The History Book Club discussion

This is the Ancient East Asia History thread.



This thread is about the following:

Source - Wikipedia

PRE-HISTORY

"In East Asia, the Neolithic period may have begun as early as 7500 BC.

The earliest evidence suggests the existence of the Pengtoushan culture in northern Hunan province from about 7500 BC to 6100 BC and of the Peiligang culture in Henan province around from about 7000 BC to 5000 BC.

The Jeulmun pottery period is sometimes labeled the "Korean Neolithic", but since intensive agriculture and evidence of European-style 'Neolithic' lifestyle is sparse at best, such terminology is misleading. The Jeulmun was a period of hunting, gathering, and small-scale cultivation of plants. Archaeologists sometimes refer to this life-style pattern as 'broad-spectrum hunting-and-gathering'.

The Jōmon period is a similar era in prehistoric Japan, with some characteristics of both Neolithic and Mesolithic culture."

XIA, SHANG, and ZHOU

"Even though archaeological evidence has been found at Erlitou that indicate the Xia Dynasty existed from about 2100 BC to 1800 BC, they are not usually considered a true dynasty. The first universally accepted true Chinese dynasty was the Bronze Age Shang Dynasty, 1766-1050 BC.

One of their most important accomplishments was the invention of writing. In fact, before it was discovered that Chinese pharmacists were selling oracle bones from Shang times, the Shang Dynasty was considered a myth.

Eventually, Shang rule deteriorated. The last Shang ruler, King Zhou was a cruel corrupt despot. Meanwhile, the Zhou, a Shang vassal, grew strong. In 1122 BC, King Wu of Zhou launched an attack on the Shang capital, and the Shang Dynasty collapsed.

There was not much difference between the Zhou and Shang Dynasties, as the Zhou adopted much of Shang lifestyle. To justify their rule, the Zhou introduced the Mandate of Heaven. This stated that the ruler ruled by divine right, but if he is overthrown, that meant he had lost the divine right to the victor.

The first part of the Zhou Dynasty is called the Western Zhou. In 771 BC, the Zhou were forced east by northern barbarians. This marked the beginning of Eastern Zhou. During this period, the Zhou king lost power, and many small kingdoms sprang up. This period, known as the Spring and Autumn Period, was when great philosophers of China, such as Confucius, Laozi, and Mozi lived. This flourishing of philosophy is called the Hundred Schools of Thought. Confucianism, Daoism, and Mohism all have their roots during this period. The Warring States Period began when the smaller states have all been annexed, and only seven large states remained: Qi, Chu, Wei, Han, Zhao, Wei, Qin"

It also includes the three kingdoms of Korea and other ancient East Asian sites.

This thread deals with the following:

Hồng Bàng Dynasty · Gojoseon · Shang China · Qin Dynasty · Han Dynasty ·
Jin Dynasty - Three Kingdoms of Korea

Source: Wikipedia

Extracts above from:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_...

Please feel free to add books, images pertaining to Ancient East Asia History, and/or urls, etc that pertain to this subject area. No self promotion please.

recent book that looks interesting,


by Ralph D. Sawyer

Thank you very much Tom for the add. It does look good.

Good adds Kathy.

The Partition of Jin

You can go pretty far back in Chinese history, but I think the division between the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period is where things really heat up. After all, the first dynasty that gave China its current name was the State of Qin, which prevailed during the many battles that took place over several centuries during the Warring States Period.

One starting point for that division is the Partition of Jin into several smaller states. One could say that the Partition began with the Li Ji Rebellion (657-651 BC) because one man loved women a bit too much.

Duke Xian of Jin had six wives and five sons. One wife Li Ji, a former concubine, had a son in 665, Prince Xiqi, whom she wanted to be the crown prince. To go about doing this she bribed two of Duke Xian’s most trusted officials to send three of the princes outside of the capital to defend territorial cities.

Li Ji, in a plot to betray Crown Prince ShenSheng, advised him to make offerings of wine and meat to his mother while in the city of Quwo, and to bring some back to his father as well. He did so, but Li Ji poisoned the food, although Duke Xian fed some to his dog beforehand, which immediately died. Outraged, the Duke sent men to Quwo to arrest ShenSheng, but they only succeeded in killing ShenSheng’s master, Du Yuankuan.

Shensheng escaped and visited his half-brother, Prince Chonger, who advised him to expose Li Ji’s plot. Shensheng refused, saying it would break his father’s heart, so Chonger advised him to escape, but Shensheng said then he would truly appear guilty and that no one would protect him.

In the end Prince Shensheng hanged himself on the 7th day of the second month in 656 BC, earning him the title of “the respectful crown prince.” After that Li Ji accuses Chonger and another son, Yiwu, both of whom escape to smaller tribes, Chonger to the Di tribe and Yiwu to the state of Liang.

Duke Xian died in 651 BC and Li Ji places her 15-year old son Xiqi on the throne. A month later Li Ke kills Xiqi and Xiqi’s chancellor Xunxi places the toddler Zhuozi on the throne.

A month later Zhuozi and Li Ji are killed by Li Ke, Xunxi commits suicide, and Shao Ji, the mother of Zhuozi is imprisoned. Li Ke invites Chonger back, but he refuses, so Yiwu is invited back from Liang, and he accepts, becoming Duke Hui of Jin.

Conclusion

The Li Ji Rebellion caused the Jin line to become diluted. Titled Retainers thought they had a say to the Jin name based on the fields they acquired during the struggle. Different surnamed clans were brought into the Jin nobility, diluting the bloodline further.

Jin fragments into ten clans by middle of Spring and Autumn Period, and then into six by the closing years. Those clans were : Zhao, Wei, Han, Fan, Zhi, and Zhonghang.

The Cambridge History of Ancient China: From the Origins of Civilization to 221 BC

From 650 BC onwards the State of Jin continued its precipitous decline, which had begun during the Li Ji Rebellion (657-651 BC). Many smaller clans, or emerging states, saw their power rise after they were first invited into Jin lands. The reason so many of these lesser states were given power was for supporting Jin against its perceived enemies, particularly Qi, Qin, Song, Chu, and even the ruling dynasty of the time, Zhou.

