Madeline
Although listening to a lecture for fun sounds like a snooze, this lecture on 5000 years of Chinese history kept me engaged the entire time. Not only did I learn about one of the richest cultures in the world but I also understand why the culture is the way it is today. It is not short and it is not easy to get through, yet, if Chinese history is of any interest, this is the place to go for a listen.
I started on a journey of learning the Chinese language, reading literature about Chinese history, and understanding the culture about five years ago. When I was in China, it was very apparent that the Chinese hold their history very close to them. And so before I return to China, I want to understand the history more and in looking for materials to help my understanding, I came across this lecture series.
Premise of From Yao to Mao
There is not much more to the premise of this lecture series other than 5000 years of Chinese history. That is it. It describes how the first Dynasty came to be. How people migrated out of China and many other Asian nationalities have some Chinese descendancy. How at one time, scholars were the most powerful people in the country and then they were, what seemed like out of nowhere, were not. And finally finishing with how China came to be communist and why it is the way it is today.
Final Thoughts
After I finished the From Yao to Mao: 5000 Years of Chinese History series I added about fifty more lectures from The Great Courses Plus to my to read list. I could not believe the quality of the lectures and how I was actually able to follow along with the course. I can see myself revisiting this course again in the future.
