Pre-Qin History, Qin-Han History, Wei-Jin Southern and Northern Dynasties History, Sui-Tang History, Song-Yuan History, Ming-Qing History, plus practical courses like Historical Sources, Archaeology, and Philology. This program is perfect for those curious about historical stories, ancient texts, and artifacts. If you enjoy reading Records of the Grand Historian or Zizhi Tongjian, or are interested in the Silk Road, ancient technology, or court life, you'll have a great time studying. Chinese universities have a natural advantage in this field—Peking University, Fudan University, Nankai University, and Wuhan University all have strong faculty and library resources, and many schools collaborate directly with archaeological sites and museums, giving you access to primary sources. During your studies, you'll need to read a lot of classical Chinese (but don't worry—your instructors will guide you step by step), and you'll learn to analyze historical sources and write papers. If you wish, you can also go on field trips to the Great Wall, Dunhuang, or the ancient city of Xi'an, connecting textbook knowledge with reality.