Of course over time these smaller states craved more power and they were able to get it, mainly because they strengthened their bureaucracies while Jin saw theirs weaken. Many of these states were loyal not to the Zhou dynasty but to other states or aristocratic powers. The Zhou dynasty was beginning to lose its grip on power, although it would manage to hold on for another century before it really just ruled in name only.

Things continued to go downhill for Jin, especially in 583 BC when they agreed to an alliance with the relatively weak state of Wu. They did this to protect themselves from the growing power of the state of Chu to their south. Wu was located to the east of Chu and kept Chu in check, ensuring they’d be unable to launch any type of attack north against Jin.

The policy worked, perhaps too well. Jin and Wu signed a peace agreement in 546 BC which was good for Jin, but not so good for Wu. Chu was still right on their doorstep, and they weren’t about to back down, especially now that Chu was largely demilitarized. It took awhile longer, but in 506 BC Wu invaded Chu outright, a blow that was more psychologically devastating than it was militarily.

Wu was not without its own problems, however. To their south the State of Yue was growing in power as well, and they took a page from the book of their northern neighbor. They began to raid across the border, which turned out to be a mistake, although it was a mistake that hurt both states.

In 496 BC Yue had pushed too far and Wu pushed right back, invading Yue. The invasion proved unsuccessful, and quite disastrous, for King Helu of Wu was killed during the invasion. His son, King Fuchai of Wu, quickly took the reins of power, and he let loose. The state of Yue was invaded again and nearly wiped off the map.

Satisfied that Yue had learned their lesson, Wu turned north and invaded Qi, decisively defeating them on the field of battle, a serious insult to the much larger and established state. From there it was easy to turn west and invade Jin, although Wu decided not to, the threat being enough to deter any aggression from the ailing state. Satisfied with his gain, King Fuchai called for a peace conference in 482 BC.

Many states were leery of such a conference however, none more so that Yue who had learned the hard way exactly what Wu was capable of. Instead of offering peace they offered war, and invaded Wu. They managed to capture the capital of Wu, Gusu, and the two states would struggle over the city for the next decade. It was the death of King Fuchai during one particular siege, in 473 BC, which turned the tables and saw the city fall to Yue. The state of Wu was no more and Yue would go on to become one of the most powerful states of the early Warring States Period.

At that point Yue thought they had done enough against the larger powers and they turned their attention to the smaller states surrounding them, hoping to gobble them up and increase their territory and power. It was quite the turnaround for a state that most of the other states had discounted, and which had nearly been wiped out just twenty years before. It was also a sign of how weak Jin had become. Instead of coming to the aid of Wu, a state they had supported in the hopes of decreasing the attacks from Chu, they did nothing. The end was near, and twenty years later the Partition of Jin would occur, ushering in the Warring States Period of Chinese history.


by Michael Loewe (no photo)

by Victoria Tin-bor Hui (no photo)

by Li Xueqin (no photo)

Map: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia...

Greg, thank you for your wonderful adds.

Thanks. I dredged a lot of this info up off of some old outlines I wrote two years ago. Nice to let these stories see the light of day finally.

The Battle of Yanling

A short time of peace came to the State of Jin in 546 BC when they made terms with both the State of Wu and the State of Chu. This wasn’t something they did because they wanted to; it was something they did because they had to. The Dukes of Jin were really not in control of the state anymore. The real power lay with the aristocratic and ministerial clans that Jin had invited into the state years earlier. This would prove to be a key factor in their downfall.

Many of the Dukes of Jin had tried to slow or even stop the rising power of these clans, but they had little success. Duke Li of Jin did his best to stop these clans from gaining anymore power, and he came quite close. The result was one of the most spectacular battles in all of the Spring and Autumn Period: the Battle of Yanling.

Many in the State of Jin no doubt thought that Duke Li wasn’t ready to rule. His father, Duke Jing, was forced to step down in 581 BC due to failing health and his son took the throne. Whatever wisdom his father passed on to him couldn’t have been much; he died just a month later.

Duke Li was a smart man, however. He knew that Jin had been declining for years and he attempted to do something about it. First he forged an alliance with the State of Qin in 580 BC, although it would prove to be short-lived, for just two years later both states went to war, although Jin somehow managed to prevail.

This was good because it freed up Jin from having to worry about attacks on their western border. What Jin didn’t count on, however, was that their arch-enemy, Chu, would choose to test the new duke and attack from the south.

The Vassal States

The State of Zheng was a small vassal state of Jin that somehow got it into its head that it was going to take on the mighty State of Chu. Now, Zheng might have been foolish, but they weren’t that foolish. They knew better than to take on one of the leading states directly, so instead they attacked a vassal state of Chu, the State of Xu.

Of course this angered Chu and they in turn attacked Zheng the following year. They proved so successful at defeating Zheng that the state was forced to switch its allegiance from Jin to Chu, with disastrous consequences for the State of Jin, for Zheng then turned around and attacked the State of Song, which was another vassal state of Jin.

Jin could only take so much of that and in 575 BC Duke Li got serious and invaded the State of Zheng, its former vassal and ally. It was just the move that Chu was hoping and waiting for. King Gong of Chu led his forces north to attack Jin and the two states met on the fields of Yanling in modern-day Henan Province.

At that point in time the Chu army was larger than the Jin army, but they were in a much sorrier state. Not only were the soldiers ill-equipped and poorly trained, but the two leading generals of the army hated one another.

The Battle Begins

The day began at dawn with the Jin army taking a defensive stance, something that the Chu army didn’t anticipate. Luan Shu, the commander of the Jin army’s right wing, arrayed his forces behind both a marsh and a deep ditch, both of which made it difficult for the Chu army to advance at all. The best soldiers in the Chu army, the King’s personal guard, were right in the middle of the line of march and directly in front of the marsh. They couldn’t advance without taking serious casualties from the Jin bowmen. What’s more, the flanks of the Chu army were comprised of some of the worst of the Chu army’s soldiers.

Jin saw its opening and took it. They unleashed their chariots onto the Chu army’s flanks and sent them running, and then turned their attention to the center of the line. There was nowhere for the crack soldiers of the Chu army to go: they had the marsh ahead of them, a few poorly trained soldiers behind them, and hundreds of chariots bearing down on them from both sides. What’s more, King Gong of Chu was right there in the thick of it with his personal guards. They proved to be unworthy of their titles and couldn’t protect their king, who took an arrow in the eye. The grievous wound didn’t kill him, but it certainly was a blow to his confidence.

