Cosmology and Political Culture in Early China (Cambridge Studies in Chinese History, Literature and Institutions) (Hardcover)

by Aihe Wang (Author) "Applying a structural analysis to ancient Chinese thought, both Angus Graham and Derk Bodde see the emergence of the Wuxing (Five Phases) system as the..." (more)
Key Phrases: royal ancestral line, western fang, episodic hegemonies, Dong Zhongshu, Warring States, Western Zhou (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"...an ambitious reexamination of the origins and development of Wuxing...it brilliantly clarifies this central component of traditional Chinese imperial statecraft as it was forged in the hands of Confucian ideologues throughout the duration of the Han dynasty." The Journal of Religion

"This is an excellent book, valuable for its deft use of previous scholarship to describe the interaction of politics and religion. Cosmology and Political Culture in Early China succeeds both as an attack on essentialism and as a description of relationships between political ideals and cosmologies in pre-imperial and early imperial times. It clearly conveys its central message that Chinese cosmology changed over time in conjunction with political changes...Wang provides the most elegant and accurate descriptions that have yet been offered in English of certain fundamental structures. For this reason alone this book should receive wide circulation." Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies

Product Description
This book offers a radical reinterpretation of the formative stages of Chinese culture and history, tracing the central role played by cosmology in the formation of China's early empires. It crosses the disciplines of history, social anthropology, archaeology, and philosophy to illustrate how cosmological systems, particularly the Five Elements, shaped political culture. By focusing on dynamic change in early cosmology, the book undermines the notion that Chinese cosmology was homogenous and unchanging. By arguing that cosmology was intrinsic to power relations, it also challenges prevailing theories of political and intellectual history.

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• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (May 8, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521624207
• ISBN-13: 978-0521624206
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
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• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,188,416 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)
  
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• In-Print Editions: Paperback (1) |  All Editions