The Golden Peaches of Samarkand

The Golden Peaches of Samarkand PDF Author: Edward H. Schafer
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : China
Languages : en
Pages : 399

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Book Description

The Golden Peaches of Samarkand

The Golden Peaches of Samarkand PDF Author: Edward H. Schafer
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : China
Languages : en
Pages : 399

Get Book Here

Book Description


The Golden Peaches of Samarkand

The Golden Peaches of Samarkand PDF Author: Edward H. Schafer
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN:
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 440

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Book Description
In the seventh century the kingdom of Samarkand sent formal gifts of fancy yellow peaches, large as goose eggs and with a color like gold, to the Chinese court at Ch'ang-an. What kind of fruit these golden peaches really were cannot now be guessed, but they have the glamour of mystery, and they symbolize all the exotic things longed for, and unknown things hoped for, by the people of the T'ang Empire. This book examines the exotics imported into China during the T'ang Dynasty, and depicts their influence on Chinese life. This book is not a statistical record of commercial imports and medieval trade, but rather a 'humanistic essay, however material its subject matter.'

The Golden Peaches of Samarkand

The Golden Peaches of Samarkand PDF Author: Edward H. Schafer
Publisher: Pickle Partners Publishing
ISBN: 1787201120
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 935

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Book Description
In the seventh century the kingdom of Samarkand sent formal gifts of fancy yellow peaches, large as goose eggs and with a color like gold, to the Chinese court at Ch’ang-an. What kind of fruit these golden peaches really were cannot now be guessed, but they have the glamour of mystery, and they symbolize all the exotic things longed for, and unknown things hoped for, by the people of the T’ang empire. This book examines the exotics imported into China during the T’ang Dynasty (A.D. 618-907), and depicts their influence on Chinese life. Into the land during the three centuries of T’ang came the natives of almost every nation of Asia, all bringing exotic wares either as gifts or as goods to be sold. Ivory, rare woods, drugs, diamonds, magicians, dancing girls—the author covers all classes of unusual imports, their places of origin, their lore, their effect on costume, dwellings, diet, and on painting, sculpture, music, and poetry. This book is not a statistical record of commercial imports and medieval trade, but rather a “humanistic essay, however material its subject matter.” “The most essential thing the reviewer can say about this book is, ‘Read it!’ It is probably the most informative, most scholarly, and most delightfully written book on China that has appeared in our time. It is a heartening reminder that scholars still have an interest in studying history in terms of people, in examining people’s intimate reactions to the little human things that occupied their daily lives.”—Jour. of Asian Studies “A pure delight....Scarcely any aspect of T’ang life is omitted, so that bit by bit Mr. Schafer builds up a reasonably complete picture of an entire civilization. Mr· Schafer writes with urbanity and wit.”—Sat. Rev. “A fascinating survey of T’ang culture as reflected in the use and demand for exotica....Rarely has the reviewer come upon a book so enjoyable and informative·”—Jour. of the American Oriental Society.

The Golden Peaches of Samarkand

The Golden Peaches of Samarkand PDF Author: Edward H. Schafer
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 0520341147
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 434

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Book Description
In the seventh century the kingdom of Samarkand sent formal gifts of fancy yellow peaches, large as goose eggs and with a color like gold, to the Chinese court at Ch'ang-an. What kind of fruit these golden peaches really were cannot now be guessed, but they have the glamour of mystery, and they symbolize all the exotic things longed for, and unknown things hoped for, by the people of the T'ang empire. This book examines the exotics imported into China during the T'ang Dynasty (A.D. 618-907), and depicts their influence on Chinese life. Into the land during the three centuries of T'ang came the natives of almost every nation of Asia, all bringing exotic wares either as gifts or as goods to be sold. Ivory, rare woods, drugs, diamonds, magicians, dancing girls—the author covers all classes of unusual imports, their places of origin, their lore, their effort on costume, dwellings, diet, and on painting, sculpture, music, and poetry. This book is not a statistical record of commercial imports and medieval trade, but rather a "humanistic essay, however material its subject matter."

Civilizations of the Silk Road

Civilizations of the Silk Road PDF Author: H. K. Chang
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
ISBN: 1000886271
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 279

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Book Description
This book describes the interactions between various civilizations and societies along the Silk Road between 500 BCE and 1500 CE, the period from the first encounters of ancient Greek and Persian civilizations to the time when maritime exchanges between Europe and Asia exceeded those on land. Starting with the genesis and features of different civilizations, the book focuses on the history and exchange of different cultures along the Silk Road: Zhang Qian’s successful pioneering feats which inaugurated the opening stretch of the Silk Road; the origins and dissemination of Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, Christianity, Manichaeism, Nestorian-Christianity, and Islam; the westward spread of papermaking and printing; and long-distance exchanges of scripts and spoken language, music, architecture, painting, and sculpture. It also outlines the historically significant migrations of various peoples from east to west, such as the Xiongnu, Yuezhi, Han, Qiang, Hephthalites, Turkic groups, Uyghurs, Mongols, and Xibe. The author has interwoven facts, anecdotes, and his own experiences of study throughout the book, making it a fascinating history reader and cultural primer. This book thus will be an essential read for students and scholars of Eurasian Studies and Chinese History and those who are interested in the history of the Silk Road in general.