Respect was an important part of life at that time in China and the Jin army showed it to the State of Chu on that day. King Gong was allowed to escape and he rushed to the back of his lines to consult with his leading military commander, Zifan. Unfortunately Zifan had seen the way the battle was heading and he did what many military commanders throughout history have done in similar situations: he got drunk. By the time King Gong reached him Zifan was worthless to him and all King Gong could do was retreat. By the time Zifan sobered up and realized what he had done it was too late; he killed himself shortly thereafter.

The defeat of Chu at the Battle of Yanling sent shockwaves throughout the country. Was Jin really as weak as it appeared? Could they be on the rise once again? Duke Li of Jin thought so and he kept the momentum going by once again trying to eliminate the powerful role the various clans held in his state.

Duke Li’s Fate

Two years later, in 573 BC, Duke Li decided to do something about the clans once and for all. He chose as his target the Xi clan, one of the most powerful in the state and one that had no love for Duke Li. The Xi clan was at that time led by the three Xi’s – Xi Qi, Xi Chou, and Xi Zhi. Duke Li had them killed and it upset the balance of power that the clans held within the State of Jin.

The clans of Zhonghang and Luan, the latter led by Luan Shu, the same strategist that had largely been responsible for the success of the Battle of Yanling, rose up and captured Duke Li and put a puppet on the throne, a 14-year old named Zhou who was a prince from the House of Ji, a house that had been exiled from the dynastic court of Zhou for three generations. When he was safely in power the two clans killed Duke Li and Zhou became Duke Dao of Jin. Any hope of ridding the State of Jin of the power of the clans was gone forever.

by Marvin C Whiting (no photo)

Thanks. Most of the books out there are pretty stuffy when it comes to this time in history. It's pretty interesting, and I wish more professional historians would write about it in a fun and interesting way.

If I can get enough posts together like this one, oh maybe 25,000 words or so, I might be able to thread them all together into another eBook. Hey, I can dream right?

Well we appreciate your "writing posts" - they are conveying a lot of good info.

The Battle of Jinyang

Six clans became dominant at the time Duke Li of Jin was killed in 573 BC in the State of Jin: Fan, Han, Wei, Zhao, Zhi, and Zhonghang. Both Fan and Zhonghang were quickly destroyed. Zhi felt as though it was owed more, but the other clans thought not. Around 450 BC Zhi declared that it wanted more territory from the other clans. And when Zhi declared it wanted something, most states gave in.

The reason for this was because of one man, Zhi Bo Yao. No other individual had more power in the Jin royal court and no single individual controlled a larger amount of territory within the state, not even Duke Ai of Jin, the ruler of the state at the time. So powerful was Zhi Bo in fact that all major decisions of the state had to pass by him before being approved. The power went to his head and it caused him to act irrationally, like demanding lands from his fellow clans and allies.

Han and Wei gave in to Zhi's demands, mainly because they didn’t want to suffer Zhi Bo’s wrath by thwarting his wishes. Zhao on the other hand flat out said no. Zhi Bo then called up Han and Wei and convinced them to join him on an attack against Zhao. Xiang of Zhao, the leader of the clan at that time, moved his forces to the city of Jinyang and quickly set about strengthening the city’s walls, filling its granaries, and stocking up its weapons.

The Siege Begins

The siege began in 455 BC and lasted for three months before Han, Wei, and Zhi realized they were not going to take the city. So instead of forcing their way in, something that would have resulted in horrendous casualties, they spread out and began working. The Fen River was nearby and in the spring it flowed swiftly. The men of the three armies began diverting it toward the city and the following year they let it loose.

The river came crashing down onto the city’s gates and obliterated them. The city became filled with water, so much so that all buildings not three stories high were soon underwater. For the next two years the citizens of the city had to live like birds perched upon makeshift scaffolds above the water. But by that time the food supplies ran out and disease reared its ugly head. Xiang of Zhao knew the time to surrender had come and he began discussing with his advisors which state would be the best to surrender to. None of them, one of his leading advisors, Zhang Mengtan, said. Instead of surrendering, why not talk to Han and Wei, he advised.

So an envoy, Zhang Mengtan, was sent out with the offer of an even split of the Zhao lands between both Han and Wei. The two states were apprehensive, for they knew that Zhao was at the breaking point. What’s more, one of Zhi Bo’s men chanced upon the meeting and warned Zhi Bo, but he discounted what he heard. After all, why would his two allies desert him now when victory was so close at hand?

But that’s exactly what Han and Wei had already been planning to do even before the meeting had taken place. Both Kang of Han and Huan of Wei had little liking for Zhi Bo and they were eager to get rid of him, knowing that they could very well be the next targets of Zhi. Zhang Mengtan delivered the good news back to Xiang of Zhao and a date was agreed upon for the two states to turn on their ally.

The Tides Turn Against Zhi

So on May 8, 453 BC, Zhao soldiers were allowed to exit the city by the troops of Han and Wei. They snuck up to the dams holding back the Fen River and destroyed it in such a way that the water rushed down onto the Zhi army camps. As the Zhi soldiers were inundated with water Han and Wei pounced from both sides while the remaining Zhao soldiers rushed from the city for a frontal attack.

Pressed from three sides, there was little hope for the Zhi army, and Zhi Bo was taken prisoner. He was taken to Xiang of Zhao and executed on the spot, his skull made into a wine cup for Xiang. No member of the House of Zhi was spared and the three states evenly split the Zhi lands between themselves. Three clans remained and they would eventually be elevated to the Three Jins.

The Aftermath

Han became the dominant power in the south of Jin, Wei took the center, and Zhao came to hold the north. Duke You of Jin, the ruler at that time, could only sit back and watch as his state fell apart around him. He was a ruler in name only, as would every Duke of Jin who came after him until the state finally dissolved into nothing in 369 BC. The Warring States Period had begun.

by Marvin C Whiting (no photo)
by Michael Loewe (no photo)

Thanks, I hope a few others might enjoy them as well.

A Warring States Overview, Part 1

So how far have we come so far? If you look at the key dates from the Spring and Autumn Period you’ll see that a lot of years are covered:

657-651 BC: The Li Ji Rebellion occurs;
632 BC: Qin helps Jin win the Battle of Chengpu against Chu, creating an enemy;
579 BC: Qin, Jin, Chu, Qi peace conference where all agree to limit their army size;
455-453 BC: The Battle of Jinyang;
434 BC: Duke Ai of Jin dies and is succeeded by Duke You of Jin.

