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The growth history of Zhu Yuanzhang is also a history of the founding of the Ming Dynasty with great turbulence and war. This book writes a history of the growth of the founding king and the founding of the Ming Dynasty in relaxed and interesting language. From the perspective of a current political reporter, the author combines the latest historical research results to focus on analyzing the changes in the times at the end of the Yuan Dynasty and the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, and deeply analyzes the underlying logic behind historical events and the interests and gains of all participants.

The 300-year history of the Song Dynasty is narrated from the perspective of eight empress dowagers who listened behind the curtain, including "History of the Song Dynasty", "Song Hui Yao Yao Yao", "Xu Zizhi Tongjian Changbian", "Records of the Years since Jianyan", "Miscellaneous Notes of the Government and the Wilderness since Jianyan", "Three Dynasties to the North" "Meng Hui Compilation", "Continuation of Zizhi Tongjian Chang's Chronicles", "Dynasty Chronology Outline", "Ten Dynasties Outline of the Imperial and Song Dynasties", "Taiping Baoxun Political Annals", "Zhongxing Two Dynasties Holy Government", "Zhongxing Two Dynasties Chronology Outline", "Zhongxing Two Dynasties Chronology Outline", "Summary of the Two Dynasties Chronicles" Based on official histories such as "The Complete History of the Song Dynasty" and "Political Figures of the Three Dynasties of the Song Dynasty", combined with original documents such as "Collection of Imperial Edicts of the Song Dynasty", and with reference to personal collections such as "Collected Works of Fan Wenzhenggong" and "Memorials of Bao Xiaosu", it provides an in-depth interpretation of the history of the Song Dynasty. From the perspective of the special group of empress dowagers, it clarifies the political struggles between the emperor, empress dowager, supreme emperor, and powerful ministers, as well as the historical context and behavioral logic behind the complicated events, allowing readers to get closer to the historical truth.

[Minimalist Chinese History + Historical Mirror Set 2 Volumes] "Minimalist Chinese History" is a reprint of the "Fuxing Senior Middle School Textbook History of the Country" written by the leading historian Lu Simian. The book is divided into six chapters: introduction, ancient history, medieval history, modern history, modern history, and conclusion. In the book, Mr. Lu Simian uses concise and smooth words to give a comprehensive and concise description of China's politics, geography, society, and culture from ancient times to modern times. The writing is plain and easy to understand, the organization is clear, and the insights are novel and unique. This book is the first general history of China written in vernacular. It is also an epoch-making masterpiece that allows people to quickly understand Chinese history. It is praised by readers at home and abroad as "a book that allows you to understand five thousand years of Chinese history." "Mirror of History" is one of the representative works of Wu Han, a famous historian in my country. From the long history from the pre-Qin Dynasty to the late Qing Dynasty, the author narrated some strange people, some anecdotes, or commented on loyal ministers and famous generals, talked about talents and beauties, and discussed social phenomena.

[Historical version of "Lychees in Chang'an", see how the Ming officials traveled thousands of miles to transport sacred trees to Beijing. ] In the fourth year of Yongle in the Ming Dynasty (1406), Zhu Di decided to move the capital to Beijing, and the construction of the Forbidden City was put on the agenda. Song Li, who was the Minister of Industry at the time, received the task of purchasing huge trees for the construction of the palace. Among the "Six Ministers of Imperial Wood Purchasing" who also received the order, Song Li had the highest official position, and the Sichuan he was going to was the farthest away and had the richest nanmu resources, which clearly shows that the imperial court had high hopes for him. Song Li knew that although this matter was painful, it was a major event that would bring glory to the ancestors. For this reason, I visited Sichuan five times and traveled thousands of miles, and finally came across an exciting story: Rumor has it that in Huangzhongxi Mountain in Mahu Prefecture, one night, a giant tree suddenly "walked on a smooth road", and the blocking stones separated automatically, and the giant tree slid to the river unscathed. When this news reached the capital, it became an auspicious omen that demonstrated the gods and emperor's virtues. Zhu Di was overjoyed and ordered Huangzhongxi Mountain to be renamed "Shenmu Mountain" and a temple to be built and a monument to be built. Since then, imperial trees and giant trees have also had a new name - "sacred trees". Is it really so smooth? It should be noted that the road to Shu is as difficult as climbing to the sky. The reason why Shenmu Mountain is densely covered with thousand-year-old nanmu is precisely because the mountain is steep and inaccessible. To cut down and transport a nanmu tree, tens of millions of manpower are needed: axemen who chop down trees, men who pave roads, stonemasons who clear roadblocks, blacksmiths who provide tools, and sailors who transport the trees... After the construction of the Ming Palace, it was burned down and rebuilt several times, and it was expanded several times during the Jiajing and Wanli years. The demand for imperial wood has continued for more than 200 years. For this purpose, hundreds of millions of taels of silver were spent, and countless craftsmen were recruited. "The officials and servants died of exhaustion, staffs died, and guests died. They were banned in the temples, restrained in travel, and begged in the market, facing each other." Until the nanmu was cut down, the imperial power and local forces continued to dispute... Let's see how this history of the transfer of sacred trees reveals the clues to the Ming Dynasty's transition from prosperity to decline.

