The Origins and Character of the Ancient Chinese City: The Chinese City in Comparative Perspective v. 2

Reviews on the original single volume title, Pivot of the Four Quarters

This book will certainly interest a great number of readers. The China specialists will have to read it because it deals with the ancient Chinese city. But sociologists will have to read it just as well, as it deals with the question of origin and character of cities as well.

--Wolfram Eberhard, The Journal of Asian Studies

This is a book which nobody interested in ancient China from the late Neolithic to the end of the Chou period can afford to miss. It contains a wealth of material valuable in many fields of study far beyond the realm of the formation of early Chinese cities... [T]he book is an outstanding and important work.

--A. Gutkind Bulling, Pacific Affairs

In studying the origins and development of the city in the history of China before the imperial era, Paul Wheatley directs attention to questions which are crucial to the growth of China's political and social systems and to the importance of religious practices.

--Michael Loewe, Modern Asian Studies

The Pivot of the Four Quarters is a profound and many-layered work which has significance and meaning in a number of different dimensions... This is a magnificent book. It is a rarity in geography. It makes fundamental contributions to our knowledge and understanding of urbanism... Elegantly and precisely written, it will surely stand the test of time to be regarded as one of the major contributions by a geographer in this generation. It is a contribution which nobody can afford to ignore.

--David Harvey, Annals of the Association of American Geographers

Professor Wheatley has effectively integrated the findings of scholars in a number of fields in support of his main theses.

--Baruch Boxer, Annals of the Association of American Geographers

Although this is not an easy book, it is a significant one... Wheatley has introduced new and provocative thinking about how man has developed the resources available to him and has organized himself both institutionally and spatially in support of this development... Wheatley has clearly succeeded in his objective of presenting new evidence and ideas to increase our understanding of cities, both old and new.

--Clifton W. Pannell, The Geographical Review

Now at last we have a... book on Neolithic, Shan, and Chou China.... The result is in almost every way brilliant and stimulating.

--David N. Keightley, Journal of the American Oriental Society

[I]ntricate work.

--Margaret Medley, The Geographical Journal

The Present study is the first systematic analysis of the origins of the city with special reference to North China... [This t]hought-provoking... [and] interesting work... should be read by all seriously interested in urban studies.

--David Pong, Science

Reviews on the original single volume title, Pivot of the Four Quarters

-This book will certainly interest a great number of readers. The China specialists will have to read it because it deals with the ancient Chinese city. But sociologists will have to read it just as well, as it deals with the question of origin and character of cities as well.-

--Wolfram Eberhard, The Journal of Asian Studies

-This is a book which nobody interested in ancient China from the late Neolithic to the end of the Chou period can afford to miss. It contains a wealth of material valuable in many fields of study far beyond the realm of the formation of early Chinese cities... [T]he book is an outstanding and important work.-

--A. Gutkind Bulling, Pacific Affairs

-In studying the origins and development of the city in the history of China before the imperial era, Paul Wheatley directs attention to questions which are crucial to the growth of China's political and social systems and to the importance of religious practices.-

--Michael Loewe, Modern Asian Studies

-The Pivot of the Four Quarters is a profound and many-layered work which has significance and meaning in a number of different dimensions... This is a magnificent book. It is a rarity in geography. It makes fundamental contributions to our knowledge and understanding of urbanism... Elegantly and precisely written, it will surely stand the test of time to be regarded as one of the major contributions by a geographer in this generation. It is a contribution which nobody can afford to ignore.-

--David Harvey, Annals of the Association of American Geographers

-Professor Wheatley has effectively integrated the findings of scholars in a number of fields in support of his main theses.-

--Baruch Boxer, Annals of the Association of American Geographers

-Although this is not an easy book, it is a significant one... Wheatley has introduced new and provocative thinking about how man has developed the resources available to him and has organized himself both institutionally and spatially in support of this development... Wheatley has clearly succeeded in his objective of presenting new evidence and ideas to increase our understanding of cities, both old and new.-

--Clifton W. Pannell, The Geographical Review

-Now at last we have a... book on Neolithic, Shan, and Chou China.... The result is in almost every way brilliant and stimulating.-

--David N. Keightley, Journal of the American Oriental Society

-[I]ntricate work.-

--Margaret Medley, The Geographical Journal

-The Present study is the first systematic analysis of the origins of the city with special reference to North China... [This t]hought-provoking... [and] interesting work... should be read by all seriously interested in urban studies.-

--David Pong, Science