A Farewell to Old Peking
Subtitle: The Destruction of an Ancient City and the Creation of the New Beijing
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Published: May 20, 2007
Language: eng
Format: Hardcover
Number of pages: 320
ISBN-13: 9780195309973
Subjects: Asia - China; History / China; History; History - General History; History: World
Description: "In City of Heavenly Tranquility, long-time resident and journalist Jasper Becker brings back to life the emperors, eunuchs, courtesans, and warriors who for centuries ruled from behind the red walls of the Forbidden City. Becker mixes his own experiences with poignant stories from those who have tried to preserve China's past, struggling against ruthless officials and a fiercely nationalistic government set on changing the fabric of a nation by jettisoning the past and clearing space for the future. In the process, China's officials are demolishing homes and destroying livelihoods, and evicting over three million residents in Beijing alone."--Jacket.