Shore of Pearls

Shore of Pearls PDF Author: Edward H. Schafer
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781891640520
Category : Chinese literature
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
Tells of the early history of the island annexed in 111 BC by China, a source of pearls, incense, and precious metals for the court, today strategically important as China's southernmost point.

Sino-Foreign Cultural Exchange

Sino-Foreign Cultural Exchange PDF Author: Cai Hongsheng
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
ISBN: 1003804918
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 367

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Book Description
Understanding culture as a whole way of life, this book touches on various aspects of Sino-foreign interactions, tracing cultural exchanges depicted in Chinese and foreign sources, with particular attention to events or anecdotes in the Tang and Qing periods. In addition to a discussion of the Sogdians and Turks in medieval China, an investigation of the localization process of pugs and lions through different Chinese dynasties, an analysis of the incorporation of Manichaeism into Chinese culture, and the depiction of the "Kunlun slaves" in Chinese Buddhist texts, this book also examines the "caravan tea" trade between Russia and China, the Russian-American company's attempt to do business in Canton, the translation of the Three Character Classic in Russia, the "Russian case" in the Tianjin missionary incident, as well as the Dutch factory in Canton and the Dutch mission in Beijing. This book concludes with a discussion of Chinese workers in Southeast Asia in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. From Central Asia to the South China Sea to the northern border with Russia, this book reveals its great diversity, yet with an intense focus on China's interactions with the outside world. This book will be essential reading for students and scholars of Chinese studies, medieval Central Asian studies, and those interested in world history.

Insight Guides: Silk Road

Insight Guides: Silk Road PDF Author: Insight Guides
Publisher: Apa Publications (UK) Limited
ISBN: 1780057733
Category : Travel
Languages : en
Pages : 1166

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Book Description
Insight Guide Silk Road is the complete illustrated guide to one of the world's ultimate travel adventures. Passing right through the heart of Asia, the ancient trade route traverses a quarter of the globe from the heart of China to the Mediterranean via a vast, inhospitable expanse of mountains and desert. The guide covers all the sights along the way across 13 countries and 6 time zones, with authoritative chapters on the Silk Road's history and culture to put it all into context. The magic of the journey is brought to life through evocative photography, and is complemented by lavish Photo Features which offer a unique insight into various aspects of the route: these include details of silk production, the ancient treasures that have been discovered along the route, and the colourful bazaars - which are a reminder of the Silk Road caravanserais of the distant past. Our inspirational Best of The Silk Road section highlights the unmissable sights and experiences, while a comprehensive Travel Tips section gives you all the practical information you need to plan your trip - whether it be a short section or the entire Silk Road - and our selective listings bring you the best hotels and restaurants.

China’s Cosmopolitan Empire

China’s Cosmopolitan Empire PDF Author: Mark Edward Lewis
Publisher: Harvard University Press
ISBN: 0674265416
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 367

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Book Description
The Tang dynasty is often called China’s “golden age,” a period of commercial, religious, and cultural connections from Korea and Japan to the Persian Gulf, and a time of unsurpassed literary creativity. Mark Lewis captures a dynamic era in which the empire reached its greatest geographical extent under Chinese rule, painting and ceramic arts flourished, women played a major role both as rulers and in the economy, and China produced its finest lyric poets in Wang Wei, Li Bo, and Du Fu. The Chinese engaged in extensive trade on sea and land. Merchants from Inner Asia settled in the capital, while Chinese entrepreneurs set off for the wider world, the beginning of a global diaspora. The emergence of an economically and culturally dominant south that was controlled from a northern capital set a pattern for the rest of Chinese imperial history. Poems celebrated the glories of the capital, meditated on individual loneliness in its midst, and described heroic young men and beautiful women who filled city streets and bars. Despite the romantic aura attached to the Tang, it was not a time of unending peace. In 756, General An Lushan led a revolt that shook the country to its core, weakening the government to such a degree that by the early tenth century, regional warlordism gripped many areas, heralding the decline of the Great Tang.

The Fruit Hunters

The Fruit Hunters PDF Author: Adam Leith Gollner
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1476704996
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 304

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Book Description
A historical account of the role of fruit in the modern world explores the machinations of multi-national corporations in distributing exotic fruits, the life of mass-produced fruits, and the author's experience with unusual varieties that are unavailable in America.