This book is a popular historical book. In the past 500 years, human society has accelerated its development at an unprecedented speed. The scientific revolution, industrial revolution, population explosion, globalization... All kinds of things unheard of in the ancient world have emerged rapidly. British historian MacFarlane and economist Adam Smith both put forward their own views on the birth of the modern world, which had far-reaching influence. This book proposes that the birth of modern society comes from the certainty of food output, and the certainty of food output determines the "rudder of history" in the direction of civilization evolution. Focusing on this core point of view, the manuscript deeply reveals the relationship between food surplus and civilized society.

Entering the Ming Dynasty, China's imperial examination system reached its peak, and the imperial examination gradually derived various methods and techniques. For many scholars at this time, becoming an official in the court can be said to be a lifelong career pursuit. After truly entering the officialdom, there was no room for relaxation: how to serve the emperor carefully, how to get along with colleagues and the eunuch group, and how to protect oneself in various entanglements, are all ways of survival that officials in the capital must learn. From studying, preparing for exams, taking exams, taking office to retirement, the working life of officials in the Ming Dynasty was meticulous in every aspect. Once you set foot in it, you are destined to taste the ups and downs. This book focuses on these literati who struggled in the officialdom of the Ming Dynasty. Starting from their anecdotes and survival wisdom, it deeply analyzes all aspects of the officialdom and imperial examination system in the Ming Dynasty, bringing readers a wonderful journey of becoming an official in the Ming Dynasty.

In the early years of Hongwu, a pair of Bingdi melons from Jurong County were presented to Emperor Taizu of the Ming Dynasty as an auspicious sign. Such a small incident contains many intriguing details: Zhang Guan, the Jurong melon farmer who planted the pair of "Jiagua", chose to skip the local government and go directly to Beijing to offer melons; and the Ming Taizu himself, Tao Kai, Song Lian and others, important ministers of the court at the time, and even the "Records of the Ming Taizu" and other contemporary documents compiled by Xie Jin and others later had contradictory interpretations of this auspiciousness - what caused this auspiciousness? Who is this praise from God? The author traces the ins and outs of the incident and the different fates of the various figures involved in the incident in detail, showing how the emperors of the Ming Dynasty, court ministers, and local officials stood in different positions and constantly competed for the right to interpret auspiciousness.

The masterpiece of Professor Han Sheng of Fudan University, a classic course of Baijia Lecture Forum! See why the prosperous age collapsed and became Chang'an, which future generations can never return to! "In October, I will visit the capital" - In July of the fourteenth year of Tianbao (755), Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty invited Anlu Mountain to take a bath in the new hot spring in Huaqing Pool. An Lushan responded so readily. Xuanzong was convinced, intoxicated in the illusion of harmony between the monarch and his subjects, completely unaware of the murderous intention hidden behind the word "Zhuoran"... So "Yuyang Ji encouraged the ground to come". In November, An Lushan led an army of 200,000 southward, sweeping through Hebei, crossing the Yellow River south, and even defeating Luoyang and Chang'an. Xuanzong entered Shu in a hurry. The Anshi Rebellion lasted for eight years, and the war burned across northern China. The prosperous world with flowers and flowers became a distant memory in the blink of an eye. However, the mighty Tang Dynasty was not ruined by a military turmoil. The real collapse came from the turmoil deep in the hearts of the people: barbarians became the source of all evil, and xenophobia became the mainstream of society. Since then, the diverse and open prosperity of the Tang Dynasty has come to an abrupt end, leaving only a shadow of infinite regret to future generations...

