Ancient Diplomacy
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Summary
Editor's review
From an editorial perspective, the book's standout value lies in balancing scholarship and readability. It draws extensively on classical texts and archaeological findings, with rigorous argumentation in plain language that avoids piling up overly abstruse terminology. For readers who wish to go beyond "stories of stratagem" and truly understand how ancient China handled foreign relations, this book offers a reliable cognitive map. It does not merely recount "what happened" but seeks to explain "why it happened thus" and "what far-reaching effects it produced." Its analysis of both the substantive and symbolic sides of the tributary system is especially helpful for stepping outside the black-and-white lens of the modern nation-state and viewing traditional East Asian international relations with a more inclusive, historical mindset.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- History enthusiasts interested in Sino-foreign exchange and Silk Road culture
- Students and teachers seeking to understand ancient Chinese history through international interaction rather than dynastic change alone
- Readers interested in traditional Chinese political wisdom and the building of cultural soft power
- Deep readers who seek concrete institutions and human detail within grand narratives
Not a good fit for
- Readers seeking sensational palace gossip or dramatized diplomatic stories
- Academic researchers expecting highly theoretical, purely international-relations-model analysis
Reading tips
- Read in chapter order to follow the continuity of historical development and the logic of institutional change
- Read alongside maps to gain an intuitive sense of the geography and routes of diplomatic activity
- While reading, consider the similarities, differences and connections between ancient diplomatic ideas and contemporary international practice
About the publisher
Founded in 1982, Modern Press is a Chinese publisher that serves general readers across a diverse range of subjects. Judging from its catalog, its publishing focuses on classical poetry, Eastern philosophy, psychological research and application, popular science, and modern poetry, along with history, biography, and children's books. The Book of Songs, the illustrated vernacular edition of the Classic of Mountains and Seas, The Complete Poems of Dai Wangshu, and Buddhism in the Vegetable Roots reflect efforts to make traditional culture and poetry accessible; works by Carl Gustav Jung such as The Development of Personality and Understanding Your Psychological Type, together with titles from the Ivy International Education Alliance, show sustained attention to psychology and educational reading; and Stephen Hawking's works and the illustrated two-volume Brief History of Everything and A Brief History of Time indicate a commitment to popular science. Its authors include figures such as Qu Wanli, Xu Ke, Dai Wangshu, and Jung, and its publishing emphasizes retelling classics and accessible, illustrated presentation. Because public information is limited, this summary is based only on the titles in our catalog.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 序言
- 上古时期——纵横捭阖
- 郑庄公灵活多变的外交
- 不畏强权的外交家晏婴
- 张仪的连横外交谋略
- 苏秦的合纵外交谋略
- 蔺相如外交智压秦昭王
- 范雎远交近攻外交战略
- 中古时期——始通世界
- 秦代陆通南北与开拓海疆
- 徐福东渡的皇家探险活动
- 汉代与亚洲国家的交往
- 张骞开通西域丝绸之路
- 诸葛亮联吴抗曹外交战略
- 隋朝与朝鲜和日本的交往
- 唐代对外经济与文化交流
- 近古时期——广交天下
- 五代十国时期的用间外交
- 吴越国与海外诸国的外交
- 宋朝政治外交与经济贸易
- 元代广阔区域的外交往来
- 近世时期——半开国门
- 明初万国来朝的外交盛景
- 清代的中外经济文化交流
FAQ
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About the author
Xiao Dongfa (1949–2016), whose ancestral home was Tianjin and who was born in Shenyang, was a professor and doctoral supervisor at the School of Journalism and Communication, Peking University, and director of its Institute of Modern Publishing. An important scholar in editing and publishing studies, he focused on the history of Chinese books, publishing history, and yearbook studies. He edited the History of Chinese Editing and Publishing and Chinese Libraries of Book Collecting, and led the National Social Science Fund key project A General History of Chinese Publishing, laying a solid foundation for the organization and narration of Chinese publishing history. Beyond academic writing, he attended to Peking University's institutional history and humanistic traditions, writing works such as Character: From the Imperial University to Old Peking University, Exemplars: Former Residences and Anecdotes of Peking University Notables, and Scenes: Yanyuan Landscapes and Cultural Heritage, which recount campus memories and personal stories with warmth. His works also touch on the four treasures of the study, garden architecture, and academic writing standards. Some 491 of his titles are held in the library, spanning language and culture, biography, and architecture, and combining scholarly rigor with accessible readability.
Wang Jinfeng is a compiler and editor of books. Public information about him is limited, and details such as his birth and death dates and education are not recorded. Judging from the 97 works held in the database, his editing covers a wide range of fields, including foreign literature, architecture, culture, history readings, documentary literature, and inspirational growth. He compiled Changcheng Zonglan: Gudai Haoda de Fangyu Gongcheng (An Overview of the Great Wall: The Massive Ancient Defense Project) and Xuanxian Ren Neng: Lidai Guanzhi yu Xuanba Zhidu (Selecting the Worthy and Capable: Official Systems and Selection Institutions Through the Dynasties) for the "Chinese Spiritual Homeland" series edited by Xiao Dongfa, and served as chief editor of popular science story series for young readers and legal education readers for the "Seventh Five-Year" law popularization campaign. His representative works also include Yaoguai Boshi: Shaonian Zhentan Tuan 02 (Dr. Monster: Young Detective Team 02), Suzhou Yuanlin (Suzhou Gardens), Diaojuan zhi Guang: Liangzhu Wenhua Yuqi (The Light of Carving: Liangzhu Culture Jades), and volumes of Sanshiliu Ji (Thirty-Six Stratagems), reflecting his sustained engagement in popularizing traditional culture, science education, and legal publicity.
