New Explorations in Ancient History
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Summary
Editor's review
As an editor, I believe the book's core value lies in the words "new explorations." It is not content to list sources or restate earlier views but is problem-driven, using scientific historical methods to conduct deep "dissection." For example, its reinterpretation of the ji-tian field ritual and the grand hunting rite reveals the political mobilization, military training, and economic management functions behind these ceremonies, pulling ritual studies from the realm of classical scholarship back into the living historical scene. Reading this book, one deeply feels how a great historian sorts clues from complex materials, constructs logic, and advances original views; such intellectual training is more valuable than acquiring specific knowledge.
For non-specialist readers, the book poses certain challenges, but its scholarly depth and intellectual sharpness are compelling. It is not only a key to understanding pre-Qin history but also a model for learning rigorous scholarship and critical thinking. This edition from Shanghai People's Publishing House preserves the original scholarly character and is a fine work deserving careful study.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Advanced history enthusiasts with a strong interest in pre-Qin history and ancient Chinese social institutions
- Students and researchers in history, archaeology, philology, and related fields
- Readers who wish to learn classic historical textual research methods and models of academic writing
- Readers who enjoy deep reading and the interplay of logical reasoning and ideas
Not a good fit for
- General history readers seeking only light, narrative storytelling
- Beginners with no foundation in or background knowledge of ancient Chinese institutions and regulations
Reading tips
- It is suggested to read the book's "Preface" and table of contents first to understand its central questions and structural framework, then choose topics of interest for deeper study.
- Keep a notebook while reading to record Mr. Yang Kuan's chains of argument and core views, and try to understand his path of "refutation" and "establishment."
- For sections involving extensive ancient script and textual research, do not insist on understanding every word; focus on the main lines of argument and final conclusions, and appreciate the scholarly method.
About the publisher
Shanghai People's Publishing House is a comprehensive publisher whose list focuses on academic monographs and general-interest titles in philosophy, social sciences, politics and law, economics and management, and history. Among its books are Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties History in the Chinese Dynastic History series; The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy in foreign literature; the Wenjing Classical Translation Illustrated Edition of The Complete Greek Tragedies of Euripides; and works of social theory such as Max Weber's Economy and Society and Dialectic of Enlightenment: Philosophical Fragments. Its authors include Wang Zhongluo, J.R.R. Tolkien, Luo Niansheng, and Zhou Zuoren.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 出版说明
- 序言
- 论西周时代的农业生产
- 一 西周的农业生产工具
- 二 西周农田的垦耕
- 三 西周的农业生产技术
- 四 结语
- 关于西周农业生产工具和生产技术的讨论
- 一 关于西周的主要耕具
- 二 关于西周的农业生产技术
- 论中国古史分期问题讨论中的三种不同主张
- 一 关于西周封建领主制论
- 二 关于西周“古代东方型”奴隶制论
- 三 关于西周典型奴隶制论
- 四 关于中国奴隶制社会的特点
- 论西周时代的奴隶制生产关系
- 一 西周的奴隶有三类，数量相当大，主要来自掠夺和征服战争
- 二 西周的奴隶从事于农业、手工业和开发山泽等主要生产
- 三 保留有“村社”残余形态的“井田”单位
- 四 结语
- 附录一 释“臣”和“鬲”
- 附录二 “人鬲”、“讯”、“臣”是否即是奴隶？
- 试论中国古代的井田制度和村社组织
- 一 论井田制是古代村社的土地制度
- 二 论井田制的实行地区
- 三 论井田制中的定期平均分配份地制度
- 四 论井田制基础上的古代村社组织
- 五 论古代村社的公共生活
- 六 结语
- 试论西周春秋间的乡遂制度和社会结构
- 一 《周礼》中的乡遂制度
- 二 春秋时代各国的乡遂制度
- 三 西周时代的“六□”、“八□”和乡遂制度的关系
- 四 乡遂制度和社会结构
- 试论西周春秋间的宗法制度和贵族组织
- 一 宗庙制度
- 二 族墓制度
- 三 姓氏、名字制度
- 四 族外婚制和贵族的等级内婚制
- 五 嫡长子继承制
- 六 族长主管制
- 七 家臣制度
- 八 宗法制度下贵族的各种相互关系
- 我国古代大学的特点及其起源
- 一 我国最早的小学和大学
- 二 西周时代大学（辟雍）的特点
- 三 大学（辟雍）的起源
- 四 教师称“师”的来历
- “籍礼”新探
- 一 “籍礼”的具体礼节及其性质
- 二 “籍田”和“籍礼”的来历
- 三 “籍”、“租”、“助”的变化
- 四 结语
- “冠礼”新探
- 一 “冠礼”的起源及其作用
- 二 “字”的来源及其意义
- 三 三次加冠弁的意义
- 四 结语
- “大蒐礼”新探
- 一 “大蒐礼”原为借用田猎来进行的军事检阅和军事演习
- 二 “大蒐礼”具有“国人”（公民）大会的性质，是当时推行政策、加强统治、准备战争的重要手段
- “乡饮酒礼”与“飨礼”新探
- 一 “乡饮酒礼”的特点
- 二 “乡饮酒礼”的起源及其作用
- 三 “飨礼”为高级的“乡饮酒礼”
- 四 由“乡饮酒礼”和“飨礼”推论“礼”的起源和“礼”这个名称的来历
- “射礼”新探
- 一 “乡射礼”具有军事教练的性质
- 二 “大射仪”为高级的“乡射礼”
- 三 “射礼”起源于借田猎来进行的军事训练
- 四 “射礼”具有选拔人才的目的
- 附录 关于射“不来侯”或“不宁侯”问题
- “贽见礼”新探
- 一 “贽见礼”的特点
- 二 “贽见礼”的源流
- 三 “贽”的作用与“命圭”制度
- 四 “贽”的授受仪式的作用与“委质为臣”制度
FAQ
How does this book differ from Mr. Yang Kuan's Western Zhou History and Warring States History?
Are the views in the book outdated today?
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About the author
Yang Kuan (1914–2005), courtesy name Kuanzheng, was a native of Qingpu, Jiangsu (now Qingpu, Shanghai), and a renowned expert in pre-Qin history. He served as director of the Shanghai Museum, professor in the Department of History at Fudan University, and deputy director of the Institute of History at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, and was one of the pioneers of China's museum cause. A rigorous scholar, Yang devoted himself to the history of the pre-Qin period and the history of ancient technology. His representative works include History of the Warring States, History of the Western Zhou, and An Introduction to Ancient Chinese History. His writings combine close textual criticism with archaeological findings and are noted for their clarity and solidity, exerting an important influence on dynastic and thematic history. This library holds 19 of his works, covering pre-Qin history, Western Zhou history, Warring States history, and the history of ancient Chinese iron smelting, along with several collected editions. In 2018 he was selected among the first group of "Shanghai Masters of Social Sciences."
