Download or read book Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms written by Peter Lorge and published by The Chinese University of Hong Kong Press. This book was released on 2011-07-18 with total page 264 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The period of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms (907-960) has long been treated as an anomaly in the history of China, an age of great disunity between the empires of the Tang and the Song dynasties. Breaking with previous scholarship on China's middle period, this edited volume presents individual studies that focus on the art, culture, and politics of the interregnum, challenging underlying assumptions about the unitary nature of dynastic culture and its value as a category of historical analysis. It understands these decades as a time of important transition in which the incipient cultural shifts of the mature Tang dynasty turned into the foundations of Song society. Consequently it highlights the complex narrative processes that gave birth to Song culture.
Download or read book Patrons and Patriarchs written by Benjamin Brose and published by University of Hawaii Press. This book was released on 2015-08-31 with total page 265 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Patrons and Patriarchs breaks new ground in the study of clergy-court relations during the tumultuous period that spanned the collapse of the Tang dynasty (618–907) and the consolidation of the Northern Song (960–1127). This era, known as the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, has typically been characterized as a time of debilitating violence and instability, but it also brought increased economic prosperity, regional development, and political autonomy to southern territories. The book describes how the formation of new states in southeastern China elevated local Buddhist traditions and moved Chan (Zen) monks from the margins to the center of Chinese society. Drawing on biographies, inscriptions, private histories, and government records, it argues that the shift in imperial patronage from a diverse array of Buddhist clerics to members of specific Chan lineages was driven by political, social, and geographical reorientations set in motion by the collapse of the Tang dynasty and the consolidation of regional powers during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms. As monastic communities representing diverse arrays of thought, practice, and pedagogy allied with rival political factions, the outcome of power struggles determined which clerical networks assumed positions of power and which doctrines were enshrined as orthodoxy. Rather than view the ascent of Chan monks and their traditions as instances of intellectual hegemony, this book focuses on the larger sociopolitical processes that lifted members of Chan lineages onto the imperial stage. Against the historical backdrop of the tenth century, Patrons and Patriarchs explores the nature and function of Chan lineage systems, the relationships between monastic and lay families, and the place of patronage in establishing identity and authority in monastic movements.
Download or read book Barbarians and the Birth of Chinese Identity written by Jing Liu (Author of graphic novels) and published by Understanding China Through Company. This book was released on 2017 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "A great way to learn about China's vast history "--Amy Tan, author of The Joy Luck Club Excels at clarifying the often-confusing transitional periods between dynasties... An excellent introduction to the large trends of early Chinese history."--School Library Journal "The lucid, economical text makes one eager for the successive volumes."--Booklist "The combination of silhouettes--often threatening, martial ones--with open-faced, expressively individualized figures of many social classes adds dramatic tension while neatly balancing the big-picture narrative. There's a lot to absorbeven in this abbreviatedform, but the visual approach lightens the load considerably."--Kirkus Reviews "Simple and effective...This direct, appealing introduction to the foundations of one of the world's oldest civilizations is recommended for teens and adults."--Library Journal "An excellent history that clearly explains the great (and ordinary) people who have made China what it is and the conflicts and debates that have shaped Chinese history. There is nothing else like it in English or Chinese."--Alan Baumler, Professor of History at Indiana University of Pennsylvania "No more burying yourself in text-heavy history books to learn about China, this comic-style book manages to be rich in information and bring Chinese history to readers in a more clear, fun, and accessible way than it's ever been done before. Easily integrated into a social studies or Chinese culture curriculum, I can't wait to get a copy for my class."--Grace Zeng, Chinese Teacher and Middle School Chinese Curriculum Area Leader at International School of Beijing "It is certainly a fascinating look at Chinese history, and doing it in comics has certainly made it more accessible to people, especially for the Western world."--Radio Australia "Jing Liu has brought to life the long and complex early period of Chinese history in this wonderful graphic novel. Foundations of Chinese Civilization is a delight to read; humorous, informative, and truly captivating."