From 434 BC to around 403 BC the various independent states of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty sat tight and consolidated their resources. What would follow over the next two centuries would be a near-constant state of war.

The seven states that would come to make up the Warring States Period in Chinese history fought one another relentlessly, often shifting alliances in any way that would suit them at the moment. Many of the smaller states that existed at the beginning of the period were wiped out or absorbed into the larger states. By the time the dust had settled only one state remained, one that many had considered to be the weakest when the period began.

It was a revolutionary time in what would become China, not only militarily, but architecturally, philosophically, and religiously as well.

The Military of the Warring States

From the military standpoint, new technologies were overtaking the old. Armies of infantry increased on a massive scale and had chariots to back them up. Later in the period organized cavalry units would be formed with devastating effect. Split trousers for better riding and the use of mounted bowmen, often crossbowmen, came about for the first time.

States had anywhere from ten thousand men all the way into the hundreds of thousands of men in their armies. Huge bureaucracies developed to deal with fielding such armies, as well as to oversee the various government institutions needed to fund them. The mass-production of weapons began, and those weapons were real killing machines.

The most popular hand weapon of the period was the dagger-axe. Infantry used the 9 to 18 foot weapon to kill, maim, and even unseat drivers from their chariots. It was really nothing more than a thrusting-type spear with a large blade attached to the top, a blade that was designed for beheading. Soldiers would thrust out their spear at the onrushing enemy and then, when the soldiers had jumped out of the way, they’d jerk the weapon backwards, pulling them in with the scythe-like blade.

The Architecture of the Warring States

As the different state bureaucracies developed so to did the architecture that supported them. Government buildings were built higher to emphasize their importance. Officials wanted to create a distinct sense of authority in the populace, an authority which may well be called absolute. High towers topped many buildings as well as large pillars for gates. Instead of looking up the heavens for hope and encouragement, the people were instead directed to look up to the government.

Defense was also an important consideration for cities and states and their architecture reflected this. City walls were made longer, taller, and stronger. Secondary walls, or ring walls, were also built to give an added-level of protection and sense of well-being. Things were happening quickly on the battlefield and no city wanted to be caught with their guard down.


by Li Xueqin (no photo)

by Jacques Gernet (no photo)

Thanks Greg - very educational

A Warring States Overview, Part 2

From 434 BC to around 403 BC the various independent states of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty sat tight and consolidated their resources. What would follow over the next two centuries would be a near-constant state of war.

It was a revolutionary time in what would become China, and the country was changing philosophically and religiously as well. Differing schools of thought developed while at the same time religion was struggling to catch up.

Religion

There were two worlds in ancient China: the world of the living and the world of the shen and yin, or spirits and shadows. People would make sacrifices in temples and shrines to these spirits in hopes of making their own lives better, and so that the dead could have a good journey.

People didn’t just worship and pray to the spirits, however; they also attempted to communicate with them and divine the future from them. Spiritual mediums tried to blur their senses with incense, smoke, music, dance, and chants. Diviners would use things like turtle shells or cracked bones to see what the future held. Natural wonders like comets and eclipses were also followed closely. Rulers looked to the earth and heavens for insights and advantage.

Rulers still held the Mandate of Heaven. This concept had come around during the Western Zhou Dynasty and claimed that just like Heaven ruled over all of the gods, so to did the king on earth rule over the people. This Mandate could be easily lost, and it would be apparent. Earthquakes, floods, droughts, and other natural disasters were all signs that the current ruler had lost their mandate to rule. That would signal to the people that it was time for a new ruler or house, and they’d be justified in overthrowing them.

Philosophy

There were many schools of thought swirling about in ancient China. Together these made up the Hundred Schools of Thought, which flourished for half a millennia of China’s history, from the Spring and Autumn Period to the end of the Warring States period.

The state bureaucracy began to suffer during the latter-part of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty and scholars soon found themselves out of a job. Many of them then moved about from place to place, attaching themselves to lords and rulers willing to support them. These scholars then advised the rulers on different policies and strategies that would benefit their states over others.

Oftentimes these scholars would be from different states, so they could advise other states on how best to compete by adopting aspects of their former states’ policies. If military men could be recruited, the opposing state’s strategies could be discerned. If bureaucrats were recruited, ways that states fed their people and fielded their armies could be adopted. These scholars were well worth the little it often took them to be employed, and the various states entering into the Warring States Period benefited enormously.

There were four main schools of thought during the period that these travelling scholars often belonged to. The two dominant schools of thought at the time were the Confucians and the Mohists. All other schools weren’t named until after the period, although they still had a great deal of influence. Two of these were Taoism and Legalism.

Confucianism

Confucius lived between 551 BC and 479 BC and his ideas spread widely. He stressed the worldly concerns of people over the other-worldly mysticism practiced until that time. Confucianism stressed a king’s personal virtue as the key to ruling. They also extolled the benefits of learning to become a better person. When rulers exhibited these two traits they’d be better and their state would be better as well.

Mohish

Mozi lived from 470 BC to around 391 BC and managed to develop one of the leading schools of thought during beginning of the Warring States period. In fact, it was one of the leading rivals to Confucianism. This system challenged the whole idea behind many state’s bureaucracies, which often elevated those with connections over those with skills. It criticized the often useless ‘make work’ projects that were undertaken by states, and which benefited no one. And perhaps what made Mohism so widespread were the 7 disasters it foretold about states that became unrighteous. At a time of constant war, it’s no wonder the philosophy became so popular.

Taoism

The scholar Laozi lived sometime in either the 5th or 6th century BC and started the philosophic school of Taoism. His ideas primarily focused on finding natural and simple ways to do things. If the Three Treasures of compassion, moderation, and humility could be fitted into how things were done, so much the better.

During the Spring and Autumn period these ideas were still in their infancy and it wasn’t until the end of the Warring States period that they were organized into schools. When the states were fighting many Taoists still relied heavily on divinatory methods for solving problems.

