The Emperor's Secret - A Psychological Biography of Seven Chinese Emperors

Author: Zhao Liang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-08-01
Features: This is a powerful work in the field of psychological biographies of emperors in China, crafted with psychoanalytic theory and the methods of psychohistory. Promoted vigorously by CCTV-10's "Lecture Hall." This book is precisely a lyrical prose-style psychological biography. The term "lyrical" indicates that whether I am discussing someone or something, I am expressing personal perspectives. I have always held the belief that a unique individual, even when drafting a document, possesses a distinctive flavor in their words; conversely, a victim of mainstream social taste, no matter what genre they choose, will not express anything personal. Their feelings are universal, and their ideas are popular, so in my view, their works do not qualify as lyrical prose. I have aspired to be an author of lyrical prose and measure my achievements by this standard. This book is an attempt at lyrical prose writing on my part. The writing of this book draws on certain methods of psychohistory. Psychohistory is a historiographical school that emerged in the 1960s in the West, aiming to apply various psychological theories, particularly Freudian psychoanalytic theory and methods, to explain historical processes, phenomena, and the actions of historical figures. In the 1970s, psychohistorical research reached its peak, with a large number of works being published, among which notable are biographical studies of historical figures such as Erikson on Luther and Gandhi, Frank Manuel on Newton, Doris Kearns on Johnson, Peter Loewenberg on Heinrich Himmler, Otto Francis on Bismarck, and analyses of Hitler by many others. Some also studied contemporary significant figures like Mao Zedong, Richard Nixon, and Henry Kissinger. This book conducts a scholarly psychoanalytic exploration of the psychological worlds of seven Chinese emperors—Qin Shi Huang, Liu Bang, Wu Zetian, Li Yu, Zhu Yuanzhang, Guangxu, and Puyi. It projects certain conceptual assumptions from psychology onto specific subjects, establishes their personality types, reveals the hidden causes of their psychological disorders, and analyzes the "id" of the seven emperors. —From Southern Weekly·Smelling the Fragrance of Books
This book comprehensively records and analyzes the process of the emergence of the "Han Han phenomenon" and the underlying deep social factors it embodies. It focuses on discussions from various social strata about Han Han's personality, his own limitations, and the flaws of China's current education system.