--Alexandra Pearson, Founder of The Bookworm Literary Festival "This book is "The Magic School Bus" for those starting to explore Chinese culture."--Dan Cao, Instructor at Confucius Institute at UC Davis "Since the 1990s, Jing Liu has been entertaining and informing foreigners about China with his cartoons. His new series of comic books is a fun, easy, accessible way to gain a basic understanding of Chinese history and culture."--Jeremy Goldkorn, Founder of Danwei 4.5/5 Stars "A very nice way to establish a foundation to understanding China's history and a possible gateway to more intense study and comprehension of a very complex subject."--Portland Book Review 4.5/5 Stars "Entertaining, engaging, and informative, this is a perfect doorway for the student new to ancient China."--Seattle Book Review "Informed and informative, Division to Unification in Imperial China is especially recommended for young readers ages 11 to 17 and should be a part of every school and community library's History of China collection."--The Midwest Book Review "The book does what it says it does: a child will come away with a basic understanding of early Chinese history, what makes the Chinese tick as a people and culture."--Asian Review of Books "With Donald Trump's focus on China, with no signs of letting up, it is a perfect time to gain a better understanding of a very misunderstood country. This is a highly accessible work tailored to fast learning while also very entertaining."--The Comics Grinder
Download or read book Power and Politics in Tenth century China written by and published by Cambria Press. This book was released on with total page 277 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Historical Records of the Five Dynasties written by Xiu Ouyang and published by Columbia University Press. This book was released on 2004 with total page 754 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Only fragments of historical text from China's middle period have been translated into English, until now. Here at last is the first major Chinese historical work from the Song dynasty. Written by Ouyang Xiu, an intellectual giant of the eleventh century, this is a history of the preceding century (907--979), a period known as the Five Dynasties. The historical and literary significance of Ouyang's achievement cannot be underestimated. In rewriting the existing official history of the Five Dynasties, Ouyang -- whose own time was characterized by extraordinary intellectual and political innovation -- made several notable decisions. He rewrote the history in the "ancient" style preferred by forward-thinking literati; he even rewrote the original documents quoted within biographies. He also relied on his own moral categories, reevaluating the worth of the historical figures in light of his own convictions that individuals should take personal responsibility for the fate of society. Ouyang's history would eventually become the official version -- the last state-sanctioned dynastic history of imperial China to be written by an individual in a private capacity. In addition to its provocative insights and lucid presentation, Historical Records of the Five Dynasties is an eloquent statement on the art of historical writing in the eleventh century. A preeminent scholar of Chinese history, Richard L. Davis has provided a thorough introduction and rendered nearly two-thirds of the Chinese original into English, including complete sections critical to understanding the politics and personalities of the time. Biographical clusters based on Ouyang's moral categories also appear in full, helping readers to appreciate the Confucian agenda that informs the work.
Download or read book Handbook of the History of Religions in China I written by Zhongjian Zhan, Jian Mu and published by BoD – Books on Demand. This book was released on 2020-10-27 with total page 406 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is part of an initiative in cooperation with renowned Chinese publishers to make fundamental, formative, and influential Chinese thinkers available to a western readership, providing absorbing insights into Chinese reflections of late, and offering a chance to grasp today’s China. In their influential book Handbook of the History of Religions in China, Zhongjian Mou and Jian Zhang present a panorama of the religions existing in China through time. In their fascinating History, they delineate the emergence and development of Daoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Islam, and Christianity and explore the roles they played in Chinese society and the interrelations between them. In China, also due to the encompassing Confucian idea of “living together harmoniously while maintaining differences,” religions—including newly arrived ones—came closer together than anywhere else in the world and reached a unique level of peaceful societal coexistence. Despite many frictions and conflicts, communication and reconciliation were indisputably predominant in China throughout history. Buddhism was peacefully introduced into China and, later on, a harmonious, symbiotic syncretism of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism developed—an exemplary process of how a diverse set of different religions can complement each other and contribute to a better life.
