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New History Of The Five Dynasties
The ''Historical Records of the Five Dynasties'' (''Wudai Shiji'') is a Chinese history book on the Five Dynasties period (907–960), written by the Song dynasty official Ouyang Xiu in private. It was drafted during Ouyang's exile from 1036 to 1039 but not published until 1073, a year after his death. An abridged English translation by Richard L. Davis was published in 2004. One of the official Twenty-Four Histories of China, the book is frequently referred to as the ''New History of the Five Dynasties'' (''Xin Wudai Shi'') in order to distinguish it from the ''Old History of the Five Dynasties'' which was published in 974. Though both books follow a similar format, Ouyang's book is more concise and markedly more analytical. Contents ''New History of the Five Dynasties'' covers the Later Liang, Later Tang, Later Jin, Later Han, and Later Zhou dynasties. The book consists of 74 chapters total. It includes biographies, annuals, case studies, family histories, genealogies, an ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ouyang Xiu
Ouyang Xiu (; 1007 – 1072 CE), courtesy name Yongshu, also known by his art names Zuiweng () and Liu Yi Jushi (), was a Chinese historian, calligrapher, epigrapher, essayist, poet, and politician of the Song dynasty. He was a renowned writer among his contemporaries and is considered the central figure of the Eight Masters of the Tang and Song. He revived the Classical Prose Movement (first begun by the two Tang dynasty masters two centuries before him) and promoted it in imperial examinations, paving the way for future masters like Su Shi and Su Zhe. Ouyang Xiu's interests as a writer were remarkably diverse. As a historian, he was put in charge by Emperor Renzong of Song of creating the ''New Book of Tang'', which was completed in 1060 CE. He also wrote in his spare time the ''Historical Records of the Five Dynasties'', the only book in the Twenty-Four Histories to have been written in private by a single author. As a poet, he was a noted writer of both the '' cí'' and ''shi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eunuch
A eunuch ( ) is a male who has been castrated. Throughout history, castration often served a specific social function. The earliest records for intentional castration to produce eunuchs are from the Sumerian city of Lagash in the 2nd millennium BCE. Over the millennia since, they have performed a wide variety of functions in many different cultures: courtiers or equivalent domestics, for espionage or clandestine operations, castrato singers, concubines, or sexual partners, religious specialists, soldiers, royal guards, government officials, and guardians of women or harem servants. Eunuchs would usually be servants or slaves who had been castrated to make them less threatening servants of a royal court where physical access to the ruler could wield great influence. Seemingly lowly domestic functions—such as making the ruler's bed, bathing him, cutting his hair, carrying him in his litter, or even relaying messages—could, in theory, give a eunuch "the ruler's ear" and impa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Qing Dynasty
The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speaking ethnic group who unified other Jurchen tribes to form a new "Manchu" ethnic identity. The dynasty was officially proclaimed in 1636 in Manchuria (modern-day Northeast China and Outer Manchuria). It seized control of Beijing in 1644, then later expanded its rule over the whole of China proper and Taiwan, and finally expanded into Inner Asia. The dynasty lasted until 1912 when it was overthrown in the Xinhai Revolution. In orthodox Chinese historiography, the Qing dynasty was preceded by the Ming dynasty and succeeded by the Republic of China. The multiethnic Qing dynasty lasted for almost three centuries and assembled the territorial base for modern China. It was the largest imperial dynasty in the history of China and in 1790 the f ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wu Zhen (historian)
Wu Zhen ( 11th century), courtesy name Tingzhen, was a Song dynasty historian from Chengdu who wrote 2 books enumerating mistakes found in ''New Book of Tang'' and ''Historical Records of the Five Dynasties'', both history books by Ouyang Xiu (Ouyang had several co-authors with ''New Book of Tang''). As pointed out in the 18th-century '' Siku Quanshu'', Wu Zhen was "inclined to criticise for the sake of criticism". Works Although he apparently wrote other works (including a monograph on the Five Dynasties period Later Liang dynasty), Wu Zhen's only 2 surviving books are: *''Xin Tang Shu Jiumiu'' (新唐書紏謬; "Correcting Mistakes in the ''New Book of Tang''"), published in 1089, in 20 chapters. It enumerated 400 mistakes of the ''New Book of Tang''. *''Wudai Shiji Zuanwu'' (五代史記纂誤; "Compendium of Errors in the ''Historical Records of the Five Dynasties''"), published 1090, in 3 chapters, later lost but partly recovered in the 18th century. It enumerated 200 mist ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hua–Yi Distinction
The distinction between ''Huá'' and ''Yí'' ( zh, t=, p=Huá Yí zhī biàn), also known as Sino–barbarian dichotomy, is a historical Chinese concept that differentiated a culturally defined "China" (called Huá, Huaxia , or Xià ) from cultural or ethnic outsiders ( Yí, conventionally "barbarians"). Although Yí is often translated as "barbarian", other translations of this term in English include "foreigners", "ordinary others" "wild tribes", and "uncivilized tribes". The Hua–Yi distinction asserted Chinese superiority, but implied that outsiders could become ''Hua'' by adopting Chinese values and customs. These concepts were not unique to the Chinese, but were also applied by the Vietnamese, Japanese and Koreans who all considered themselves at one point in history to be " Middle Kingdom" (''Zhongguo'') instead of China. Historical context Ancient China was composed of a group of states that arose in the Yellow River valley. According to historian Li Feng, during the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Northern Han
The Northern Han () was a dynastic state of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. It was founded by Liu Min (), formerly known as Liu Chong (), and lasted from 951 to 979. Founding of the Northern Han The short-lived state of Later Han fell in 950 because of Guo Wei, a powerful military governor's ''de facto'' coup. Liu Min founded the Northern Han Kingdom, sometimes referred to as the Eastern Han, in 951 claiming that he was the legitimate heir to the imperial throne of Later Han. Liu Min immediately restored the traditional relationship with the Khitans, who had founded the Liao dynasty. Sources conflict as to the origin of the Later Han and Northern Han emperors; some indicate sinicized Shatuo ancestry while some traditional historical sources claims that the emperors claimed patrilineal Han Chinese ancestry. Territorial extent The Northern Han was a small kingdom located in Shanxi with its capital located at Taiyuan. Shanxi had been a traditional base of p ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jingnan
