ABSTRACT
The last chapter reviewed some of the difficulties encountered in defining what were ‘the Middle Ages’ in the history of China. The interpretation differs according to whether China is taken as an entity in itself, or in association with some more general ‘Asian’ complex. In either case the difficulties of classification are interesting in themselves, and give rise to fruitful discussions. When all is said and done, however, another very large question poses itself. Is not the term ‘Middle Ages’ or Medieval period itself a complete misnomer in this case? Does it not represent an entirely false analogy with other parts of the world, with societies which are structurally and generically different?