Download or read book Ten States Five Dynasties One Great Emperor written by Hung Hing Ming and published by Algora Publishing. This book was released on 2014-08-01 with total page 220 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Drawn from Chinese classics of history, Hung Hing Ming's biographies introduce China's most emblematic historical figures and the cultural attributes fostered by China's ancient chronicles. This book is about one of the greatest emperors in Chinese history, Zhao Kuang Yin, founder of the Song Dynasty (960–1279). He is honored for having unified China in the extremely chaotic period of 'Five Dynasties and Ten States'. This enjoyable book introduces more of China's heroes and villains, highlighting a modest man yet a great emperor who brought peace and stability to the realm and saved the people from great suffering. Interwoven into the narrative of battles fought and alliances forged or flouted, we find examples of good leadership and bad, hot-headed fighters and disciplined warriors, and lessons on how to assess — and win — people's loyalty.
Download or read book Understanding China Through Comics written by Jing Liu and published by Moli. This book was released on 2013-02-14 with total page 252 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 2013 Independent Publishers Book Awards (IPPY) Bronze Medal for Graphic Novel (Drama/Documentary), and ForeWord Reviews Book of the Year Awards (BOTYA) 2012 Finalist in Graphic Novels (Adult Nonfiction). "The labyrinth of Chinese history, with its dynasties and gigantic land mass, can put off the adventurer to this exotic land. We need help to explore and explain how this country came to be. "Liu Jing" has already provided guides to the earlier history of this country with his illustrated comic books. He continues to lead us on this expedition to discover what historical treasures lie beneath the dust of Chinese history. In this volume we discover the vibrant life of the middle period of the China story -- the Northern and Southern Song Dynasties. This formative period was racked by wars, but at the same time, and as we watch in these pages, it produced innovation, commerce, and cultural accomplishments that defined the Chinese nation. Dive into the history of this period. You will not be disappointed." -- David M Jacobson, historian, quarter-century resident of China, foreign expert for the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and Northeast Normal University, and co-founder of SinoFile Information Services, Ltd. "Understanding China through Comics" includes 4 volumes: Volume 1: The Yellow Emperor through the Han Dynasty (ca. 2697 BC - 220 AD) Volume 2: The Three Kingdoms through the Tang Dynasty (220 - 907) Volume 3: The Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms through the Yuan Dynasty under Mongol rule (907 - 1368) Volume 4: The Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368 - 1911)
Download or read book A Journey Into China s Antiquity Sui Dynasty Tang Dynasty Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period Northern and Southern Song Dynasties written by 中国历史博物馆 and published by Morning Glory Publishers (China). This book was released on 1997 with total page 338 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This beautiful series tells the story of China's rich history and civilization through a collection of excellent photographs and descriptions of thousands of precious relics. Arranged chronologically in four volumes, the book vividly portrays the rise of the Chinese civilization, following its trails from remote antiquity in the Palaeolithic Age through the end of the Qing dynasty. Along the way it explores the achievements in science, economy, social life, literature and arts of the Chinese people. Rare artifacts, portraits, books, and historical documents never before published were exclusively photographed for these four volumes.
Download or read book The Empire of Min written by Edward H. Schafer and published by Floating World Editions. This book was released on 2006 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This engaging study by the eminent Sinologist Edward H. Schafer examines one of those kingdoms, the so-called Empire of Min, centered in the coast al and semitropical present-day province of Fujian . Schafer describes the geography, government, and political structure of Min, as well as its economy, arts, literature, and religion. As those
Download or read book Changing Gods in Medieval China 1127 1276 written by Valerie Hansen and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2014-07-14 with total page 269 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In her study of medieval Chinese lay practices and beliefs, Valerie Hansen argues that social and economic developments underlay religious changes in the Southern Song. Unfamiliar with the contents of Buddhist and Daoist texts, the common people hired the practitioner or prayed to the god they thought could cure the ill or bring rain. As the economy rapidly developed, the gods, like the people who worshiped them, diversified: their realm of influence expanded as some gods began to deal on the national grain market and others advised their followers on business transactions. In order to trace this evolution, the author draws information from temple inscriptions, literary notes, the administrative law code, and local histories. By contrasting differing rates of religious change in the lowland and highland regions of the lower Yangzi valley, Hansen suggests that the commercial and social developments were far less uniform than previously thought. In 1100, nearly all people in South China worshiped gods who had been local residents prior to their deaths. The increasing mobility of cultivators in the lowland, rice-growing regions resulted in the adoption of gods from other places. Cults in the isolated mountain areas showed considerably less change. Originally published in 1990. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.
