The Unchanging and the Ever-Changing

What Confucians call China, vast though it may seem,
Is but one of eighty-one parts in the world's grand scheme.
The "Divine Land of Red Counties" its noble name,
Within it, nine provinces of ancient fame.

Yu the Great once charted these lands with care,
Yet beyond these borders, a world lies there.
A fragment of the whole, though rich and proud,
China’s place in the heavens is but one in the crowd.

Summary

Ge Jianxiong, a historian and senior professor at Fudan University, narrates the lifeblood and spirit of Chinese history, seeking the origins and flows of Chinese history amidst its rise and fall, inheritance, and transformation.

If we compare ancient China to a precise and vast collaborative system like the human body, then the land is its skeleton, the people are its flesh and blood, and the court and politics are its central nervous system. The long history of China has continued and developed through their mutual influence and adaptation, ceaselessly thriving, shaping the China we know today.

Chapters

  1. Part I: The Skeleton of Ancient China
    1. Introduction: The term "China" appeared more than 3,000 years ago
    2. Chapter 1: Territory / The Land We Live On
      1. "The Great Nine Provinces" and "A Foot-long Ruler"
      2. How Large Was Ancient China?
      3. How Did the Territory of Ancient China Change Over Time?
      4. How Did Ancient Central Governments Divide Major Administrative Regions?
    3. Chapter 2: Cities / The Changing Capitals
      1. Chang'an and Luoyang of the Han Dynasty
      2. The Northern Wei Emperor Xiaowen’s Capital Relocation and Sinicization
      3. The Two Capitals of the Sui and Tang Dynasties
      4. The Dual Capitals of the Ming Dynasty
    4. Chapter 3: Infrastructure / Connections and Divisions of the Land
      1. The Great Wall: More Than Just Military Defense
      2. The Lifeline of Grain Supply—The Grand Canal
      3. The Ancient Transportation Network—Post Roads
      4. Relay Stations Corroded by Corruption
  2. Part II: The Flesh and Blood of Ancient China
    1. Introduction: Place of origin and birthplace: Where are you from?
    2. Chapter 4: Migration / Where We Came From and Where We Stayed
      1. Homeland: The Starting Points of Migration
      2. The Impact of Migration on Capital Culture
      3. The Southward Migration of the "Qiang and Hu" and the Five Barbarians’ Invasions
      4. The Northward Migration of Pastoral Tribes and the Huns’ Southern Raids
      5. Why Did Ancient People Migrate?
    3. Chapter 5: Population / Numbers Influenced by Policy
      1. What Was the Population of Ancient China?
      2. Chastity Ideals and Widow Remarriage in the Tang Dynasty
      3. Why Did Household Data in the Song Dynasty Show Fewer Than Three People Per Household on Average?
      4. The Ming Dynasty’s Household Registration System and Pre-compiled Registers
    4. Chapter 6: Figures / Epochal Phenomena Shaped by Individuals
      1. Confucius: The "Spring and Autumn Penmanship" Recognized by Rulers Across Eras
      2. Fu Sheng: The Protector and Transmitter of Culture
      3. Hai Rui: Why Was He the Only "Honest Official"?
      4. Wang Er: The Peculiar Phenomenon of Officials Being Controlled by Subordinates
      5. Yan Rong: "Policies from Above, Countermeasures from Below"
    5. Chapter 7: Diplomacy / The Ancient People Who "Opened But Did Not Spread"
      1. The Han Dynasty's Missed Opportunity for Openness
      2. What Was Ancient China's External Influence?
      3. Was Chang’an of the Tang Dynasty the Center of the World?
  3. Part III: The Central Nervous System of Ancient China
    1. Introduction: Why do wise founding emperors often become tyrants?
    2. Chapter 8: The World / Gaining and Governing the Empire
      1. Hu Clothing and Cavalry in the Age of Horse Warfare
      2. Massacre in Ancient China: The Battle of Changping
      3. Qin Shi Huang and His Standardization Efforts
      4. Was Xiang Yu Truly the Loser in the Contest Between Liu Bang and Him?
      5. Can Liu Bang's "Three Laws for the People" Be Believed?
      6. The Political Wisdom Behind the "Enfeoffment Edict"
      7. The Earliest "Central Inspection" System
      8. Why Was Liu Xiu Able to Continue the Han Dynasty?
      9. Why Did Zhao Kuangyin’s Song Dynasty End the Five Dynasties?
      10. Why Were Military Coups Rare in the Song Dynasty?
      11. Was "No China After the Battle of Yashan" True?
    3. Chapter 9: The Emperor / The Emperor’s "Private Affairs"
      1. The Crown Prince: The Most Contentious Royal Member
      2. The Empress: The Person with the Greatest Influence on the Emperor
      3. The Emperor Emeritus: A "Nominal Role" in the Palace
      4. The Imperial Clan: The Challenges of Being Royalty
      5. Succession: Legacy "Regarded as Life Itself"
      6. Records: The "Official Version" of History
  4. Conclusion: How Should We View China’s Historical Records?