One of the greatest experts on ancient China brings archaeological finds to life: From the founding of the Empire in 221 BC to the conquest by the Mongols in 1279, the broad spectrum of a fascinating culture is illuminated. Today, archaeology especially offers the opportunity to reconstruct life in ancient China, and remarkable artifacts illustrate the diverse aspects of an impressive culture. In conjunction with specially translated excerpts of literature, they demonstrate in this book, among other things, the power of the emperor, the subservience of officials, and the relationships between the sexes; they recount the enthusiasm for football, the changing ideals of beauty, and the preference for silk, which was already a popular export more than 2000 years ago. Based on 60 selected objects that...