The Origin and Evolution of China's Names I

The Reigning Dynasties

HU A-Xiang

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2024
• eBook ISBN: 9781040120934
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Asian History
• Index: History

This is the first volume of a two-volume set on the names of China, focusing on the country's official titles throughout history.

Using interdisciplinary approaches from fields such as history, geography, ethnic studies, linguistics, psychology and toponymy, this two-volume set examines the origin and evolution of China's names over more than 4,000 years of history. The first volume examines the official names of the country given by the rulers or government, including the names of the imperial dynasties, from the earliest Xia to the last Qing, and the title of the Republic of China, which symbolises a new era in national naming. The author examines the common features as well as the cultural contexts and historical traditions that underlie these diverse titles. The origins and meanings of national titles, their secondary connotations, evolving understandings and related implications are explored. The book also analyses the lifespan and spatial references of these national titles.

This book will appeal to both academic and general readers interested in Chinese history, Chinese historical geography and Chinese toponymy.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half-Title Page
• Series Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• List of Figures
• Introduction: Titles of the Reigning Dynasties since Ancient Times
• 1 Xia: “Residing High and Drinking Dew”
• 2 Shang: “The Heavenly Commissioned Dark Bird Descends and Gives Birth to Shang”
• 3 Zhou: Emphasizing Agriculture
• 4 Qin: The Cattail (Forage Grass) for Raising Horses
• 5 Han: “The Name ‘Tianhan’ (Milky Way) is Magnificent”
• 6 Xin: “Complying with the Heavenly Mandate”
• 7 Wei, Han and Wu: The Three Divisions of the Country
• 8 Jin: The “Well-known Ambition” of Sima Zhao
• 9 The Sixteen Kingdoms and the Southern and Northern Dynasties: Turmoil, Rise and Fall
• 10 Sui: Auspicious or Ominous?
• 11 Tang: Emperor Shen Yao’s Aspirations and Self-Assessment
• 12 Zhou: The “Ancient Ancestor Ji Zhou” of the “Empress of the Holy Mother”
• 13 Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms: Inheritance and Division
• 14 Song: Moments of Serendipity
• 15 The Great Yuan: How Grand is the Primal Beginning of Creativity
• 16 The Great Ming: “In the Radiant Light of the Buddhas”
• 17 The Great Qing: Turning the Tide
• 18 The Republic of China: A New Era of National Titles
• References
• Index