Art, Myth and Ritual: The Path to Political Authority in Ancient China [Paperback]

K. C. Chang (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Harvard University Press (October 15, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0674048083
• ISBN-13: 978-0674048089
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #490,843 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Art, Ideology and the Ancient Chinese State, June 8, 2000

By 

Christopher Fung (honolulu) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Art, Myth and Ritual: The Path to Political Authority in Ancient China (Paperback)

Art Myth and Ritual sets out an elegant yet convincing theory regarding the nature of the early Chinese state and the technological, ideological and social foundations on which it rested. By combining archaeology, classical studies and anthropology, Prof. Chang (who is regarded as the international dean of Chinese archaeology by scholars on both sides of the Taiwan strait as well as in Europe and North America) provides his readers with a dynamic view of ancient Chinese statecraft and the religious ideas that made it possible.

This book remains the single most concise statement of Chang's theoretical contribution to the archaeology of the Chinese Bronze Age. It is also simply written, well-illustrated and an excellent beginning point for the serious student of Chinese archaeology.

With Chang's magnum opus: "The Archaeology of Ancient China" sadly out of print (at time of writing), readers must make do with this volume to get a sense of his scope of vision, analytical depth and anthropological insight.

As one of K.C.s final generation of students, I must admit to a certain bias. However, it is my professional and personal opinion that this book is still one of the best works on Chinese archaeology in any language.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of a kind, March 14, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Art, Myth and Ritual: The Path to Political Authority in Ancient China (Paperback)

This is the most succinct statement of the late K.C. Chang's views of early Chinese civilization. Many of his opinions are controversial--for example, his view of shamanism in ancient China and his interpretation of the characteristic decorations on bronze vessels--but they are creative, original, and have influenced an entire generation of historians. Once you read his brief and incisive discussion of the resources necessary to produce a bronze vessel, from mining the ore to casting the piece, your appreciation of these artifacts will never be the same again. This kind of book is rare and admirable: concise, well written, and brimming with provocative ideas.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must-have book for students of early Chinese history, November 28, 2008

By 

Patricia Welch "Patricia Bjaaland Welch" (Singapore) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Art, Myth and Ritual: The Path to Political Authority in Ancient China (Paperback)

Other reviews will have discussed the content of this classic volume, so let me address the question I often find myself asking when deciding whether or not to purchase a book: Is this book a keeper? Is it enough to borrow it from a library and read it, or will I want to own it? (Confession: I am very keen on Chinese history.) Let me answer that question for you here:

If you are a serious student of Chinese history and culture, you must own, not just read, this book. Its cross-disciplinary perspective makes it a book you will find yourself returning to on a regular basis as your own knowledge and understanding of Chinese history and culture grows. Passages once oblique or of little interest to you previously, will suddenly become the glue of new associations and insights. You will also want to underline, make margin notations in, and add your own notes, even if you don't usually mark up books. I was on my way to the library to take out this book for a third time when I realized, this is a keeper.