Everyday Life in Early Imperial China During the Han Period, 202 BC-AD 220In this lively and accessible account, with illustrations on nearly every page, Michael Loewe gives us a vivid picture of the lives of peasants working the land, the lives of town inhabitants, and the elaborate hierarchy of institutions and civil servants that sustained the vast imperial government. In a new Preface and an updated Bibliography, Loewe calls our attention to the significance of scholarly research and discoveries since the original publication of his classic work. |
Contents
List of illustrations 9 95 | 15 |
The historical and geographical context | 17 |
The emperor and his government | 29 |
The officials | 38 |
Social distinctions and occupations | 54 |
The force of government | 64 |
The army | 75 |
The art and practice of writing | 88 |
The capital city of Changan | 128 |
Life in the cities | 137 |
Trade and communications | 152 |
The countryman and his work | 163 |
Craftsmanship | 180 |
Industry and technology | 189 |
Suggestions for further reading | 200 |
Addendum to suggestions for further reading | 202 |
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Common terms and phrases
administration authority bronze built capital city centimetres Central Asia central government century B.C. ceremonies Ch'ang-an Ch'in characters Chih clay model coins commanderies conscripts craftsmen cultural decorative designs duties dynasty earthenware east China emperor empire equipment examples figure five-shu forces grain Han China Han Chinese Han dynasty Han empire Han period horse household Huai River imperial important included inscription iron labour lacquer land living Lo-yang man's material means measures members of society ment modern province month Museum natural needed north-west occasions officials organisation palace perhaps period pieces Plate political population posts powers practice probably production relief from west religious river Wei second century A.D. senior served silk slaves sometimes Ssu-ch'uan statesmen strips suitable surviving symbol tasks textiles texts tion tomb walls Wang Wang Mang west China wooden writing written Yangtze Yangtze River Yellow River Yin and Yang