【内容简介】

　　本书自清朝立国起，下迄21世纪，缕述四百年来中国近代社会之巨变。作者明确指出，这段艰难的历程并非如大多数西方汉学家所言，是一段西方因素不断输入而中国仅仅被动回应的历史。从政府的政策和制度、反对外来因素的民族抗争，以及在新的天地里寻求一条求生之道等线索，作者细致描摹了近代中国内部社会的动荡和发展的重要动力，向世界讲述了一个古老的儒家帝国历经艰难险阻，蜕变为一个近代民族国家的历史。

　　作者虽身处欧美学界，但通过本书表达的是以中国人的身份对近代中国发展进程的看法，这种表达不属于任何一家学说、一种主义，是一种折衷调和的历史观。徐中约先生以超越意识形态、阶级、党派和文化的眼光，怀抱对各色历史人物的宽容和善意之心，公平公正、客观冷静地看待历史事件，同时参考了巨量的档案文献及研究著述，以跨学科的手法，努力为读者呈现这部描述近四百年来中华民族挣扎历程的史学著作。

　　【作者简介】

　　徐中约（Immanuel C.Y.Hsü，1923—2005），生于上海，中国近代史研究杰出学者。1946年毕业于燕京大学，1954年获得哈佛大学哲学博士学位，曾任加州大学圣巴巴拉分校历史系主任、“教授研究讲师”、荣休教授。学问严谨，著有《中国进入国际社会的外交，1858—1888年》《伊犁危机：中俄外交研究，1871—1881年》等。

　　【译者简介】

　　朱庆葆，南京大学历史系教授、中华民国史研究中心主任，江南大学党委书记，专治中国近代史和当代台湾研究，著有《鸦片与近代中国》等。

　　计秋枫，南京大学历史系教授，专治中外关系史和国际关系史，著有《欧洲的梦想与现实》等。

　　【审校简介】

　　茅家琦，南京大学历史系教授、历史研究所所长、台湾研究所所长，太平天国研究专家。

　　钱乘旦，英国考文垂大学名誉文学博士，英国皇家历史学会通讯会士，现任北京大学博雅讲席教授、国家社科基金专家评审组成员、国家教材委员会专家委员会委员、教育部社会科学委员会委员、中国历史研究院学术委员。

【 Content Introduction 】

From the establishment of the Qing Dynasty to the 21st century, this book continuously describes the great changes of modern Chinese society in the past 400 years. The author makes it clear that this difficult process was not, as most Western Sinologists suggest, a history of constant Western input to which China merely responded passively. From the clues of government policies and institutions, the national struggle against foreign factors, and the search for a way to survive in the new world, the author traces in detail the upheavals and important forces of development within modern China, telling the world the history of an ancient Confucian empire that went through hardships and difficulties to become a modern nation-state.

Although the author is in the academic circles of Europe and the United States, what he expresses through this book is his view on the development process of modern China as a Chinese person. This expression does not belong to any theory or doctrine, but is an eclectic and harmonious view of history. With a vision that transcends ideology, class, party and culture, and a heart of tolerance and kindness to various historical figures, Mr. Xu treats historical events fairly, objectively and calmly. At the same time, he makes reference to a large number of archival documents and research works, and strives to present this historical work describing the struggle of the Chinese nation in the past 400 years with an interdisciplinary approach.

【 About the author 】

Immanuel C.Y.Hsu (1923-2005), born in Shanghai, is an outstanding scholar of modern Chinese history. He graduated from Yenching University in 1946 and received his doctorate in philosophy from Harvard University in 1954. He was chairman of the history Department at the University of California, Santa Barbara, a "professorial research lecturer" and professor emeritus. He is an academic scholar, and his books include China's Diplomacy into the International Community, 1858-1888 and the Ili Crisis: A Study of Sino-Russian Diplomacy, 1871-1881.

What do you mean?

Zhu Qingbao is a professor of history at Nanjing University, director of the Research Center for the History of the People's Republic of China, and secretary of the Party Committee of Jiangnan University. He specializes in modern Chinese history and contemporary Taiwan studies, and is the author of Opium and Modern China.

Ji Qiufeng, professor of history at Nanjing University, specializes in the history of Sino-foreign relations and international relations, and is the author of European Dreams and Realities.

【 Introduction to Proofreading 】

MAO Jiaqi, professor of the Department of History, director of the Institute of History, director of the Institute of Taiwan Studies, Nanjing University, and expert on the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.

Qian Chengdan is an honorary Doctor of Letters from Coventry University and a corresponding fellow of the Royal Historical Society. He is currently a professor of Liberal Arts at Peking University, a member of the Expert review group of the National Social Science Foundation, a member of the Expert Committee of the National Teaching Materials Committee, a member of the Social Science Committee of the Ministry of Education, and an academic member of the Academy of Chinese History.