This book is a collection of stories focusing on the history of the Western Zhou Dynasty. It uses the bronze inscriptions in the collection as the core writing structure: starting from the content of the inscriptions and the historical facts of the Western Zhou Dynasty, it combines the interpretation of the inscriptions to excavate the fragments of historical facts and story clues, and refers to other historical materials and literary works. Finally, it revolves around the development of the royal family of the Western Zhou Dynasty and presents various stories with themes of responsibility, friendship, etc. The whole book revolves around seven bronzes including He Zun, Shi Qiangpan, Dake Ding and Maogong Ding, and derives seven stories involving the emperors of the Western Zhou Dynasty, including King Wu of Zhou, King Mu of Zhou, and King Li of Zhou. By shaping the images of various characters around the emperor and telling the related deeds between the characters, the book not only popularizes the cultural relics knowledge of the Western Zhou Dynasty to readers, shows the historical style of the time, but also conveys positive values ​​such as taking responsibility, valuing friendship, and facing misunderstandings.

Guo Degang's new masterpiece, reading the Three Kingdoms is reading people. Only when you can understand people's hearts can you hide your edge. When you read the Three Kingdoms at the age of twenty, you see the excitement; when you read the Three Kingdoms at the age of forty, you see the secrets; when you read the Three Kingdoms at the age of sixty, you see yourself. What Guo Degang learned from the Three Kingdoms is a thorough set of techniques for understanding people and ways of accomplishing things. Cao Cao and Liu Bei were people who understood this thousands of years ago. They had already seen through it: Only by knowing how to hide your front can you go further. From shooting halberds at the gate to cooking wine with green plums, what I read was the classic story of the Three Kingdoms, and what I understood was the sober current life. After understanding Lao Guo's interpretation, I also understood how to accept and let go in this life. Lao Guo devotes himself to writing, with a large capacity of 360,000 words and nearly 400 pages of content, teaching you to understand situations, recognize people, and know how to advance and retreat.

This is a civilizational apocalypse that breaks the traditional historical narrative. From the genetic code when the four ancient civilizations were founded, to the peak game between ancient Greece and Rome and the Han and Tang empires, to the survival wisdom of hidden civilizations such as the Maya and the Inca, it connects the core propositions of human civilization through innovative perspectives such as the "butterfly effect" and "hidden coding". The book not only compares the construction codes of the Parthenon and Qin Shihuang's Mausoleum, but also has the ancient and modern echoes of Easter Island's ecological collapse and the global climate crisis. Through the historical imagination of "Alexander meets Zhang Qian", the dialogue between civilizations is full of tension in time and space. From how geography and climate shape the character of civilization, to the comparison between modern urban waterlogging and the Roman drainage system, we finally condensed the "three golden rules for the survival of civilization" and transformed historical lessons into actionable modern inspiration. The book uses an immersive narrative, detailed restoration of archaeological sites, and comparative analysis of hard-core data to make the logical chain of the rise and fall of civilization clear and tangible. It is not only a journey of civilization exploration that satisfies the curiosity of curiosity, but also a guide to survival wisdom that reflects on the present. It truly achieves a reading experience that is "addictive upon first reading and deep in thought".

From the Phoenicians' cedar merchant ships cutting through the waves of the Mediterranean Sea to the multi-dimensional game between China, the United States and Russia in the deep sea and the polar regions, "The Battle for Ocean Hegemony" is an epic story that connects the legend of blue hegemony spanning thousands of years. The book traces Portugal and Spain's huge gamble to carve up the world, the business miracle of the Dutch "Sea Coachman", and the rise of Britain's "Empire on which the Sun Never Sets." It also provides a more in-depth analysis of the two world wars, the secret war at sea during the Cold War, and the new competition in deep-sea technology, resource development, and rule-based games in the 21st century. Through thrilling naval battles, game-changing treaties, and far-reaching technological breakthroughs, this book not only presents a magnificent picture of the changes in maritime hegemony, but also reveals how the ocean shapes the process of human civilization, opening up a unique perspective for readers to understand the changes in world order.

This book analyzes the core mechanism of power operation in the Yuan Dynasty from a unique perspective. Through the key concept of the "fat sharing game", this book systematically reveals how the Mongolian rulers sublimated the tradition of spoil distribution of steppe tribes into the ruling logic of the empire. From the "drop" system founded by Genghis Khan, the implicit rules of the four-class system, to the cruel game of fighting for the throne, it shows layer by layer how this conquering dynasty maintained governance through the bundling of interests, and then collapsed due to imbalanced distribution. The book focuses particularly on institutional designs such as excessive currency issuance, salt monopoly, and the abolition of imperial examinations. It profoundly presents the complex network of power and wealth distribution, analyzes the catastrophic consequences of the Yuan Dynasty and the underlying reasons for its disintegration, and deconstructs the inherent code of power operation of this special regime that has both nomadic characteristics and the form of the Chinese empire.

