History of China: Sixteen Lectures - Fudan University's Premier Course

Author: Fan Shuzhi / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-04-01
Features: Without the deliberate promotion of the publisher or the hype of the media, and without the author being a carefully crafted "academic star" by CCTV's "Hundred Lectures Platform," this ordinary university textbook quickly became a bestseller upon its release. In the months following its publication, it consistently ranked among the top academic books on sales charts. What is the secret behind this success? Generally, for a book to be best-selling, it must be both "engaging" in its writing style and "worth reading" in terms of value and significance. The Sixteen Lectures on Chinese History achieves both of these. In this work that narrates the evolution of Chinese civilization, the author pays close attention to the selection of materials and historical facts, avoiding comprehensiveness but striving to delve deep into key issues, thereby showcasing the essence of various eras in Chinese history. The book incorporates a wealth of new research findings, particularly the fresh perspectives and viewpoints of overseas scholars, challenging many of our traditional historical perceptions in numerous places. Currently, most existing general histories of China often rely on outdated frameworks and incorporate little of the new academic research. This book serves as a window for general readers interested in Chinese culture and history to understand the latest developments in historical scholarship. —China Reading News [Excerpt:]
The late Tang Dynasty was plagued by instability. The Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions were the primary sources of fiscal revenue for the Tang court during this period. People of the time remarked, "The state's expenses entirely depend on Jiangnan." Excessive exploitation exacerbated social conflicts. The Qiu Fu uprising in eastern Zhejiang in 859 was a warning sign. Although the Pang Xun uprising broke out in Lingnan in 868, its roots lay in the Wein River (the eastern section of the Tongji Canal), which connected Luoyang to the wealthy Jianghuai region. The rebel forces cut off the dynasty's economic lifeline—the Jianghuai grain transport system—by advancing northward. Although the uprising failed, it marked the beginning of the Tang Dynasty's downfall. The New Book of Tang aptly stated: "The Tang fell to Huang Chao, but its troubles began in Guilin (referring to Pang Xun)." The most devastating blow to the Tang Dynasty undoubtedly came from the Wang Xianzhi and Huang Chao uprising in 875. Huang Chao's forces roamed the Central Plains, not only crossing the Yangtze River four times and the Yellow River twice but also capturing the Eastern Capital Luoyang and the Western Capital Chang'an. They violently dismantled the existing social order, leaving imperial relatives, high officials, and nobles devastated. The phrases "The streets of the capital were trampled bare of officials' bones" and "Golden mansions and red gates were half destroyed" vividly depict the chaos. The turmoil ended with Huang Chao's death, but the Tang Dynasty's rule collapsed irreparably. Amid the chaos, a large number of warlords emerged, vying for power. Their conflicts eventually led to the formation of two powerful factions: Zhu Wen, centered in Kaifeng, and Li Keyong, centered in Taiyuan. Zhu Wen was the key figure in the transition from the Tang to the Five Dynasties period. Born into humble circumstances, this Dangshan native, known by the diminutive Zhu San, lost his father at a young age and grew up poor, working as a housekeeper for the Liu family in Xiaoxian. According to Ouyang Xiu's New History of the Five Dynasties, this man was "brave and strong" and "especially fierce." Such a person naturally could not be content with a life of "housekeeping." After the Huang Chao uprising, he joined the rebel forces, rising from a soldier to a general. Later, seeing Huang Chao's cause fading, he defected to the Tang court and was appointed Deputy Commissioner of the Hedong Military Circuit, receiving the imperial name Zhu Quanzhong. Thereafter, he served as the Military Commissioner of Xuanwu, using Kaifeng as his base to conquer the warlords who controlled Xuzhou and Caizhou (Qin Zongquan), Yanzhou, Caozhou, and Puzhou (Zhu Xian), as well as Xuzhou and Sizhou (Shi Pu), becoming the most powerful warlord in Central China. Emperor Zhaozong of Tang desperately sought to restore the court's authority but had neither the will nor the power to do so. The emperor gave him the name "Quanzhong," hoping to leverage his strength, but unexpectedly, Emperor Zhaozong died at Zhu Wen's hands. In 907, Zhu Wen deposed the nominal Tang Emperor Aizong, declared himself emperor, changed the state name to Liang, and thus became the first emperor of the Five Dynasties period—the Tang Taizu. To match his imperial status, he changed his name once again.