History
Scholars debate first dynasty
Forbidden City:home to dynasty emperors
To paraphrase an old cliché, which Chinese dynasty came first: the Xia or the Shang?
Just like the age-old chicken-and-egg riddle, the answer has puzzled researchers for centuries. Chinese lore says the Xia was the first dynasty, while modern archaeologists and historians say the Shang was.
There is no question which dynasty was the last one. It was the Qing which ended in 1911 with the abdication of Pu Yi, who became emperor when he was two years old and abdicated when he was six.
The Xia dynasty is frequently credited with being the first dynasty, and was said to have existed between 1994 BC and 1766 BC. The website China Knowledge of History say many believe the dynasty was founded by Yu the Great, who is given credit for controlling floods in the central plains of the Yellow River. It notes that scholars believe the dynasty may have been invented by later generations.
Other historians believe the Shang dynasty was the first, running from 1766 BC to 1027 BC; some historians date the Shang dynasty from 1523 BC to 1027 BC, says W. Scott Weston in his book, China: Its History and Culture. This is partly because there is no archaeological evidence that points to the existence of the Xia dynasty or any earlier dynasty, Weston writes. The Shang dynasty was the first to leave historical evidence that it existed.
Lending credence to the Shang dynasty being China’s first is a list of rulers taken from inscriptions in Shang data. The list is almost identical to one compiled by Sima Quan, a noted second century historian, Weston notes.
However, a website affiliated with the University of Maryland at College Park says in the 1960s and 1970s, archaeologists began finding evidence the Xia dynasty actually existed. Based on their findings, researchers believe the Xia dynasty was the bridge between the late Neolithic culture and the civilization of the Shang dynasty.
Just like the age-old chicken-and-egg riddle, the answer has puzzled researchers for centuries. Chinese lore says the Xia was the first dynasty, while modern archaeologists and historians say the Shang was.
There is no question which dynasty was the last one. It was the Qing which ended in 1911 with the abdication of Pu Yi, who became emperor when he was two years old and abdicated when he was six.
The Xia dynasty is frequently credited with being the first dynasty, and was said to have existed between 1994 BC and 1766 BC. The website China Knowledge of History say many believe the dynasty was founded by Yu the Great, who is given credit for controlling floods in the central plains of the Yellow River. It notes that scholars believe the dynasty may have been invented by later generations.
Other historians believe the Shang dynasty was the first, running from 1766 BC to 1027 BC; some historians date the Shang dynasty from 1523 BC to 1027 BC, says W. Scott Weston in his book, China: Its History and Culture. This is partly because there is no archaeological evidence that points to the existence of the Xia dynasty or any earlier dynasty, Weston writes. The Shang dynasty was the first to leave historical evidence that it existed.
Lending credence to the Shang dynasty being China’s first is a list of rulers taken from inscriptions in Shang data. The list is almost identical to one compiled by Sima Quan, a noted second century historian, Weston notes.
However, a website affiliated with the University of Maryland at College Park says in the 1960s and 1970s, archaeologists began finding evidence the Xia dynasty actually existed. Based on their findings, researchers believe the Xia dynasty was the bridge between the late Neolithic culture and the civilization of the Shang dynasty.
Recommended reads in Chinese history
Reading books about Chinese history provides an in-depth view of one of the oldest civilizations on earth.
Here are some suggestions for readers who want to start their own collection of books relating to Chinese history:
A Dream of Red Mansions
A Dream of Red Mansions may be fiction but it provides a good look at life in the mid-18th century under the Qing Dynasty. It is about the political struggles of the last feudal dynasty, and is considered the greatest classical Chinese novel, says Foreign Languages Press, publisher of the English translation, in a nine-page publisher‘s note. Written by Tsao Hsueh-Chin and Kao Ngo, the English edition is in three volumes. It’s not a quick read, but those who finish the book will have a better understanding of Chinese society of that era and how it set the stage for events which took place in the 20th century.
From Emperor to Citizen
Aisin-Gioro Pu Yi was just a toddler when he ascended the imperial throne of China. He abdicated just a few years later, and is notable for being the last emperor of China. From Emperor to Citizen is his autobiography. The Qing Dynasty ended with the successful take-over of China by Sun Yat-Sen who became the first president of the Republic of China. Pu Yi returned to the throne in the 1930s as the puppet emperor of Manchuko, a state in actuality ruled by the Japanese on their quest to conquer all of China.