Legalism

Legalism was a dominant school of thought for heads of state during the Warring States period. Scholars like Han Fei Zi and Shang Yang made it famous, and perhaps ultimately led to its fading from view. Rulers were encouraged to live by the three principles of Fa, Shu, and Shi: to write and follow laws, employ tactics to stay in power, and hold power through legitimacy, but also charisma.

Legalists followed the laws they promulgated. These laws were often harsh during the period and were primarily created to strengthen both the state’s bureaucracy and military. States like Qin employed Legalist principles heavily, and they saw their position among the states rise significantly as a result.


by Fung Yu-Lan

by Benjamin I. Schwartz (no photo)

Very nice Greg - once again very informative.

Thank you Kathy for the add.

Thank you Kathy.

I should really start working on that book about ancient Chinese history again.

How China Began

In the beginning, China wasn’t even a thought in the chaotic universe, which was shapeless and formless and full of nothing. A cloud of gas formed into a cosmic egg called Hundun, something that took 18,000 years, and which created the balance of Yin and Yang. Pangu, which means “Coiled Antiquity,” emerged from this egg and separated Yin from Yang, thus creating the world. Yin became the Earth while Yang was turned into the Sky.

This wasn’t an easy task, and it required Pangu to push and pull, allowing the sky to grow larger by ten feet each day, the earth to become thicker by ten feet, and Pangu to become taller by ten feet. The whole process took another 18,000 years, although Pangu might have received help. The dragon, phoenix, qilin, and turtle all may have helped out at times, which is one of the reasons those animals are so important in Chinese mythology.

Creating the world like that took its toll on Pangu and he died when the process was complete. From the remains of his body the various parts of the world were formed.

Following Pangu the world was filled with chaos. It was from this chaos that the Three Sovereigns emerged. Those three got China started.

Out of the Chaos

The time of the Three Sovereigns came about after the era of Pangu. There’s a possibility that the Three Sovereigns were some kind of extraordinary and supernatural beings.

First there was the Heavenly Sovereign, also called Tiānhuáng. The creature had twelve heads and used magic to give the earth water. He also got rid of chaos, created the first tribes, and chose the first leaders of them. He lived for 18,000 years.

Next was the Earthly Sovereign, also called Dìhuáng. This sovereign was born in the same year that the sun and moon were created from Pangu’s eyes. The stars had been created from the God’s hair, but the hair was getting tangled up in the heavens. The Earthly Sovereign, who had eleven heads and was also the king of fire, fixed this and also set the sun and moon moving the way he wanted, giving the earth its current month, day and year. He also lived for 18,000 years.

The final sovereign was called the Human Sovereign, or Rénhuáng. This sovereign had just seven heads, but could also cough out rice. He often rode a chariot made of clouds and had a large family, nine brothers. These brothers formed the basis for the nine provinces and each in turn created a dynasty that lasted for 45,000 years.

by Patricia Buckley Ebrey(no photo)

by Feng Li(no photo)

by Sima Qian

Delightful post Greg.

Bentley wrote: "Delightful post Greg."

Thanks. The problem you run into is separating the Buddhist and Taoist influences that came about from 600 to 500 BC from the earlier stories of these ancient cultures.

What's more, perhaps some of those ancient cultures had those ideas, they just weren't called by those names yet.

It's pretty tricky, but since China developed their calendar so early, we're able to know which rulers were in charge starting as early as 2700 BC or so.

A venerable and ancient past for any country - but especially the Chinese past.

Love the story and how it parallels the story of God's creation of the universe.

The Excesses of King Jie, the Last Emperor of China's Xia Dynasty

Jie took over as king upon his father’s death in 1728 BC. He would prove to be one of the worst rulers China had seen up to that point and his actions led to a revolution and the end of the Xia Dynasty.

One story written by Liu Xiang around 18 AD has Jie falling head over heels in love with one of his concubines, Mo Xi. Mo Xi was quite the woman, one that liked to drink, carouse, and generally tell an emperor to go jump in the lake. To Jie this didn’t sound so bad, so he had a lake constructed and filled with wine, perhaps even on her orders.

Jie was a big drinker. He probably started young, as the members of the Xia family don’t seem all that scrupulous, and the idea of giving grain alcohol to a toddler probably seemed like a good idea to them. Perhaps that explains why Jie forsook regular wine in favor of the stronger pure alcohol, or baijiu. He loved the stuff, and it made him and others act like animals. Jie loved riding his advisors around as if they were horses while he was drunk. And anyone that could not get him a drink when he called for one was quickly killed, a fate that befell many.

This was the kind of man Mo Zi was looking for, the kind that liked to drink all day. Together they sailed around their wine lake in a boat, dipping their cups in the stuff, and immersing themselves in an orgy of men and women doing the same. Whether it was the same day or not is unclear, but upon debarking on the lake’s edge Mo Zi ordered 3,000 men to drink the lake dry. She laughed when they all drowned.

It seems Jie had found his soul mate, at least if this account found in both Liu Xiang’s Biographies of Exemplary Women and Han Ying’s The Outlier Commentary to the Book of Songs by Master Han, which came out in 150 BC.

Unfortunately this match made in heaven lasted about a year. At that point Jie travelled to Minshan, a mountain range controlled by the Xia Dynasty and used for hunting and leisure. The king there had two daughters of stunning beauty, and Jie was swept off his feet. He took them and changed their names from Wan and Yan to Zhao and Hua.

His old wife Mo Xi was abandoned, possibly even thrown to the side of the road on the drive back to the palace. Of couse it wasn’t a drive in carriage or even a ride on a horse – by that time Jie was only carried about by sedan chair. Upon arriving back in the capital Jie had a new addition of the tilt palace built, a pyramid on it’s roof. One can’t help but think it was more of a prison for the women than any kind of home.

by S J Marshall (no photo)

by K.C. Wu (no photo)

Kathy wrote: "Thanks, Greg. Your last posts really add to the thread. Books I don't know that I would have found on my own. More for the TBR pile!"

This was a fun one. I think those books are pretty dry, at least the snippets I find from them and others on Google Books.

I certainly remember the name 'Tale of Genji' from my old Japanese history classes, but I don't remember much of the story.

I bet that country could be helped out by a bit more matriarchal spirit, though.

Although the romance itself is of the 14th century, the period depicted is that of the end of the Han Dinasty.

