Chinese planters,farmers and labors have left an indelible imprint on Malaysia's agricultural economy.With great effort and creativity,they opened jungles,converted disused mining land,and transformed the wilderness into rich farms and plantations that grew every crop of economic and social importance.Complementing their efforts,Chinese traders,industrialists and researchers linked agricultural to commerce and agro-based industry.In the process,the Chinese agriculturist and their trading and manufacturing counterparts made valuable contributions not only to national but world development. This book covers all areas of their pursuits,from lowland rice planting to highland flower farming,from small vegetable gardens to large rubber and oil palm plantations,and from trading to downstream agro-based activities.The book combines historical information with original insights from personal interviews to produce a captivating 200-year chronicle of the lives and work of generations of Chinese w
This richly illustrated chronicle of Chinese civilization furnishes general readers and scholars alike with an authoritative overview of Chinese history, art and culture, from the pre-historic era to the early twentieth century, touching upon recurring themes and developments and synthesizing more than five thousand years of evolution and transition. Written with precision and flair by a host of leading academics from Beijing and Hong Kong, this single volume is a welcome addition to the study of world civilizations, a broad yet detailed chronological sweep through time. Every aspect of Chinese civilization is explained, interpreted, contextualized and brought to life with well-balanced commentary and photographic documentation. The result is a fascinating distillation of the past, an indispensable guide that renders the ancient past relevant to China today and to the rest of the world. Students of Chinese civilization will appreciate the detail of the research while lay readers, fro