The Marquis of Haihun (Two Volumes)

Xin DeyongSDX Joint Publishing Company · ChinaJun 2025

Rating 4.2

Word count: 216K words
Chapters: 79

Summary

This volume comprises two works, Liu He, Marquis of Haihun and New Studies on the Marquis of Haihun. The Western Han tomb of the Marquis of Haihun in Nanchang, Jiangxi—one of China's top ten archaeological discoveries of 2015—yielded a wealth of exquisite burial goods that drew widespread admiration, while the remarkable life of its occupant, Liu He, has long been a subject of fascination. This book is the first scholarly monograph devoted to the Marquis of Haihun and his era. Drawing on the documentary record of Liu He's life and combining it with excavated artifacts, the author offers a detailed account of major historical events from the late reign of Emperor Wu to the reign of Emperor Xuan; by analyzing Liu He's experiences and conduct, he illuminates the man's living environment and character, arguing that Liu He's dramatic life was shaped both by his times and by his own temperament.

Editor's review

Xin Deyong is known for his command of historical geography and textual criticism. Here he sets transmitted texts against the archaeological material from the Marquis of Haihun tomb, reexamining Liu He's brief political career—from accession to deposition—within the power structure of the period from the late reign of Emperor Wu to the reign of Emperor Xuan. The two volumes have distinct emphases: one reconstructs Liu He's life and its historical setting, the other pursues focused discussions of specific problems, so that general survey and specialized study complement each other. The value lies not in sensational retelling of tomb treasures but in demonstrating how material evidence and texts can correct the biases of the historical record, and in alerting readers to the complexity of the political contest between the Changyi King's faction and Huo Guang. The prose carries strong personal judgments, and the argumentation shows its workings; it suits readers willing to follow the author's reasoning and weigh the evidence. Reading it alongside the relevant chapters of the Han Shu deepens one's appreciation of the method.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers of cultural history interested in the political and institutional history of the mid-to-late Western Han
History students concerned with methods of corroborating archaeology and texts
Readers seeking a scholarly treatment of the Marquis of Haihun tomb rather than sensational coverage
Readers who enjoy scholarly works with a distinct authorial voice and visible lines of argument

Not a good fit for

Readers who want only a catalog of tomb objects and excavation photographs
Readers expecting light popular history and unwilling to engage with textual analysis
Readers hostile to the author's personal views and seeking only settled conclusions

Reading tips

Read Liu He, Marquis of Haihun first to establish the overall framework, then turn to the specialized discussions in New Studies on the Marquis of Haihun
Keep the relevant passages of the Han Shu (Biographies of Huo Guang and of the Five Sons of Emperor Wu) at hand for comparison
Mark the author's key inferences and, after finishing, review whether the chain of evidence holds
Leave some time between the two volumes to better distinguish general survey from specialized study

About the publisher

SDX Joint Publishing Company China · Founded in 1932

SDX Joint Publishing Company is a publisher known for its humanities and social science titles, covering classics, culture, history, social fiction and politics. Its catalogue of 826 books includes Chinese and foreign literary classics such as The Scholars, Camel Xiangzi and Selected Short Stories of Chekhov, scholarly works such as Studies of Chinese Cave Temples, A Study of the Tuoba History (Revised Edition) and The Nine-Rank System: A Prehistory of the Imperial Examination, and translations such as Red Star Over China and Notes from the House of the Dead. Its authors include renowned Chinese and foreign writers such as Wu Jingzi, Lao She, Su Bai and Chekhov, as well as scholars and translators such as Chen Xiaoming, Wang Benhua, Guo Changbao and Zhu Xiansheng. Its publishing character lies in balancing the popularisation of classics with academic depth, with attention to textual quality and the transmission of knowledge.

