Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book expands the meaning of journalism, viewing it from an extended historical perspective in a Chinese context. It argues that understanding the history of Chinese journalism is of vital importance. The book not only helps the reader gain an overview of how Chinese newspapers and communication mechanisms have developed but also pushes the reader to reconsider the relationship between journalism and its historical context in different times of China. In the following feudal periods, the political system became the underlying backbone of Chinese journalism and its development. The book presents cases of the outstanding journalists and classic works in Chinese history. In ancient China, there were officials who were responsible for recording the life of the emperors. The book shows that despite being forcefully controlled and managed, journalism has fought back to become a powerful tool for the enlightenment in Chinese society.