2013 Independent Publishers Book Awards (IPPY) Bronze Medal for Graphic Novel (Drama/Documentary), and ForeWord Reviews Book of the Year Awards (BOTYA) 2012 Finalist in Graphic Novels (Adult Nonfiction). "The labyrinth of Chinese history, with its dynasties and gigantic land mass, can put off the adventurer to this exotic land. We need help to explore and explain how this country came to be. "Liu Jing" has already provided guides to the earlier history of this country with his illustrated comic books. He continues to lead us on this expedition to discover what historical treasures lie beneath the dust of Chinese history. In this volume we discover the vibrant life of the middle period of the China story -- the Northern and Southern Song Dynasties. This formative period was racked by wars, but at the same time, and as we watch in these pages, it produced innovation, commerce, and cultural accomplishments that defined the Chinese nation. Dive into the history of this period.

You will not be disappointed." -- David M Jacobson, historian, quarter-century resident of China, foreign expert for the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and Northeast Normal University, and co-founder of SinoFile Information Services, Ltd. "Understanding China through Comics" includes 4 volumes: Volume 1: The Yellow Emperor through the Han Dynasty (ca. 2697 BC - 220 AD) Volume 2: The Three Kingdoms through the Tang Dynasty (220 - 907) Volume 3: The Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms through the Yuan Dynasty under Mongol rule (907 - 1368) Volume 4: The Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368 - 1911).