This book introduces Arnold Toynbee's historical masterpiece in an in-depth and simple way, and systematically analyzes its core ideas. The book starts from Toynbee's life and historical background, expounds his innovative perspective with "civilization" as the research unit, reveals the law of "challenge and response" that drives the rise and fall of civilization, analyzes the interactive mechanism between a few creators and mass imitators, and explores the role of the universal state and church in the twilight of civilization. The author uses smooth writing to transform Toynbee's grand theory of civilization life cycle into an easy-to-understand narrative. It not only presents the essence of his thoughts, but also does not avoid academic controversies, providing readers with a clear guide to understand this historical classic.

"Nine sons seize the throne", the winner is Yongzheng! This book focuses on the political strategy and personality transformation of Emperor Yongzheng Yinzhen before he ascended the throne! Emperor Kangxi once evaluated his fourth son Yinzhen with the four words "emotional", and all his elders also despised him. Only his enlightenment teacher understood and appreciated him. Galdan rebelled, and Emperor Kangxi personally went to war. Yinzhen who accompanied him personally tested medicine for his father and sacrificed his life to protect flying arrows. He gradually gained Kangxi's love and attention. Yinzhen was later assigned to inspect the Wuding River Works with his eldest brother. He discovered fraud in the river work, and he had a disagreement with his eldest brother. He alone supervised the Queen Mother's sixtieth birthday and accompanied her on a southern tour. After returning, Yinzhen's most beloved eldest son Honghui died in infancy. For a time, he was disheartened and did not care about the affairs of the palace and court. However, unexpectedly, Xiao Qiang was in trouble, the prince was deposed, and the nine sons lost their legitimate sons. Yinzhen, who "prevent haste and use patience", was also involved in the thrilling struggle for the throne. The book has ups and downs of plot, real and vivid details, distinct characters, rigorous structure and concise language, which vividly reproduces the dormant years of the young Yongzheng.

In China's long history, official career has been both a ladder to glory and a Shura field full of traps. "Rules of Power" uses history as a mirror to reveal the true face of ancient officialdom - those who rose and fell in the temple did not rely entirely on talent and loyalty, but in the chess game of "Rules of Power", they knew how to advance and retreat, tolerate and play games. The book systematically sorts out the underlying logic of traditional Chinese political operations from the officialdom system of past dynasties, the hidden rules of promotion, the way of getting along with monarchs and ministers, to the attack and defense of people's hearts and the secret battle of discourse power. Through real historical cases and the fate of characters, the author provides an in-depth analysis of "how power is generated, balanced and destroyed", allowing readers to see that in this war without gunpowder in the officialdom, the most deadly thing is never the external enemy, but the human heart. This is not only a book about ancient official career, but also an in-depth reading that reveals human nature, power and wisdom. Understanding power is not to play with others, but to see things clearly, understand people's minds, and live more clearly in the complex real world.

Sima Guang recorded many deeds on the supervision of official administration in the "Zi Zhi Tong Jian". In order to better learn and draw lessons from the governance mechanisms and experiences of the supervision of official administration contained in "Zi Zhi Tong Jian", this book collects and organizes the relevant deeds on the supervision of official administration in "Zi Zhi Tong Jian" and elaborates them in seven parts, namely We hope to provide useful reference for readers to study the official supervision in ancient China.

This book takes the banner people and their literature in the late Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China as the research object, places them in the relevant context of politics, economy, society, military and even international relations, and launches a dialogue on cross-cultural, historical and regional studies; it observes the evolution of emotions, thoughts, identity and aesthetic pursuits experienced by the banner people in the context of the times, and elucidates the universal significance of banner human literature. A century of transformation from cicada to butterfly has opened up the narrative and lyricism, spiritual world and spiritual space of the banner people, from Mandarin riding and shooting to Manchu and Han family, from the partition of the banner people to the Chinese national community. In the historical transformation of adapting to local conditions, changing customs and creating a people's republic, it narrates the establishment of modern Chinese emotions and national identity.

The world is too boring, we need a Renaissance! Gu Ye sharply comments on 9 art masters who illuminated the history of art, and hundreds of famous paintings, allowing you to hold a book in your hand, smile and understand this - the golden age of Western art, an art party where humans replaced gods! "Muscle Controller" Michelangelo, "King of Traps" Leonardo da Vinci, "Father of European Painting" Giotto, "Godfather of Success" Titian, "Little Fresh Meat" Raphael... Today's celebrities can only create some gossip, but Renaissance artists... All create - social news! Artists of all ages have longed for the Renaissance... But if they were to travel back in time, they might not survive a day!

