An Outline History of East Asia to 1200

Reviewed by Lin Li, Assistant Professor, Kenyon College on 5/5/25, updated 5/7/25

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

While this textbook is titled “An Outline History of East Asia to 1200,” it heavily focuses on premodern Chinese history and does not give as much attention to premodern Korea and Japan. In fact, premodern Korea and Japan do not appear until Chapter Six. While I fully understand that the lack of written sources from premodern Korea and Japan poses a challenge for researchers and writers, I still think that the textbook could have engaged more with existing scholarship on premodern Korea and Japan to help students better understand these two countries and civilizations.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

I have found this textbook's content to be mostly accurate. One thing that I appreciate about this textbook is that Dr. Schneewind often uses the concepts of mainland, peninsula and archipelago to talk about the East Asian region without imposing modern-day nation-states onto the past. Another strength of this textbook is its comparative discussion of China’s Sui and Tang dynasties, the unified kingdoms of Silla, and Japan’s Heian period (see chapters eight and nine). This allows students to understand the connections among early East Asian countries.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 3

I think the textbook could benefit from connecting the past with the present. For instance, when discussing the early Korean kingdom Koguryŏ (see pdf 107-109), the textbook leaves out the ongoing debate between contemporary China and South Korea regarding whether Koguryŏ should be seen as part of Chinese history (see pdf 107-109).I think it is important to introduce debates like this to students because they vividly show that history is not something happened in the past and unrelated to the present, but is something that is actively shaping the contemporary world.

Clarity rating: 5

I appreciate this textbook’s lucid writing style, which is quite accessible to students with little to no background on East Asian history. For this reason, I think it is a good textbook to assign for college level surveys on early East Asian history.

Consistency rating: 5

The textbook is internally consistent in terms of terminology and framework.

Modularity rating: 5

The textbook is easily and readily divisible into smaller reading sections that can be assigned at different points within the course.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The topics in the textbook are presented in a logical, clear fashion.

Interface rating: 4

The textbook is free of significant interface issues and I have found it very easy to navigate.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

This textbook is clearly written and accessible to students with little to no background on East Asian history.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

I agree that the textbook is not culturally insensitive or offensive in any way.

Comments

There are two areas where I think this textbook could use some improvements. To begin with, I find the textbook’s conceptual and temporal framework to be unusual. In my experience, college level surveys on early East Asian history usually either stop at 1600 or 1800, and 1200 is not the most common stopping point. Considering this, teachers who decide to use this textbook more than likely will have to use other textbooks or book chapters to cover the content from 1200 to either 1600 or 1800. I can see that this textbook might work perfectly for classes based on a quarter system. However, for classes based a semester system, teachers who decide to use this textbook likely will have to use other textbooks or book chapters to cover the content from 1200 to either 1600 or 1800.

Furthermore, the quality of maps is far from satisfactory. Take Map K from Chapter 6 (pdf page 121) as an example, the hand labelled map is blurry. I fear that students won’t be able to get an accurate sense of the geography from this map. I hope that updated maps can be provided in the future version of this textbook.

Reviewed by Ashley Elston, Associate Professor of Art History and Director of Visual Arts, Berea College on 3/22/24

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

Excels in covering China (and that is reflected in the table of contents). Sections on Korea and Japan are noticeable shorter, although valuable. Although there's more evidence regarding ruling/elite groups, the broader population is also included in the narrative.

I would have liked a clickable glossary (or any glossary for the bolded terms) but those are terms, which are well chosen, are then opportunities for instructors.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

Directing readers to additional resources in a paragraph at the end of each chapter is helpful for students and instructors. Endnotes rather than footnotes makes the text cleaner and perhaps less intimidating, but also decreases their usefulness for most readers.

I teach art history and I found the presentation and discussions of material culture to be handled well in a historical context. Obviously this is not an art history textbook so I would add more and ask different questions but I do not have concerns assigning this to art history students so they gain background on the cultures that produced these objects/works of art.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

Although new archaeological and historical discoveries have the potential to change our understanding, this text should hold up with minor adjustments for years to come.

Clarity rating: 5

Admirable level of clarity in prose - accessible without being overly simplified. The text would work nicely as background that the instructor can then build upon with classroom materials and exercises.

Consistency rating: 5

Sufficiently consistent to be easy to use for students and instructors.

Modularity rating: 5

The chapters are of manageable length but with considerable information, so the subheadings are greatly appreciated so that chapters can be divided easily if necessary for the course schedule.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

Organization is straightforward and appropriate for an introductory-level course.

Interface rating: 5

I noticed a couple of maps that should be reoriented but it was not a huge impediment for comprehension.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

Proofreading was well done.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

Sections on gender, enslavement, and class were included and could support further materials and class discussion. Includes material demonstrating East Asia's global connections when relevant.

Comments

This is an excellent resource for undergraduate teaching that is much more than an outline.

