Discovered another China - A historical examination of the underworld, the court, and the fate of the people

Author: Wang Xuetai
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-05-01
Features: This book is a selection of the author's scattered writings over the years, edited into three parts:
Palace: Intellectuals in the Game of Imperial Power
This section primarily discusses the relationship between the emperor (imperial power) and scholars. Under the shadow of imperial power, certain wisdom of Chinese intellectuals has been intentionally or unintentionally overlooked. In fact, early Confucianism spoke of the "revolution of Tang and Wu," the "acceptance of mandate and the execution of killers," and even fantasized about unifying the will of the people with the Mandate of Heaven. This was something that Dong Zhongshu, Cheng and Zhu, and others dared not imagine. However, mechanisms to prevent and limit imperial power ultimately failed to develop. With the unification of political authority (zhìtǒng) and moral authority (dàotǒng), traditional Chinese politics sank into a deeper despair, until the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China that a sliver of hope emerged. Qing Dynasty scholars gradually declined, losing their former grandeur, as people said, "Neo-Confucian scholars were fond of beauty, while Han scholars were greedy for wealth."
Jianghu: Survival, Struggle, and Ideals in the Hidden Society
This section can be seen as a supplement to the book Nomad Culture and Chinese Society. Nomads aspired to be like Wei Xiaobao— surrounded by beautiful wives, wealth without end, and the dignity of an emperor. That was their dream; struggling in the Jianghu, wandering through valleys and ditches, that was reality. Of course, there were also those who rebelled. In Chinese history, peasant uprisings and wars were mostly led by nomads.
The Fate of the People: A Tradition of Disregarding Human Life
Cherishing life is a theme of modern society, but in the long course of history, the lives of the people were valued no more than ants. Confucianism speaks of "benevolence" (rén), "gentleness, kindness, politeness, frugality, and humility," and has theories of cherishing life. Yet, what people experienced were tyrannical rule and brutal punishments. Tyranny and cruelty bred tyrants, creating a relay of violence and a cycle of history. Thus came the alternation of order and chaos, the inevitable division and reunification. To break out of this vicious cycle, we must reflect deeply on culture and institutions.
This book is a selection of the author's scattered writings over the years, divided into three parts: Palace: Intellectuals in the Game of Imperial Power, Jianghu: Survival, Struggle, and Ideals in the Hidden Society, and The Fate of the People: A Tradition of Disregarding Human Life.