Three Kingdoms: A Historical Novel
Note: Novel

by Luo Guanzhong

Synopsis:

Updated with a new foreword by Moss Roberts for this fifteenth anniversary edition, Three Kingdoms tells the story of the fateful last reign of the Han dynasty (206 B.C.–A.D. 220), when the Chinese empire was divided into three warring kingdoms. Writing some twelve hundred years later, the Ming author Luo Guanzhong drew on histories, dramas, and poems portraying the crisis to fashion a sophisticated, compelling narrative that has become the Chinese national epic. This abridged edition captures the novel's intimate and unsparing view of how power is wielded, how diplomacy is conducted, and how wars are planned and fought. As important for Chinese culture as the Homeric epics have been for the West, this Ming dynasty masterpiece continues to be widely influential in China, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam and remains a great work of world literature.

This is the example for the format for a novel: (see Note:) - Jose please fix above.

The Forty Days of Musa Dagh
Note: Novel

by Franz Werfel

Synopsis:

This stirring, poignant novel, based on real historical events that made of actual people true heroes, unfolds the tragedy that befell the Armenian people in the dark year of 1915. The Great War is raging through Europe, and in the ancient, mountainous lands southwest of the Caspian Sea the Turks have begun systematically to exterminate their Christian subjects. Unable to deny his birthright or his people, one man, Gabriel Bagradian—born an Armenian, educated in Paris, married to a Frenchwoman, and an officer doing his duty as a Turkish subject in the Ottoman army—will strive to resist death at the hands of his blood enemy by leading 5,000 Armenian villagers to the top of Musa Dagh, "the mountain of Moses."

There, for forty days, in the face of almost certain death, they will suffer the siege of a Turkish army hell-bent on genocide. A passionate warning against the dangers of racism and scapegoating, and prefiguring the ethnic horrors of World War II, this important novel from the early 1930s remains the only significant treatment, in fiction or nonfiction, of the first genocide in the twentieth century's long series of inhumanities.

It also continues to be today what the New York Times deemed it in 1933—"a true and thrilling novel ... a story which must rouse the emotions of all human beings." "Musa Dagh gives us a lasting sense of participation in a stirring episode of history.... Magnificent."—The New York Times Book Review "A novel full of the breath, the flesh and blood and bone and spirit of life."—Saturday Review

The Terracotta Army

by John Man (no photo)

Synopsis:

The Terracotta Army is one of the greatest, and most famous, archaeological discoveries of all time. 6,000 life-size figures of warriors and horses were interred in the Mausoleum of the First Emperor of China — each is individually carved, and they are thought to represent real members of the emperor’s army. This is the remarkable story of their creation, the man who ordered them made, their rediscovery and their continuing legacy as a pre-eminent symbol of Chinese greatness.

The First Emperor, Qin Shi Huang, was king of the Chinese state of Qin and the first man to unite China into a single empire. On his death in 210 BC, he was buried in a giant mausoleum near modern-day Xi’an. In 1974 local farmers found the first of the Terracotta warriors. But most of the mausoleum is yet to be opened, including the burial chamber itself. The story of the First Emperor and the Terracotta Army is a fascinating one, not least for the discoveries yet to be made.

The Analects

by Confucius

Synopsis:

This lively new translation with clear explanatory notes by one of the foremost scholars of classical Chinese provides the ideal introduction to the Analects for readers who have no previous knowledge of the Chinese language and philosophical traditions.

"How dare I claim to be a sage or a benevolent man?"

By constructing the philosophy expressed through The Analects, Confucius might well dare to make such a claim. The Analects are a collection of Confucius' sayings, compiled by his pupils shortly after his death in 497 B.C., and they reflect the extent to which Confucius held up a moral ideal for all men. The aim is the perfection of one's moral character, the method one of arduous pursuit of such moral attributes as benevolence, wisdom, courage; the result is no recompense either in this life or the next – to follow the Way must be its own reward. A harsh philosophy perhaps, but shining through it is the splendid intellect and spirit of one of the most reasonable and humane thinkers of all time.

The Shape of the Turtle: Myth, Art and Cosmos in Early China

by Sarah Allan (no photo)

Synopsis:

Many Chinese philosophic concepts derive from an ancient cosmology. This work is the first reconstructions of the mythic thought of the Shang Dynasty (ca. 1700- 1100 B.C.) which laid the foundation for later Chinese patterns of thought. Allan regards the myth, cosmology, divination, sacrificial ritual, and art of the Shang as different manifestations of a common religious system and each is examined in turn, building up a coherent and consistent picture. Although primarily concerned with the Shang, this work also describes the manner in which Shang thought was transformed in the later textual tradition.

Women in Early Imperial China

by Bret Hinsch (no photo)

Synopsis:

After a long spell of chaos, the Qin and Han dynasties (221 BCE-220 CE) saw the unification of the Chinese Empire under a single ruler, government, and code of law. During this era, changing social and political institutions affected the ways people conceived of womanhood. New ideals were promulgated, and women's lives gradually altered to conform to them. And under the new political system, the rulers' consorts and their families obtained powerful new roles that allowed women unprecedented influence in the highest level of government. Filling a conspicuous gap in the scholarship on both Chinese history and gender studies, this book offers the first sustained history of women in the early imperial era. Drawing on extensive primary and secondary sources in Chinese and Japanese, Bret Hinsch paints a remarkably detailed picture of the distant past. His introductory chapters orient the nonspecialist to early imperial Chinese society; subsequent chapters discuss women's roles from the multiple perspectives of kinship, wealth and work, law, government, learning, ritual, and cosmology. A rich array of line drawings, a Chinese-character glossary, and extensive notes and bibliography enhance the text. Historians and students of gender and early China alike will find this book an invaluable survey of the field.

I think ancient Chinese History needs someone like Norwich who may put more people interested in it, despite all mistakes made by him in his Popular History books.

The First Emperor of China

by Jonathan Clements (no photo)

Synopsis:

The First Emperor of China is the true story of Ying Zheng: the man who unified China, built the Great Wall, and whose tomb is guarded by the famous Terracotta Army. Ying Zheng was born to rule the world. Yet there were rumours he was not the son of the king but the child of a secret affair between a royal concubine and an ambitious minister. Crowned king of Qin - China's westernmost kingdom - six rival kings stood between him and victory. He invaded Qi, the land of the devout, looking for a mythical magical device that could bring down the power of the gods. Surviving an assassination attempt by a childhood friend, the Red Prince, he retaliated by destroying the Prince's kingdom. This new book by Jonathan Clements is the first outside Asia to tell the full story of the life, legends and laws of the first emperor. It exposes the intrigues and scandals of his family - his mother's plot to overthrow him, a revolt led by his stepfather, and the suspicious death of his half-brother - explores the immigration crisis that threatened to destroy his kingdom, and provides a terrifying glimpse of daily life in a land under absolute rule.

