This classic history of Chinese art has been revised and expanded adding many new illustrations. The author draws on archaeological discoveries in the last two decades of the 20th century that have enriched scholars' understanding of both prehistoric and ancient Chinese civilizations. At the same time, research on more recent dynasties has led to fresh interpretations of well-documented historical events and artworks. Also, China's dramatic opening to the outside world since the 1980s has triggered an explosion of contemporary Chinese art, on which Sullivan is the foremost Western authority. Discussing more than three millennia of Chinese artistic endeavour, this text introduces not only artworks, but also the social, political, religious, and philosophical contexts in which they were created.