Bing

by Michael Loewe

Much is known of life during the Han Empire, but the historical evidence remains fragmentary, and nowhere do we find a continuous account of the life of any one individual. In this engaging volume, Michael Loewe mines the written and material records to depict the imagined life of an ordinary person, Bing Wu, from the hardships of his earliest years on a rural farm to his retirement from a respected position in government service. Underlying the tale of Bing is a richly detailed portrait of life during the Han-the arduous tasks of the conscript laborer; military service on the defense lines of the north; the travels of a merchant; the grueling conditions in an iron foundry; the construction of tombs; preparations for entering the civil service; the duties of a junior clerk and the governing of a commandery. Along the way, we are introduced to the operation of a crossbow; methods of telling time; the practice of writing; the rituals of divination; the ceremony of a state occasion, laws and the harsh consequences of breaking them; the workings of the central government and much more.

Genres: History

220 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2011

About the author

Michael Arthur Nathan Loewe was a British historian, Sinologist, and writer who authored dozens of books, articles, and other publications in the fields of Classical Chinese as well as the history of ancient and early Imperial China.

Reviews

[Dave]

The driest, clumsiest, most conflict-free novel disguising as a history lesson ever.

"There was a boy named Bing born in China. He advanced wildly beyond expectations, with no real barriers to speak of, and all was well with him." There, now you've got the high points

[Jenny]

This book was an easy read. Bing is a historical fiction account set in the Han dynasty in China. It tells an easy to read story demonstrating the hierarchical setup of society, explaining how a person has the ability to raise in the ranks of society. I read this for a history class and liked it!