China Empire and Civilization

by Shaughnessy, Edward L.

• ISBN13: 9780195182873
• ISBN10: 0195182871
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-05-26
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

To Western eyes, China is one of the most mysterious and intriguing of all civilizations. The legacy of its long dynastic rule, extending back more than 3,000 years, includes fascinating contributions to philosophy, religion, art, science, and mythology that continue to influence the modern world. China explores the ideas and achievements of this unique culture through a combination of authoritative, accessible scholarship and magnificent imagery. Drawing on the most recent discoveries and theories, the book presents China's history, society, and beliefs from the legends of prehistory to the end of imperial power in 1912. It investigates the key cultural, spiritual, and artistic traditions of this vast civilization and describes the country's major scientific and technological innovations, such as gunpowder, printing, and the compass. An investigation of trading routes, both by land and sea, challenges the conventional view of China as an isolated, insular civilization, stressing instead the impact of its sophisticated society upon the world. A final section discusses the continuing legacy of the imperial period through the turbulent years of the twentieth century up to the present day. A wealth of color photography and imaginative artwork, together with a lively and authoritative text, vividly evokes the pinnacles of Chinese civilization as well as the realities of everyday life, from life in the Imperial court to the most rural villages.

Author Biography

Edward L. Shaughnessy is Professor of Early Chinese History at the University of Chicago. A well respected scholar, his books include I Ching: The Classic of Changes and The Cambridge History of Ancient China. He lives in Chicago.

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION	6	(4)
Edward L. Shaughnessy
PART 1: THE CHINESE WORLD	10	(66)
CHAPTER 1. "ALL UNDER HEAVEN"	12	(12)
Richard von Glahn
Borders of Land and Sea	12	(2)
Mountains and Water	14	(4)
Resources and Ecology	18	(2)
Provinces and Peoples	20	(2)
Communication Routes	22	(2)
CHAPTER 2. CONTINUITY AND CHANGE	24	(20)
Mark Edward Lewis
The Archaic States	24	(2)
The Territorial States	26	(2)
The First Empires	28	(2)
A Time of Disunion	30	(2)
Medieval Empires	32	(2)
The Southward Shift	34	(2)
The Conquest Dynasties	36	(2)
The Rise of Autocracy	38	(2)
Zenith and Decline	40	(4)
CHAPTER 3. THE ROLE OF THE STATE	44	(12)
John Chinnery
The "Son of Heaven"	44	(2)
Palace and Court	46	(2)
Governing the State	48	(4)
Justice and the Law	52	(2)
The Military	54	(2)
CHAPTER 4. FAMILY AND SOCIETY	56	(12)
John Chinnery
Ties that Bind	56	(2)
Women in Society	58	(2)
Rites of Passage	60	(2)
Village Life	62	(2)
Towns and Cities	64	(2)
The Scholar-Gentry	66	(2)
CHAPTER 5. THE CREATION OF WEALTH	68	(8)
Richard von Glahn
The Four Occupations	68	(2)
Settlement and Farming	70	(2)
The Rise of Industry	72	(2)
Trading by Land and Sea	74	(2)
PART 2: BELIEF AND RITUAL	76	(70)
CHAPTER 6. CONFUCIANISM: ORDER AND VIRTUE	78	(12)
Jennifer Oldstone-Moore
Confucius and his Followers	78	(2)
Heroes of Antiquity	80	(2)
The Confucian Canon	82	(2)
Ideology and Empire	84	(2)
Schools and Academies	86	(2)
A World of Ritual	88	(2)
CHAPTER 7. FOLLOWING THE DAO	90	(18)
Jennifer Oldstone-Moore
The Organic Universe	90	(2)
Religious Daoism	92	(2)
In Quest of Immortality	94	(2)
Healers, Magicians, and Exorcists	96	(2)
Meditation and Ritual	98	(2)
Priests and Temples	100	(2)
Daoism and Popular Religion	102	(2)
Sectarian Movements and Secret Societies	104	(4)
CHAPTER 8. THE WAY OF THE BUDDHA 108
Jennifer Oldstone-Moore
The Buddha and his Teachings	108	(2)
The Dharma in China	110	(2)
Paths to Enlightenment	112	(4)
Sacred Writings	116	(2)
Worship and Monasticism	118	(2)
CHAPTER 9. THE HARMONY OF HEAVEN AND EARTH	120	(16)
Edward L. Shaughnessy
The Great Trinity	120	(2)
Yin and Yang and the Five Elements	122	(2)
Mapping the Heavens	124	(2)
Interpreting the Heavens	126	(2)
Mapping the Earth	128	(2)
Feng Shui	130	(2)
Divination	132	(2)
The Calendar	134	(2)
CHAPTER 10. THE REALM OF GHOSTS AND SPIRITS	136	(10)
Edward L. Shaughnessy
A World of Spirits	136	(2)
Wandering Souls	138	(2)
Death and Burial	140	(2)
Serving the Ancestors	142	(2)
Arts of Transformation	144	(2)
PART 3: CREATION AND DISCOVERY	146	(84)
CHAPTER 11. HEALING AND MEDICINE	148	(18)
Vivienne Lo
The Sources of Medical Tradition	148	(2)
Healers and their Art	150	(2)
Qi and Human Physiology	152	(2)
The Structure of the Body	154	(2)
Acupuncture and Moxihustion	156	(2)
Self-Cultivation	158	(3)
Drugs and Healing Foods	161	(5)
CHAPTER 12. TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE	166	(18)
Peter J. Golas
The Inquiring Spirit	166	(2)
Farming and Food	168	(2)
Spinners and Weavers	170	(2)
Treasures from the Earth	172	(2)
Transport and Communication	174	(2)
The Technology of War	176	(2)
Mechanics and Power	178	(4)
Paper, Printing, and Publishing	182	(2)
CHAPTER 13. THE FINE AND DECORATIVE ARTS	184	(20)
Ni Yibin
Ritual Jade and Bronze	184	(2)
Art for the Afterlife	186	(2)
Inspiration and Enlightenment	188	(2)
The Art of Writing	190	(4)
Traditions of Court Painting	194	(2)
A Noble Pastime: Literati Art	196	(2)
The Craft of the Potter	198	(4)
The Aesthetics of Display	202	(2)
CHAPTER 14. THE PERFORMING ARTS	204	(8)
Ni Yibin
The Chinese Theater	204	(2)
Musical Traditions	206	(2)
The Art of Dance	208	(2)
Acrobats and Circus	210	(2)
CHAPTER 15. ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING	212	(18)
Nancy R.S. Steinhardt
The Technology of Chinese Architecture	212	(2)
The Great Wall	214	(2)
Walled Cities and Towns	216	(2)
A House for the "Son of Heaven"	218	(2)
Places of Worship	220	(2)
The Pagoda	222	(2)
Building for the Afterlife	224	(2)
Designs for Living	226	(2)
Gardens of Delight	228	(2)
AFTERWORD: THE LEGACY OF 4,000 YEARS	230	(8)
Edward L. Shaughnessy
LANGUAGE AND PRONUNCIATION	238	(1)
TABLE OF DYNASTIES	239	(1)
FURTHER READING	240	(4)
INDEX	244	(12)
PICTURE CREDITS	256