The Ancient History Of China To The End Of The Chou Dynasty

Ancient China: A History surveys the East Asian Heartland Region – the geographical area that eventually became known as China – from the Neolithic period through the Bronze Age, to the early imperial era of Qin and Han, up to the threshold of the medieval period in the third century CE. For most of that long span of time there was no such place as "China"; the vast and varied territory of the Heartland Region was home to many diverse cultures that only slowly coalesced, culturally, linguistically, and politically, to form the first recognizably Chinese empires. The field of Early China Studies is being revolutionized in our time by a wealth of archaeologically recovered texts and artefacts. Major and Cook draw on this exciting new evidence and a rich harvest of contemporary scholarship to present a leading-edge account of ancient China and its antecedents. With handy pedagogical features such as maps and illustrations, as well as an extensive list of recommendations for further reading, Ancient China: A History is an important resource for undergraduate and postgraduate courses on Chinese History, and those studuing Chinese Culture and Society more generally.

Confucius, the Great Wall, silk, oracle bones, writing, and paper are among the topics explored here. This book starts with Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi's life size terracotta army of soldiers, chariots, and horses. The photographs show the army as it looks today and in the broken disarray of its discovery. The following chapters deal with early development, early dynasties, the unification of China, and the achievements, gifts, and inventions of the ancient Chinese.

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1908 edition. Excerpt: ... ministers and advisers, 33; the sovereign responsible for natural catastrophes, 36, 79-80, 105, 172-174; reorganized under Wu- wang, 98-99; democratic sys- tem in promotion of officers of, 99; foundation of government due to Ch6u-kung, 107; immu- tability of, based on that of individuals in public and pri- vate life, 109; patriarchal char- acter of, 110; six divisions of, prototype of modern "Six Boards," 111, 112-113; inter- ference with private life, 1 lo- ll7; officers of, selected from among the people, 99, 117; not punished in public, 123-124, 322; "the five articles" fixing principles of, 210; Confucius' views of, based on filial piety, 254; see also Chou-li; Con- Fucius; Kuan-tzi; Mencius. Great Khan: see Shan-yu. Greek pattern: see Thunder Pat- Tern. Groot, J. J. M. de: 196, note 2. Grosier, Abb6: 265. Ground taxes: 296-298; see also Taxes. Grube, W.: on the preponderance of speeches in oldest historical texts, 156; considers both Ch'un- ts'iu and Tso-chuan works of Confucius, 181; on Kuan-tzi, 202, 205; on Yang Chu, 279. Gumpach, J. von: on the Shu-king eclipse, 41. Haenisch, E.: on the Tablet of Yii, 90, note 1. Han, the state of: beginnings, 263; recognized as a feudal state, 264; one of the "Seven Heroes" states, 266; conquers Chong, 274; joins confederation against Ts'in, 310; kingdom since 332 B.C., 315; loses territory against Ts'in, 316; defeated by Ts'in in battle of I-k'ue, 318; defeated by Ts'in, 325; does homage to Ts'in, neglecting the emperor, and is annexed by Ts'in, 326, 328, 336; princes of, 335-336. Han-cho, usurper: 42, 330. Han-fel, the philosopher: mentions "south-pointers," 128; pupil of Sim K'uang, the anti-Confu- cianist, 326. flan-/eW*i (the book): 128, note 2; see also Han-fei, The Philos- Opher. Han-ku...

'Early China' refers to the period from the beginning of human history in China to the end of the Han Dynasty in AD 220. The roots of modern Chinese society and culture are all to be found in this formative period of Chinese civilization. Li Feng's new critical interpretation draws on the most recent scholarship and archaeological discoveries from the past thirty years. This fluent and engaging overview of early Chinese civilization explores key topics including the origins of the written language, the rise of the state, the Shang and Zhou religions, bureaucracy, law and governance, the evolving nature of war, the creation of empire, the changing image of art, and the philosophical search for social order. Beautifully illustrated with a wide range of new images, this book is essential reading for all those wanting to know more about the foundations of Chinese history and civilization.