Life and Death in Shanghai
Life and Death in Shanghai is an autobiographical account of author Nien Cheng’s life during the Cultural Revolution, which took place from 1966 to 1976. As an employee of a foreign oil company and the widow of an official of Chiang Kai-shek’s regime, she was a relatively well-off resident of Shanghai. That is, until the Red Guards invaded her home at the start of the Cultural Revolution. She was imprisoned for more than six years after she refused to confess that her wealth made her an enemy of the state. Hers is not a pretty story, but is a must-read for those interested in modern Chinese history.
Mao Zedong’s Long March
In 1934-35, Mao Zedong led thousands of Red Army followers on an epic journey across China that became known as The Long March. Decades later, three journalists were to retrace that journey on foot, even meeting with people who lived along the route when the march was made. British author William Lindesay writes about his early ’90s trek in Marching with Mao, while Andrew McEwen and Ed Jocelyn chronicle their footsteps in The Long March. Both books are easy to read and provide perspective on what the Long March means today. Photographs of McEwen and Jocelyn’s 384-day walk are contained in a separate book, Red Road.
The Tiananmen Papers
Many books have been written about the Tiananmen massacre of 1989. Two reporters who were with the students as they protested for democracy are Mike Chinoy, CNN’s Beijing bureau chief, in China Live, and Jan Wong, correspondent for a Toronto newspaper, in Red China Blues. Their Tiananmen reporting is included as part of their overall experiences in China. Both books are easy to read and bring history to life. The Tiananmen Papers is not an easy read, but vital to a deeper understanding of the student uprising. This is a compilation of official Chinese documents and records of officials meeting to discuss student activities. Compiled by Zhang Liang, this book is a must-read for an event that impacted, not just China, but the entire world.
Here are some suggestions for readers who want to start their own collection of books relating to Chinese history:
A Dream of Red Mansions
A Dream of Red Mansions may be fiction but it provides a good look at life in the mid-18th century under the Qing Dynasty. It is about the political struggles of the last feudal dynasty, and is considered the greatest classical Chinese novel, says Foreign Languages Press, publisher of the English translation, in a nine-page publisher‘s note. Written by Tsao Hsueh-Chin and Kao Ngo, the English edition is in three volumes. It’s not a quick read, but those who finish the book will have a better understanding of Chinese society of that era and how it set the stage for events which took place in the 20th century.
From Emperor to Citizen
Aisin-Gioro Pu Yi was just a toddler when he ascended the imperial throne of China. He abdicated just a few years later, and is notable for being the last emperor of China. From Emperor to Citizen is his autobiography. The Qing Dynasty ended with the successful take-over of China by Sun Yat-Sen who became the first president of the Republic of China. Pu Yi returned to the throne in the 1930s as the puppet emperor of Manchuko, a state in actuality ruled by the Japanese on their quest to conquer all of China.
Life and Death in Shanghai
Life and Death in Shanghai is an autobiographical account of author Nien Cheng’s life during the Cultural Revolution, which took place from 1966 to 1976. As an employee of a foreign oil company and the widow of an official of Chiang Kai-shek’s regime, she was a relatively well-off resident of Shanghai. That is, until the Red Guards invaded her home at the start of the Cultural Revolution. She was imprisoned for more than six years after she refused to confess that her wealth made her an enemy of the state. Hers is not a pretty story, but is a must-read for those interested in modern Chinese history.
Mao Zedong’s Long March
In 1934-35, Mao Zedong led thousands of Red Army followers on an epic journey across China that became known as The Long March. Decades later, three journalists were to retrace that journey on foot, even meeting with people who lived along the route when the march was made. British author William Lindesay writes about his early ’90s trek in Marching with Mao, while Andrew McEwen and Ed Jocelyn chronicle their footsteps in The Long March. Both books are easy to read and provide perspective on what the Long March means today. Photographs of McEwen and Jocelyn’s 384-day walk are contained in a separate book, Red Road.
The Tiananmen Papers
Many books have been written about the Tiananmen massacre of 1989. Two reporters who were with the students as they protested for democracy are Mike Chinoy, CNN’s Beijing bureau chief, in China Live, and Jan Wong, correspondent for a Toronto newspaper, in Red China Blues. Their Tiananmen reporting is included as part of their overall experiences in China. Both books are easy to read and bring history to life. The Tiananmen Papers is not an easy read, but vital to a deeper understanding of the student uprising. This is a compilation of official Chinese documents and records of officials meeting to discuss student activities. Compiled by Zhang Liang, this book is a must-read for an event that impacted, not just China, but the entire world.
Contact Cheryl
Copyright 2012 by Cheryl Probst. All rights reserved.
Copyright 2012 by Cheryl Probst. All rights reserved.