版权信息
海昏侯新论
自序
刘贺与西汉中期的宫廷政治
一
二
三
四
五
六
说“大刘”
刘贺是哪一天受封为海昏侯的？
海昏侯刘贺得的是什么病？
羹颉侯、东昏家与海昏侯爵号
一羹颉侯与海昏侯
二东昏家与海昏侯
彭蠡泽畔的落日斜晖——海昏县名释义
一为什么要谈这一问题
二 “海昏”其地与相关地域的方位关系
三 “昏”与西南方位
海昏侯墓园与西汉长安城平面布局形态
一西汉长安的宫城
二海昏侯墓园
三西汉帝王的陵园
四回看长安城的平面布局形态
五长安城诸门名称
六重论长安城的北郭
由刘充国印的发现再谈海昏侯墓园布局的方位观念
一海昏侯墓园与祔葬者的身份
二张安世墓园与刘贺墓园
海昏侯刘贺的墓室里为什么会有《齐论·知道》以及这一《齐论》写本的文献学价值
所谓“马蹄金”的名称与战国秦汉间金币形制的演变
一正确的名称“褭蹏金”以及这一称谓所体现的历史意义
二西汉灭亡后所见麟趾金和褭蹏金
三战国秦汉间圆形金币的类型划分
四西汉金饼的历史渊源
五圆形金饼的辅币和变形
六前人对麟趾金和褭蹏金的认识与海昏侯墓室新发现的历史研究价值
海昏侯刘贺
引言：一座古墓引发的关注
第一章刘贺的家世
一倾城倾国的祖母
二生父昌邑哀王
三武帝宠妃王夫人
四李夫人的嘱托
第二章太子据的反叛
一卫子夫封后和她的失宠
二论证“巫蛊之祸”的前提
三太子起事
四江充之奸
五汉武帝的“感悟”
六朝廷定性
第三章霍光的专擅
一大位旁的老昌邑王
二武帝临终安排
三大司马大将军
第四章二十七天的皇帝
一权臣的选择
二转瞬即废的帝位
三政变大戏
第五章宣帝登基与亲政
一又选来一个皇帝
二未央宫的真天子
三改元与改运
四光复圣刘炎汉
第六章由废皇帝到海昏侯
一故宫里的囚徒
二受封列侯
三豫章郡海昏县
四南藩海昏侯
第七章带走的财富
一天下之中
二午道上的安阳
三昌邑其地与楚汉胜负
余论——盖棺论定于青史
附录
附录1 刘贺年表
附录2 刘贺世系略图
附录3 改订西汉新莽纪年表

FAQ

What is the relationship between the two volumes, and should they be read in order?

One volume is an overall account of Liu He's life and times; the other is a set of specialized studies on specific questions. It is best to read the general volume first to build a timeline and a basic map of relationships, then the specialized one; otherwise one may lose one's bearings in detailed argument.

Can I understand it without a background in archaeology?

Yes. The excavated material is cited in service of historical discussion and does not require technical archaeological knowledge. Some general knowledge of Han history helps; when encountering unfamiliar institutions or figures, consulting the relevant chapters of the Han Shu will keep you on track.

Do the views in the book represent settled scholarly consensus?

The book contains the author's personal judgments and inferences; it is one interpretation within scholarship, not settled opinion throughout. Readers may treat it as a well-grounded line of analysis while remaining alert to other scholars' differing views, rather than taking a single argument as the only conclusion.

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About the author

Xin Deyong Author · Chinese · 1959

Xin Deyong, born in 1959, is a Chinese scholar of historical geography and historical bibliography. He is a professor and doctoral supervisor at the Center for Research on Ancient Chinese History at Peking University, and president of the Historical Geography Research Society of the Chinese Historical Society. His research centers on Chinese historical geography and historical bibliography, with related interests in the history of geography and the history of cartography. In his writing, he attends closely to textual and bibliographical detail while also turning specialized research into historical narratives for general readers. Twelve of his works are included here, ranging from textual studies such as Tan on Editions of the Tongjian, Tan on Editions of the Dynastic Histories, and Studies in the History of Chinese Printing to historical works such as Haihunhou, The Life and Death of Qin Shi Huang, and Tang: A Golden Age of Chinese History, as well as a collection of essays, Following My Heart, on rare and common books. Spanning history, language and culture, and social science, these works show a combination of solid scholarship and fluent expression, and have won him a readership among both specialists and history enthusiasts.