I think the man was wildly delusional about his prospects. The Mongols only succeeded in conquering China because they were physically closer to the heartlands of China and because the country was split between three dynasties (two of which were in decline by the time of the conquest). Even then it took them nearly 7 decades to subdue all of China. He must've had some really good court flatterers to make him think that he could gather an army, trek thousands of miles across desert and mountain and subdue an army united under the rule of one of the most formidable men to ever rule China.

In 1896, China sent students to Japan to learn after losing the Sino-Japanese War. Figures like Sun Yat-sen used this network of students to organize revolutionary societies, shaping the 1911 Xinhai Revolution. However, I'm curious if anyone knows any details of what actually happened within Japan, the social/political details of the Chinese students' interactions with the Japanese, and what the immediate and long-term impacts were from these students. Also, how relevant is this situation to current affairs?

Currently trying to do an essay on this, and I would love to be enlightened by y'all.

I'm new and I know pretty much nothing. I'd like a well-rounded history of China that covers different dynasties, rulers and political systems, revolutions and rebellions, wars, religion, language, culture, science & tech, social classes, and what everyday life was like.

I know that's a lot. I'm wondering if it would be better for me to start with one dynasty and learn about that. Or if I should first read something that covers Chinese history as a whole, then delve into individual topics or periods in more depth?

I'm a western learner if that isn't obvious.

I'm open to either books or videos/documentaries. I've been looking online for books and came across China: A History by John Kea, The Search for Modern China by Jonathon Spence, and China: A New History by John Fairbank. Not sure what to go with. Or if I should be reading something else.

I saw a review online for the John Kea book that said it was framed through a western lens to be more palatable for western audiences. I'm unsure if that's true, as I saw no mention of that in other reviews. But other than me needing a book targeted to beginners that is somewhat easy to understand, I'm not interested in a westernized history if that makes sense.