Download or read book Divided China written by Gungwu Wang and published by World Scientific. This book was released on 2007 with total page 249 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The oneness of China is the norm. Periods of divisions are aberrations. This is how Chinese thinkers, leaders and ultimately the majority of Chinese people have regarded Chinese politics and history for more than 2,000 years. The oneness was never perfect. As long as certain minimal conditions were met and the polity which proclaimed that oneness was widely acknowledged, that was enough. Chinese ruling elites adopted this pragmatic approach so they could ensure that the ideal could always approximate ChinaOCOs reality. This is a revised edition of a study undertaken to explain what happened during one of the worst periods of division in Chinese history. What were the key factors that helped the centripetal forces to get back to the imperial norm? It begins with the final stage of decline of the Tang dynasty (618OCo907) and ends 50 years later when it became clear that the foundations for a last push towards unification were in place."
Download or read book The History of That Great and Renowned Monarchy of China written by Alvarez Semedo and published by Wentworth Press. This book was released on 2019-03-15 with total page 326 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
Download or read book A Phonological History of Chinese written by Zhongwei Shen and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2020-06-04 with total page 441 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A comprehensive account of the phonological history of Chinese, exploring the development of its standard phonological systems over the past 2500 years. It will be a key reference work for historical linguists and phonologists in general, as well as being of particular interest to students and scholars of Chinese/Asian languages and their history.
Download or read book Chinese Martial Arts written by Peter A. Lorge and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2012 with total page 281 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the global world of the twenty-first century, martial arts are practised for self-defense and sporting purposes only. However, for thousands of years, they were a central feature of military practice in China and essential for the smooth functioning of society. This book, which opens with an intriguing account of the very first female martial artist, charts the history of combat and fighting techniques in China from the Bronze Age to the present. This broad panorama affords fascinating glimpses into the transformation of martial skills, techniques and weaponry against the background of Chinese history, the rise and fall of empires, their governments and their armies. Quotations from literature and poetry, and the stories of individual warriors, infuse the narrative, offering personal reflections on prowess in the battlefield and techniques of engagement. This is an engaging and readable introduction to the authentic history of Chinese martial arts.
Download or read book An Urban History of China written by Chonglan Fu and published by Springer. This book was released on 2019-07-25 with total page 317 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book considers urban development in China, highlighting links between China’s history and civilization and the rapid evolution of its urban forms. It explores the early days of urban dwelling in China, progressing to an analysis of residential environments in the industrial age. It also examines China’s modern and postmodern architecture, considered as derivative or lacking spiritual meaning or personality, and showcases how China's traditional culture underpins the emergence of China’s modern cities. Focusing on the notion of “courtyard spirit” in China, it offers a study of the urban public squares central to Chinese society, and examines the disruption of the traditional Square model and the rise and growth of new architectural models.
Download or read book Women Shall Not Rule written by Keith McMahon and published by Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. This book was released on 2013-06-06 with total page 312 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Chinese emperors guaranteed male successors by taking multiple wives, in some cases hundreds and even thousands. Women Shall Not Rule offers a fascinating history of imperial wives and concubines, especially in light of the greatest challenges to polygamous harmony—rivalry between women and their attempts to engage in politics. Besides ambitious empresses and concubines, these vivid stories of the imperial polygamous family are also populated with prolific emperors, wanton women, libertine men, cunning eunuchs, and bizarre cases of intrigue and scandal among rival wives. Keith McMahon, a leading expert on the history of gender in China, draws upon decades of research to describe the values and ideals of imperial polygamy and the ways in which it worked and did not work in real life. His rich sources are both historical and fictional, including poetic accounts and sensational stories told in pornographic detail. Displaying rare historical breadth, his lively and fascinating study will be invaluable as a comprehensive and authoritative resource for all readers interested in the domestic life of royal palaces across the world.
