This handy, well illustrated, volume offers a reign-by-reign account of the history of Imperial China across 2100 years, from the uniting of feudal states around 221BC to the end of the Empire in the early twentieth century. It includes biographical accounts of all 157 emperors of China, with datafiles for every emperor listing key information.

Timelines throughout the book offer visual guides to the length and important events of each emperor's reign, while extensive quotations from contemporary sources provide context to the story. Textboxes explore special features ranging from the Great Wall to the Opium War and plentiful maps help to explain subjects such as the Silk Roads and the maritime expeditions of the Ming Dynasty.