China's Early Empires
A Re-appraisal

Shows how recent archaeological discoveries have enriched our perception of the cultural history of China in the Classical era.

Michael Nylan (Edited by), Michael Loewe (Edited by)

9780521852975, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 4 November 2010

654 pages, 123 b/w illus. 20 colour illus. 9 maps
25.5 x 18.3 x 3.6 cm, 1.5 kg

Recent archaeological discoveries, including manuscripts, have shed new light on China's history, in particular Qin and Han (221 BCE–220 CE), this volume's main focus. They make possible a deeper account of the growth of cities and of the spread of Chinese influence over distant areas. This book provides the first comprehensive survey of recent developments, evaluating the newly-found evidence in the light of earlier conclusions from China, Japan, Europe and America. Through cross-cultural comparisons and a close study of both the excavated and received literature, new conclusions are presented with respect to relatively understudied topics, such as gender, history of science, and modes of persuasion, while challenging the 'common wisdom' in such fields as Buddhism, Daoism and social history. Thus the volume provides a supplement to Volume 1 of The Cambridge History of China (1986) and shows how subsequent archaeology has enriched our perception of China's history in this period.

Introduction Michael Nylan and Michael Loewe: Part I. Archaeology: 1. Han Dynasty tomb structures and contents Susan N. Erickson
2. Two Eastern Han sites: Mixian and Houshiguo Michèle Pirazzoli t'Serstevens
3. Excavated manuscripts: context and methodology Enno Giele
4. The archaeology of the outlying lands Susan Erickson and Michael Nylan
5. Urbanism Michèle Pirazzoli t'Serstevens
6. The Eternal City and the City of Eternal Peace T. Corey Brennan and Hsing I-tien
Appendix: major sources for Chang'an
7. Imperial tombs Michael Loewe
Appendix: tombs of the Han emperors
8. Archaeology in China: a view from outside Anthony Snodgrass
Part II. Administration: 9. The laws of 186 BCE Michael Loewe
Appendix: legal documents
10. Administration of the family (Qihuai bisi) Michael Nylan
Appendix: on the sources
11. Social distinctions, groups and privileges Michael Loewe
12. The operation of the government Michael Loewe
Part III. Technical Arts: 13. Numbers, numeracy and the cosmos Christopher Cullen
Appendix: nine canons
14. Divination and astrology
received texts and excavated manuscripts Marc Kalinowski
Appendix 1. Writings related to divination
Appendix 2. Mantic practitioners
15. Manuscripts, received texts and the healing arts Li Jian and Vivienne Lo
Appendix: early evidence of the healing arts
16. Yin-yang, five phases and qi Michael Nylan
Appendix: correlative cosmology
17. Religious practices in Han Roel Sterckx
18. Religious change under Eastern Han and its successors
some current perspectives and problems T. H. Barrett
Appendix 1. Four problematic texts in the history of Daoism
Appendix 2. Post-Han extra-canonical sources
Part IV. Modes of Persuasion: 19. The techniques of persuasion and the rhetoric of disorder (Luan) Geoffrey Lloyd
20. Texts and authors in the Shiji Griet Vankeerberghen
21. Tropes of music and poetry: from Wudi (r. 141-87 BCE) to ca. 100 CE Martin Kern
22. The art of persuasion from 100 BCE to 100 CE Michael Nylan
23. Prose and authority 100-300 CE David Schaberg
24. Literary criticism and personal character in poetry ca. 100-300 CE Paul W. Kroll.

Subject Areas: Archaeology [HD], Social & cultural history [HBTB], Asian history [HBJF]