I'm looking for an entry into the history of China and I've been checking the book list. However, I'm more oriented towards the cultural aspects (specially literature, art and philosophy, but everything else too). Is there any history book you would recommend that gives a good account of the culture of China while giving enough political and economic information to put it into context? Or maybe just a slightly culture-oriented book of general history.

Any period would be nice, but I would prefer books that cover long spans of time over specialized books (or even one that covers the whole of the history of China, but maybe that's too much or there aren't any good ones). After all, I'm a beginner. Or if you think I should definitely learn about general history first, the advice will also be welcome. Thanks in advance!