Worlds Of Bronze And Bamboo

Sima Qian (c. 100 B.C.E.) was China's first historian—he was known as Grand Astrologer at the court of Emperor Wu during the Han dynasty—and, along with Confucius and the First Emperor of Qin, was one of the creators of imperial China. His Shiji (published for Columbia in a translation by Burton Watson as Records of the Grand Historian) not only became the model for the twenty-six Standard Histories that the historians of each Chinese dynasty wrote to legitimize the dynastic succession, but also has been an enormously influential resource to historians, literary scholars, philosophers, and many others seeking an understanding of early Chinese history. In Worlds of Bronze and Bamboo, Grant Hardy presents convincing evidence that the Shiji is quite unlike such Western counterparts as the histories of Herodotus and Thucydides, for, Hardy argues, Sima Qian's work seeks not only to represent but to influence the world in a manner based on Confucian concepts of sageliness and "the rectification of names." Although many scholars have sought close parallels between Sima Qian and the Greek historians—either criticizing Sima's work, as if Western models of historical interpretation could serve as a template by which to read it, or overemphasizing his "objectivity" to more closely align his text with these "respectable" Greek models—Hardy boldly contends that the Chinese historian never intended to produce a consistent, closed interpretation of the past. Instead, Hardy argues, the Shiji is a microcosm in which Sima Qian sought to represent the open-endedness and multivalence of the world around him, revealing and reinforcing the natural order. In mapping out this model of the world, Sima embodies the historian as sage rather than chronicler. Transcending mere accuracy in recording events, such a historian seeks not to present an opinion about what happened in the past, buttressed with rational arguments and pertinent evidence, but to penetrate the outer details of an incident and discover the moral truths it embodies. Thus intuiting the moral significance of events, the sage-historian delineates the Way and offers his readers a chance to become more in tune with the natural order. Illustrating his provocative theses about the Shiji by analyzing Sima Qian's handling of specific historical personages and episodes such as the First Emperor of the Qin, the hereditary house of Confucius, and the conflicts that ended with the founding of the Han dynasty, Hardy both extends and challenges existing interpretations of this crucial yet understudied text and sheds light on its puzzles and incongruities.

In Worlds of Bronze and Bamboo, Grant Hardy presents convincing evidence that the Shiji is quite unlike such Western counterparts as the histories of Herodotus and Thucydides, for, Hardy argues, Sima Qian's work seeks not only to represent but also to influence the world in a manner based on Confucian concepts of sageliness and "the rectification of names."

World histories vary widely in shape, structure, and range in space and time. In Palgrave Advances in World Histories, ten leading world historians examine the many forms of world history writing, offering an accessible, engaging and comprehensive overview of what it is and what world historians do. This work is a valuable introduction to those new to the field, but will also stimulate discussion, debate and reflection.

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History mattered to the political elite in ancient China. Leung explores why it was so important and to what end.

World Music CONCISE: A Global Journey, Second Edition, introduces students to the diversity of musical expression around the world, taking them across the globe to experience cultural traditions that challenge the ear, the mind, and the spirit. Based on the Fourth Edition, this Second CONCISE Edition serves as an introduction to the many and varied world music traditions. It stays rooted in a solid pedagogical framework and maintains the text’s familiar travel theme while condensing the number of "sites" from 70 to 44. These sites are carefully selected from the existing compilation so as to remain representative of all continents and regions. Features: An easy-to-follow and proven chapter structure, organized by geographic region Many Listening Guides, detailed maps, and hundreds of colorful photos Coverage of an eclectic blend of world musics, including popular music as well as traditional music A two-CD set featuring hours of diverse music examples NEW updates from the Fourth Edition carried over to the CONCISE, such as certain dance traditions, and kora and jali NEW sites: Bali and Korea NEW, dynamic companion website—unique to the Second CONCISE Edition—hosts interactive listening guides and assorted student and instructor resources pulled from the Fourth Edition website, making it a valuable tool for distance learning courses World Music CONCISE: A Global Journey, Second Edition, provides students and instructors with a fundamental resource as they begin their exploration of world music and culture. PURCHASING OPTIONS Print Paperback Pack - Book and CD set: 9780815386094 Print Paperback - Book only: 9780815386087 eBook Pack - eBook and mp3 file: 9781351176033* *For eBook users, please email [email protected] to obtain access to the mp3 audio compilation. (The mp3 audio compilation is not available for separate sale.)