Transforming Universe: Chinese Stories from 763 to 960 AD

Author: Jin Erwen Guo Jian
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-02-01
Features: In the late Tang Dynasty, due to the intensification of social contradictions, the rebellion led by Wang Xianzhi and Huang Chao eventually broke out. Although the nine-year-long peasant revolution was suppressed, the Tang Dynasty was also on the brink of disintegration. To counter the eunuchs, the court invited Zhu Quanzhong, the military governor of the, to lead troops into Chang'an. Zhu Quanzhong first killed the eunuchs and then the court officials, forcing Emperor Aizong to abdicate in his favor. The 290-year-old Tang Dynasty was finally replaced by Later Liang. In 907, Zhu Quanzhong established the Later Liang regime, marking the beginning of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period in Central China (Later Liang, Later Tang, Jin, Han, and Zhou) and the division of ten regimes in Western Sichuan, Jiangnan, Lingnan, and Hedong. The Five Dynasties underwent frequent transitions and wars, but it was also a gradual process of unification through conflict. Both Later Liang and Later Tang waged wars against the former military governors, successively unifying the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River. Shi Jingtang, the military governor of Hedong under Later Tang, submitted to the Khitan ruler and even called him his father, paying the price of the sixteen prefectures of You and Jiyin in exchange for support. He was then enthroned as the ruler of Later Zhou. His nephew Shi Zhonggui, however, was deemed disrespectful and was conquered by, who established the Liao Dynasty. Liu Zhiyuan took control of Taiyuan and declared himself emperor, founding Later Han. In 951, Guo Wei declared himself emperor, establishing Later Zhou, and implemented a series of reforms in politics, economy, and military to gradually restore the devastated northern region. His adopted son Chai Rong succeeded him and defeated Later Shu, personally led campaigns against Southern Tang, and expanded his territory to include areas in Lingnan and Jiangbei. He also launched another attack on Liao, recapturing the three prefectures of Mo, Ying, and Yi. Among the Ten Kingdoms, Northern Han ruled over Hedong, a poor and barren region. At the time of its fall, it had only 30,000 households, about one-eighth of the population during the prosperous Tang Dynasty. The remaining nine kingdoms were located in the south, experiencing fewer major battles and relatively stable politics. Both Former and Later Shu focused on water conservancy and extensive agricultural development. Wu, Southern Tang, and Wu-Yue, located in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, reclaimed vast amounts of wasteland. The coastal areas of Zhejiang were fortified with stone embankments to protect against tidal surges, making Qiantang one of the wealthiest regions in Southeast. The Wang family ruled over Min, maintaining peace and prosperity, encouraging agriculture and silk production, and promoting overseas trade, which significantly boosted Fujian's economy. Ma Yin, during his rule in Hunan, developed the central and western regions, leading to a significant increase in food production. The area of Southern Han in Lingnan experienced fifty years of peace. By the time the Northern Song Dynasty unified China, there were about one million households in North China, while the south already had 2.3 million. In 960, Chai Rong died. The following year, Zhao Kuangyin replaced Later Zhou, establishing the Northern Song Dynasty.
The Story of China is an encyclopedic history of China that combines narrative reading, exquisite image appreciation, and convenient search functions. It contains countless captivating scenes from Chinese history, woven together to form the splendid 5,000-year civilization of the Chinese nation. Just as exploring famous mountains and rivers requires guides and maps, the illustrated guides provided here will enable readers to fully immerse themselves in the beauty of China's history and linger in its wonders. The layout of the entire book fully reflects its narrative-based text, emphasizing the dense knowledge, integration of text and images, and user-friendly search functions, allowing readers to feel the charm of history and the ingenuity of its compilation on every page.
To better understand and apply the stories in real-life learning, the book includes three key elements for readers: story introductions, section titles, and story numbering. The story introductions summarize the essence of each story, while the section titles and introductions help readers grasp the core ideas in a relaxed and efficient manner. Story numbering is linked to the search system. Each story contains essential elements such as the core content (story kernel), characters, and anecdotes. The book extracts these three elements, labels them at the top of each story (along with the source), and compiles them into an index at the end. The story numbering is connected to the three indexes at the back of the book: "Characters," "Anecdotes," and "Keywords." The extensive and practical information in the indexes is a major feature of the book. With dense information, it compensates for the limitations of the narrative, achieving a harmonious balance between the emotional impact of stories and the rational summary of historical knowledge. It allows readers to see both the trees and the forest, enjoying the aesthetic pleasure of stories while discovering the wisdom of history.
Columns such as "Major Events in Chinese History," "Major Events in World History," "Cultural and Historical Encyclopedia," "Historical Examination," and picture captions are carefully selected knowledge blocks, both the essence of historical knowledge and a vivid representation of "living history," reflecting the social life and daily routines of ordinary people at the time. Complementing this are the convenient "Chinese Cultural and Historical Encyclopedia" search functions. The images cover a wide range, deeply recreating historical realities with delicate and unique visual effects, vividly showcasing the development and changes in various aspects of social life in each historical period. Through the vivid "stories behind the pictures," readers can appreciate the profound content they contain, making them a complete holographic image of cultural and historical knowledge.