The history of Chinese civilization / general editors, Yuan Xingpei ... [et al.] ; English text edited by David R. Knechtges.

"Originally published by Peking University Press as History of Chinese civilization, 2006"--T.p. verso.

v. 1. Earliest times-221 B.C.E. / volume editor, Yan Wenming -- v. 2. Qin, Han, Wei, Jin, and the Northern and Southern dynasties / volume editor, Zhang Chuanxi -- v. 3. Sui and Tang to mid-Ming dynasties (581-1525) / volume editor Yuan Xingpei -- v. 4. Late Ming and Qing dynasties (1525-1911) / volume editor, Lou Yulie.

Contents
Color plau-s ami black ami white illnstratioiu<! ix
Notes on authors Arfii
Notes on tmniJaturx xv
Note on flie tranilation xvii
General Introduction to The History ofChinese Civilization i
yuan XINGPEI and DAVID KNECHTGES
Introduction to the English edition 31
MICHAEL PlIETT
Introduction to Volume I 39
VAN WEN MING
1•Geography 39
II •The ancientpeoples of China 44
III •Myth, legend, andhistory 53
IV •The first peakof Chinese civilization 66
I •The dawn of Chinese civilization 78
ZHAO HUI
1•The early economy 78
II •Social complexity and stratification 95
III • Different paths to civilization 109
IV •The emergence ofacharacteristically Chinese civilization 134
2•The beginnings of Chinese civilization 151
LIU xu
I•The founding of the Xia dynasty and the increasing importance of
the Central Plain 152 r
CtwU'iit.'i
II •Archeological explorations of Xia culture i66
III • Xia society and culturc 176
IV •Bronze culture in the surrounding areas 182
3•The flourishing ofcivilization in the Shang and Zhou uu
1•The establishment ofthe Shang and Zhou dynasties and the rise of
Hua-Xia civilization 192
ZHANG CHUANXI II •Shang and Zhou: the patriarchal clan system and related institutions 205
ZHANG CHUANXI III •The rites of Shang and Zhou and their archeological
manifestations 224
gao CHONGWUN IV •Political and social development and transformation during the Spring
and Autumn and Warring States periods 236
ZHANG CHUANXI
4• Brilliant bronze culture 261
I•The formation ofbronze culturc 261
SUN HUA
11 •Bronze industry 269
SUN HUA I" •Highly developed bronze culturc 287
SUN HUA IV •Handicraft industry 299
yan wenming
5•The application and production of iron 3,2
ZHAO HUaCHENG
"•Hxpandedr:r,rzm:i:n'g"i«m'p'flements and the d-evelopment
of agriculture 322
V• run and privaantde hhaannddiiccrraaffttss 33339.
T-hCe caapp,i..,a,„,.„,er.Sah„adngcoan„d.e.hreccci..„efs.Hofe.hSehnae„ig,h,„hdoH^Hng„s..a.es w
1 III Y It
"" 'i^velopment of Zhou capitals 359
c.ao CHONGWEN
VI
Cfntt'iiLi
III • Commercial metropolises and wealthy merchants 390
GAG CHONGWEN
IV •Currency and metrology in the Eastern Zhou states 398
GAO CHONGWEN
7 •The origins and earlydevelopmentof the Chinese script 413
I •The origins of Chinese characters 413
SHEN PEI
II •The important position occupied by the oracle boneinscriptions from
the Yin Ruins in the development of Chinese characters 427
SHEN PEI
III •The special functions of Chinese characters in recording
the Chinese language 436
ZHANG MENG
8 •Religion andbeliefin the Shang andZhou dynasties 443
WANG BO
I •Celestial divinities and ancestor worship 443
II • Milfoil divination and the Zhouyi 450
III •Astrology 460
IV • Wu (shaman or spirit medium) and astrologer 469
9 •The development of education and the flourishing of scholarship 477
I•Shiren (gentleman scholars) andthe rise of private education
and learning 477
WANG BO
II • Confucius and the Ruist school 484
WANG BO
III • Daoism 498
WANG BO
IV• Mohists, Logicians, and the Expertson Cosmology 511
WANG BO
V•Military specialists and military treatises 526
LI I.I NO
VI • Occult, technical, and medical arts 537
LI LING
VII • From the "Hundred Schools" to integration 546
WANG BO
Cuiilfnt.!
10 •The birth ofChinese literature and art 552
I • Prc-Qin prose 552
ri) CANG II •S/n jing (The Classic of Songs) and C/in ci (Verses of Chu) 561
l-U GANG
III •Sculpture, painting, and other crafts 582
I-tU VUG A I
IV • Music and dance 592
l-lu YUGAI
BiWiogrti;;;!)- 603
Index 631
V111