Jingnan (), also known as Nanping (南平; alternatively written as Southern Ping) and Northern Chu () in historiography, was one of the Ten Kingdoms in south-central China created in 924, marking the beginning of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period (907–960). Founding Gao Jichang, also known as Gao Jixing (), was appointed the regional military governor of Jiangling in 907 by the Later Liang, which took over northern China in the wake of the Tang Dynasty. He declared the foundation of the Kingdom of Jingnan (or Nanping) in 924 after the Later Liang fell to the Later Tang. Territorial Extent Jingnan was the smallest of the longer-lived southern kingdoms. Its capital was Jiangling, and in addition to the capital, it held two neighboring districts on the Yangtze River southwest of present-day Wuhan. In addition to bordering the succession of five dynasties beginning with the Later Tang, it also shared borders with the Chu kingdom to the south, though that was replace ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Min (Ten Kingdoms)
Min () was one of the Ten Kingdoms which was in existence between the years of 909 and 945. It existed in a mountainous region of modern-day Fujian province of China and had a history of quasi-independent rule. Its capital was Fuzhou. It was founded by Wang Shenzhi. Founding Wang Shenzhi’s older brother Wang Chao was given the title of Surveillance Commissioner in 892. Wang Shenzhi himself was named military commissioner, and in 909, in the wake of the collapse of the Tang Dynasty two years earlier, named himself the Prince of Min. Wang Shenzhi’s son declared himself the Emperor of Min in 933. At that point, his father was posthumously named Min Taizu. Etymology of "Min" The early Chinese exonym () was a graphic pejorative written with Radical 142 , the "insect" or "reptile" radical. Xu Shen's (c. 121 CE) ''Shuowen Jiezi'' dictionary defines ''min'' as: Quotation translated from Chinese ("") "Southeastern Yue .e., Viet snake race. he character is formedfrom heinsec ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wuyue
Wuyue (; ), 907–978, was an independent coastal kingdom founded during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period (907–960) of Chinese history. It was ruled by the Haiyan Qian clan (海盐钱氏), whose family name remains widespread in the kingdom's former territory. Founding Beginning in 887, the Qian family provided military leaders (or ''jiedushi'') to the Tang dynasty. Qian Liu was named Prince of Yue in 902, with the title of Prince of Wu added two years later. In 907, when the Tang dynasty fell and was replaced in the north by the Later Liang, military leaders in the south formed their own kingdoms. Qian Liu used his position to proclaim himself the King of Wuyue. This signaled the beginning of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period which would last until the founding of the Song dynasty in 960. Origin of name The name Wuyue comes from the combination of Wu Kingdom and Yue Kingdom, two ancient kingdoms during the Spring and Autumn period from 770 to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chu (Ten Kingdoms)
Chu (), known in historiography as Ma Chu () or Southern Chu (), was a dynastic state of China that existed from 907 to 951. It is listed as one of the Ten Kingdoms during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period of Chinese history. Founding Ma Yin was named regional governor by the Tang court in 896 after fighting against a rebel named Yang Xingmi. He declared himself as the Prince of Chu with the fall of the Tang Dynasty in 907. Ma's position as Prince of Chu was confirmed by the Later Tang in the north in 927 and was given the posthumous title of King Wumu of Chu. Territories The capital of the Chu Kingdom was Changsha ( Tanzhou).''New History of the Five Dynasties'', vol. 66 . Present-day Hunan and northeastern Guangxi were under the control of the kingdom. Economy Chu was peaceful and prosperous under Ma Yin's rule, exporting horses, silk and tea. Silk and lead coinage were often used as currency, particularly with external communities which would not accept other coinag ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Southern Han
Southern Han (; 917–971), officially Han (), originally Yue (), was one of the ten kingdoms that existed during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. It was located on China's southern coast, controlling modern Guangdong and Guangxi. The kingdom greatly expanded its capital Xingwang Fu (, present-day Guangzhou). It attempted but failed to annex the independent polity of Jinghai which was controlled by the Vietnamese. Founding of the Southern Han Liu Yin was named regional governor and military officer by the Tang court in 905. Though the Tang fell two years later, Liu did not declare himself the founder of a new kingdom as other southern leaders had done. He merely inherited the title of Prince of Nanping in 909. It was not until Liu Yin's death in 917 that his brother, Liu Yan, declared the founding of a new kingdom, which he initially called "Yue" (); he changed the name to Han () in 918. This was because his surname Liu () was the imperial surname of the Han dyn ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Later Shu
Shu (referred to as Later Shu () to differentiate it from Former Shu, other states named Shu in Chinese history), also known as Meng Shu (), was one of the Ten Kingdoms during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period in China. It was located in present-day Sichuan with its capital in Chengdu and lasted from 934 to 965. It was the fourth and latest state of this name on the same territory. Background and founding The other Shu kingdom of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, today known as the Former Shu, was founded in 907 after the end of the Tang dynasty. It was conquered in 925 by the Later Tang, the second of the five dynasties that would rule the Central Plain (China), Central Plain during this period. Meng Zhixiang, one of the Later Tang military governors assigned to the conquered Shu territories, became remarkably powerful in the years following the invasion. In 930 he entered into open rebellion with fellow military governor Dong Zhang; although their rebell ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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