The Siren and the Sage: Knowledge and Wisdom in Ancient Greece and China

by Steven Shankman (no photo)

Synopsis:

A comparative study of what the most influential writers of Ancient Greece and China thought it meant to have knowledge and whether they distinguished knowledge from other forms of wisdom. It surveys selected works of poetry, history and philosophy from the period of roughly the eighth through to the second century BCE, including Homer's Odyssey, the ancient Chinese Classic of Poetry, Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian War, Sima Qian's Records of the Historian, Plato's Symposium, and Laozi's Dao de Jing and the writings of Zhuangzi. The intention, through such juxtaposition, is to introduce the foundational texts of each tradition which continue to influence the majority of the world's population.

by Homer

by Thucydides

by Sima Qian

by Plato

Ancient China and Its Enemies: The Rise of Nomadic Power in East Asian History

by Nicola Di Cosmo (no photo)

Synopsis:

This comprehensive history of the northern frontier of China through the first millennium B.C. details the formation of two increasingly distinct cultural areas: the sedentary Chinese and the northern nomads. Nicola Di Cosmo explores the tensions existing between these two worlds as they became progressively more polarized, with the eventual creation of the nomadic Hsiung-nu empire in the north, and of the Chinese empire in the south. Di Cosmo investigates the origins of the antagonism between early China and its "barbarian" neighbors.

Through The Jade Gate To Rome: A Study Of The Silk Routes During The Later Han Dynasty 1st To 2nd Centuries CE

by John E. Hill (no photo)

Synopsis:

A 2nd revised, expanded and updated version of this book should be available for purchase in a few weeks so I would suggest prospective customers wait until it becomes available. This book is the product of 30 years of research on a key Chinese document based on a report to the Chinese Emperor in 125 CE, with a few later additions. It contains the earliest geographical, historical, political and cultural information in Chinese on the Roman Empire, India, Parthia, and many other kingdoms; their products, and the routes to them. A draft version of the book was posted on the University of Washington's 'Silk Road Seattle' website in 2000 with a plea for readers to send any criticisms or comments. The author has since been contacted by hundreds of scholars worldwide and their generous contributions have helped make this book an authoritative and useful historical source. This translation, the first in English, of the 'Chapter on the Western Regions' from the Hou Hanshu, is faced with the original Chinese, and is amply annotated for those wanting further information. There are also 20 appendices and two convenient maps at the end showing the main centres and routes.

Color in Ancient and Medieval East Asia

by Mary M. Dusenbury (no photo)

Synopsis:

Color was a critical element in East Asian life and thought, but its importance has been largely overlooked in Western scholarship. This interdisciplinary volume explores the fascinating roles that color played in the society, politics, thought, art, and ritual practices of ancient and medieval East Asia (ca. 1600 B.C.E.–ca. 1400 C.E.). While the Western world has always linked color with the spectrum of light, in East Asian civilizations colors were associated with the specific plant or mineral substances from which they were derived. Many of these substances served as potent medicines and elixirs, and their transformative powers were extended to the dyes and pigments they produced. Generously illustrated, this groundbreaking publication constitutes the first inclusive study of color in East Asia. It is the outcome of years of collaboration between chemists, conservators, archaeologists, historians of art and literature, and scholars of Buddhism and Daoism from the United States, East Asia, and Europe.

Overlooked Historical Records of the Three Korean Kingdoms

by Ilyon (no photo)

Synopsis:

"The book considers the great quantity of Buddhist narratives, anecdotes on primitive beliefs, and folktales, explores the religious consciousness of the Korean people ... The author also attempts to examine Buddhism's influence on Korean culture"--p. 4 of cover.

A History of Vietnam: From Hong Bang to Tu Duc

by Oscar Chapuis (no photo)

Synopsis:

The first work to chronicle the history of Vietnam beginning in the legendary past--a memory that is so significant to the Vietnamese identity and belief system. Written by a native, this history portrays the Sino-Viet interdependence that lasted for 1,000 years and had such an influence on Vietnamese culture. When in the 15th century, the Vietnamese finally evicted their Chinese masters, they were subsequently overrun with the forces of Westernization, the spice trade and industrialization. Chapuis's history takes us to the French conquest through the regimes of Emperors Gia Long, Ming Mang, Thieu Tri, and Tu Duc.

The Dream of the Red Chamber (Chinese Classics in English)
Note: Novel


by Cao Xueqin

Synopsis:

For more than a century and a half, Dream of the Red Chamber has been recognized in China as the greatest of its novels, a Chinese Romeo-and-Juliet love story and a portrait of one of the world's great civilizations. This is an abridged edition of the 18th century original.

The Ancestral Landscape: Time, Space, and Community in Late Shang China, CA. 1200-1045 B.C.

by David N. Keightley (no photo)

Synopsis:

"This is a work of extraordinary maturity-a well-considered, incisive, careful, yet bold and highly original summation of insights gained over many decades of research.... Keightley here presents in compelling and ... understandable form some insights of general historical and intellectual interest that are derived from this rare body of original materials, and he integrates them with a dazzling array of data from other fields of scholarship including metereology, botany, zoology, astronomy, sociology, and archaeology. The resulting lively and multifaceted picture of Shang realities is extremely impressive. ... The brilliant synthesis of the Shang social configuration of the cosmos that is presented here is unprecedented in its scope and startling in its clarity. It greatly exceeds all previous piecemeal work on the issue by Chinese, Japanese, and Western experts. Specialists as well as general readers will ... feel deeply moved and inspired by this work.... This is historical writing at its best." Lothar von Falkenhausen

Korean Games: With Notes on the Corresponding Games of China and Japan

by Stewart Culin (no photo)

Synopsis:

Turn-of-the-century ethnographic classic describes nearly 100 games, including dam combat, turnip lanterns, violet fighting, cherry gaming and dragon tablets. Also cat’s cradle, hide-and-seek, leap-frog, other familiar amusements. Games viewed not only as pastimes but as vestiges of ancient rites and rituals. 147 line illus., most by Korean artists.