Reviewed by En Li, Assistant Professor, Drake University on 12/30/21, updated 1/4/22

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

This text covers many important areas and ideas of East Asia from roughly 1200BC to about AD1200, which contributed to "two Chinas, Japan, and two Korea";

positive: -great slogan for the comprehensiveness, "2400 years, three countries, ten weeks, no problem"; -with the first edition included, really shows the wonderful possibility of revision and expansion of an online open text; -I especially like the cut off during 1200s as the end of the first half of East Asian survey--before the Mongol invasion and the Europeans entered the scenes in East Asia; so I would recommend this text to be assigned to the first half of any East Asian survey courses;

suggestions: -as the author states, it's not a stand-alone text, so it would be helpful if the primary sources/secondary scholarship, as well as study questions are added--could those be included in the next edition? I imagine those were presented to the students at UC San Diego when the course was taught over years; -as the previous reviewer pointed out, there is no glossary or index. I was wondering if the bolden terms in the text could be made into a list so readers can easily look them up by using the searchable feature in a PDF document--isn't it something that people can take advantage of being online?

Further question: -the current text has an intro plus 10 chapters so it is assigned to a 10-week study block--how do instructors assign this text to a 15-week regular semester?

Content Accuracy rating: 5

Dr. Schneewind is an active member of the facebook group called Sinologist, which she acknowledged in the postface. So this text not only is accurate, but also reflects recent scholarship from many experts in the field from the vibrant fb group discussions.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

I enjoyed the links to other online sources--really shows the openness of an online text. I was wondering if the text can include questions/discussion questions at the beginning and also throughout the chapters, which will make the text more inquiry-based, hands-on, and relevant to the students. For example, Chapter 1 "East Asia to 1045 BC" could be a chapter framed with the opening question of "how we know what we know in history," and explores the various non-textual evidence in the current chapter; likewise, Chapter 1 "The Han Empire and its Neighbors" could be a chapter centers around the question of "what made/makes an empire?"

Clarity rating: 4

The text itself is very clearly written. Suggestions: -footnotes instead of endnotes would more likely be read; -perhaps also include timelines of how the three countries line up with each other? Often times students get confused when the timelines of the three countries tangled up with each other.

Consistency rating: 5

The text is internally consistent in terms of terminology and framework.
Minor suggestion: -could all the tables be numbered in a consistent way so they can be cited and referred to, for example, the table on p. 36 which compares rituals in Western Zhou and Eastern Zhou?

Modularity rating: 5

Very easily and readily divisible into smaller reading sections that can be assigned at different points within the course, for example, "Shang Yang's reform" and Liu Bang's life "from commoner to emperor."

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

The topics are presented in a logical and clear way. Further thoughts: -what connects the three countries and what did they share in common? Language(s), Confucianism, Buddhism, cultural influences from China? The current Chapter 8 and Chapter 9 compare the aristocratic societies of Tang China, Shila Korea, and Hei'an Japan. Those are very helpful comparison across countries--could we see more of those in the next edition?

Interface rating: 4

Very nice and helpful images to illustrate the text. Minor suggestion: -can some of the maps be professionally made so they look more reliable? For example, map E about the main Zhou states 500 BC and map H about the four main islands of the Japanese archipelago? I understand that map making for publications could be very expensive--could the text include links to some free maps then?

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

Dr. Schneewind is a fantastic writer.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The text is culturally sensitive and open to new ideas. When I taught this course, students always wondered, why East Asian history during this period is mostly about China. Just curious about the author's take-on of this question. East Asian history from whose perspective? Who wrote history during this time? People who were able to read and write? The Chinese? Again, would be a very interesting historian's question to explore with students together about bias and cultural sensitivity.

Comments

It's a real treat to read this text. And it's very inspiring to see this great work have free access and open to all readers. I really enjoyed the text and would like to thank the author again for her wonderful insight, extreme hard work, and admirable generosity.

Reviewed by Mark Norris, Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences and Professor of History, Grace College on 11/20/21

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

In An Outline of East Asia to 1200, Sarah Schneewind covers all areas relevant to the history of East Asia from c. 1200 BC to c. 1200 AD. There is no glossary or index, though terms are well-defined within the text.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The book is accurate, error-free, written with much historical objectivity, and is based on solid sources.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

This is the second edition, so the author seems keen on keeping this book up to date. Also, the latest understandings of East Asia are brought out including the meta-theme of "two Chinas, Japan, and two Koreas."

Clarity rating: 5

This is clearly written in good prose that hits the target audience of American undergraduates. All technical terms are clearly and concisely defined. There is a good flow of theme as well as chronology.

Consistency rating: 5

This text has a consistent flow and logical framework.

Modularity rating: 5

This textbook is divided into a number of smaller reading sections that are easily assignable throughout the course. The tone of the author is professional and without bias, hyperbole, or hubris.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

Topics are presented in a clear fashion and progress nicely based on region, theme, and chronology.

Interface rating: 5

The work is easily navigatable with fine images and charts. It is enjoyable to read and is without unnecessary distractions.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

There are no grammatical errors in this second edition.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

This text is noticeably sensitive to issues of race, ethnicity, background, and regionalism. Examples from many cultural backgrounds are mentioned in the text.

Comments

This is fine work on roughly 2,400 years of East Asian history. Sarah Schneewind understates this as an "Outline." Her work easily ranks with the best textbooks for readability, conciseness, balance, and accuracy. The author mentions that this was not intended as a stand-alone textbook but that it should be accompanied by primary and other secondary sources, dates to memorize, and study questions. The reader will be delighted to see fine-colored pictures, as well as relevant maps and charts. Hyperlinks are included which will be a wonderful addition for the classroom or for assignments, and the volume concludes with a helpful bibliography.