Thank you Samanta for all of the posts in the Ancient History area.

Behind the Myth: Gojoseon
Published on July 24th, 2013 | by C. Adam Volle



Few Koreans still believe that God’s grandson Dangun founded the first Korean kingdom in 2333 BCE, but even school textbooks still teach that the legendary country itself really existed.

This original Korea was called Joseon, according to the earliest writings known. Medieval Koreans must have loved the idea of Joseon, because when King Taejo began his Confucian dynasty in 1392, he renamed the whole peninsula after it. Koreans continued to refer to their nation as Joseon for over 500 years. North Koreans, in fact, call themselves Joseon today. To differentiate between the Confucian Joseon and its namesake, modern Koreans refer to the latter as Gojoseon. The prefix “go” means “old.”

The strongest proof of the kingdom lies in archaeology. Researchers have found many artifacts that are unique to the region in which Gojoseon is said to have existed. The most obvious are the above-ground tombs that Koreans call goindol (고인돌). Similar structures exist around the world, but Gojoseon’s are distinctively stylized and account for over 40 percent of the world’s total. Smaller relics exclusive to the area include knives and pottery.

Scholars also think that although a demigod Dangun never existed, someone with the name or title of Dangun did. After all, Dangun means “Altar King,” and priest-kings have existed in many ancient cultures. This theory is supported by references to multiple Danguns in other writings.

This all indicates truth behind the myth. However, the same evidence suggests Gojoseon’s real story is different from the stories which have developed over time. The first complication is that none of the artifacts are as old as Gojoseon is said to be. Korea’s Mumun Pottery Period dates from only 1500 BCE and replaces an older pottery style. That means a new people group may have moved into the area at that time, either displacing or absorbing the earlier inhabitants. Thus, the people who lived in the region in 2333 BCE were likely not the same who lived there in 108 BCE, when the Chinese conquered the area. As for the knives and tombs, they only appeared after 800 BCE.

More importantly, the traditional date of 2333 BCE turns out to have an unscientific origin. The date was chosen because medieval documents say Dangun founded Gojoseon during the 50th year of the morally perfect Chinese emperor Yao, which corresponds to 2333 BCE. Yao is likely fiction himself, however, so the dates of his reign are circumspect.

Another problem with the artifacts is what they don’t prove. Evidence of a culture is not evidence of an empire. For example, a Celtic culture dominated much of pre-Roman Europe from 450 BCE to the 100s BCE, but no nation produced it; many tribes simply shared the culture. Just so, many scholars now think Gojoseon was never a centralized state, but rather an alliance of cities, like Ancient Greece.

Lastly, there is the issue of whether Gojoseon was “Korean.” In his book “Korea’s Place in the Sun,” Bruce Cumings explains that “there was way too much warfare, migration and intermingling [at the time] to make for a homogeneous race of people.” Gojoseon’s people may be better labeled “proto-Korean,” ancestors of Koreans.

All of which begs a question: if Gojoseon was not the first kingdom, what was? The answer is likely Shilla – another subject.

Source: Gwangju News

The Comprehensive Illustrated Manual of Martial Arts of Ancient Korea

by Sang H. Kim

Synopsis:

This is a translation of the Muye Dobo Tongji, long considered a definitive early classic of the martial arts of Korea. The release of The Comprehensive Illustrated Manual of Martial Arts of Ancient Korea marks the first time this volume is available in English. Extensively illustrated with the original 18th century woodblock prints, it will be of interest to martial artists and military historians alike.

Japan: Its History and Culture

by W. Scott Morton (no photo)

Synopsis:

This is a revision of the long successful, short, illustrated cultural history of Japan, from its beginnings about 3000 BC to the present day, first published in 1970 and continuously in use over several editions in colleges and universities nationwide. It is designed as a straightforward, detail-rich portrait of a nation not well understood in the West. The position of Japan on the international scene has changed markedly since the current edition was published in 1994: Japan had been a star of postwar industrial production and methods; over the past few years, it has encountered serious trouble with market forces; its financial practices, particularly the tacit collaboration between powerful factions in government and industry, has come under question and even attack. departure from tradition have begun to have a significant presence. The book is distinctive in its incorporation of cultural elements, at their high point, into the unfolding story of political events. Rather than just following the political and military course of history, treating them separately from the cultural side, Morton presents an integrated view, showing the parallel development of cultural and political events, as well as their influence on each other. For example, the sweeping effect of Chinese culture on Japanese is treated as an organic whole, exploring its results in government, social life, religion and art. The book also casts fascinating sidelights on significant personalities, works of literature and historic events. Balanced treatment is key; each period in the past is given equal treatment, with somewhat more emphasis on contemporary history and recent developments.

A History of Southeast Asia: Critical Crossroads

by Anthony Reid (no photo)

Synopsis:

"A History of Southeast Asia: Critical Crossroads "presents a comprehensive history of Southeast Asia from our earliest knowledge of its civilizations and religious patterns up to the present day. Incorporates environmental, social, economic, and gender issues to tell a multi-dimensional story of Southeast Asian history from earliest times to the present Argues that while the region remains a highly diverse mix of religions, ethnicities, and political systems, it demands more attention for how it manages such diversity while being receptive to new ideas and technologies Demonstrates how Southeast Asia can offer alternatives to state-centric models of history more broadly "2016 PROSE Award Honorable Mention for Textbook in the Humanities"

The Three Kingdoms of Ancient China: The History and Legacy of the Reunification of China after the Han Dynasty

by Jin Fang (no photo)

Synopsis:

One of the most turbulent and romanticized eras in ancient Chinese history is that of the three kingdoms period. During the 3rd century A.D. in China, warlords battled for supremacy. This turbulent and bloody era is known as the three kingdoms period. It’s also one of the most romanticized eras in Chinese history; heroes and villains like Cao Cao, Liu Bei, and Zhuge Liang have served has inspiration for poetry, novels, opera, and song in China. Perhaps the most celebrated is Romance of the Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong, considered a masterpiece of Chinese literature.

In The History of China’s Three Kingdoms Period, you’ll learn about the events before and after the three kingdoms period, and its most famous characters.