This book analyzes the distribution mechanism of power and interests in the Qing Dynasty through eight dimensions: the privileges of the Eight Banners, the land enclosure movement, the San Francisco Rebellion, the centralization of military power, the Manchu-Han dual-track system, the control of subordinate officials, bad financial regulations and the monopoly of salt merchants. The book reveals: From the children of the Eight Banners parasitizing the country to local petty officials evading officials, from Yongzheng's reform of Huohuo Guigong to Yangzhou salt merchants relying on privileges, the Qing Dynasty has always oscillated between "dividing fat" and losing control. In the end, this system, which centered on imperial power and relied on informal rules, was completely out of balance due to the expansion of local financial power after the Taiping Rebellion, and became the internal cause of the empire's collapse.

This book analyzes the rise and fall of the Tang Empire from a unique economic perspective, deconstructing three hundred years of dynasty history into a cruel game surrounding power rent. The book vividly demonstrates the hereditary privileges of the Guanlong Group, the emerging bureaucracy spawned by the imperial examination system, the military power of the Jiedushi envoys, the fiscal changes triggered by the Two Taxes Law, the Shence Army controlled by the eunuchs, and the underground economy composed of private salt dealers, revealing how these interest groups carve up the empire's wealth through loopholes in the system. The author uses "rent-seeking theory" as a key to decipher the secret distribution mechanism of power and interests under the appearance of a prosperous age, and presents a unique interpretation of the history of the Tang Dynasty.

This book is an in-depth analysis of the political power distribution mechanism in ancient China, focusing on the fundamental differences in the institutional design of the Han and Song dynasties. The work uses the "fat sharing game" as a metaphor to reveal the pros and cons of the two models of military enfeoffment in the Han Dynasty and civilian governance in the Song Dynasty: the former gave rise to feudal feudalism but maintained military vitality, while the latter used imperial examinations to centralize power in exchange for internal stability but led to the decline of military force. Through multi-dimensional comparisons such as power distribution, official selection, court struggles, and military systems, the book shows how the two governance logics shaped the destiny of the empire. It especially provides an in-depth analysis of the three-redundancy dilemma caused by the "strong branches and weak branches" design in the Song Dynasty and the institutional contradictions faced by Wang Anshi's reform. It ultimately points to a core proposition - when the dynasty puts the prevention of internal strife above the defense of foreign aggression, the foreshadowing of its decline has been laid under the appearance of prosperity.

In 1793, the British Macartney mission returned from a visit to China without success, and public opinion in Europe was in an uproar. Many Europeans believed that the Qing court was arrogant and narrow-minded. However, the failure of the British mission did not stop all European countries from moving forward. In 1795, the Dutch East India Company sent a mission to China to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Emperor Qianlong's accession to the throne, thus starting one of the most interesting episodes in East-West relations in pre-modern history. Compared with the failure of the British Macartney Mission, the Dutch Mission was a great success and became the last European diplomatic mission to be officially received by the Chinese Emperor before the Opium War. The Dutch mission's visit caused widespread discussion in Europe. The author returns to the historical context at that time, explores the rich textures in cultural exchanges between East and West that are obscured by Western-centric narratives, and reflects on the traditional "cultural conflict theory." He pointed out that the "clash of cultures" narrative model still permeates the understanding of China and the West. Not all encounters between Europe and China are disastrous. Unlike the British mission, the Dutch mission has a deep understanding of Asia. They respect regional diplomatic norms and are committed to understanding China in their own way. The Dutch mission's visit to China in 1795 provided a new perspective on China and Sino-Western relations in the 18th century, helped us decisively break through the "cultural conflict" narrative, and opened a window for understanding China in the 18th century.

This book provides an in-depth analysis of the evolution of the power structure of the Ming Dynasty and the roots of institutional corruption. Taking Zhu Yuanzhang's dethronement of the prime minister as the starting point, this book reveals the struggle for agency between the cabinet and the Supervisor of Ceremonies under the monopoly of imperial power, the alienation of the vassal king from a military barrier to a financial burden, the tear between the ideals and reality of the civil service group, and the collapse of the financial system under the encroachment of the privileged class. Through nine chapters, it vividly shows how the Ming Dynasty gradually evolved into an arena where various forces competed for a share of the spoils in the "absolute security" system designed by Zhu Yuanzhang, and eventually led to a tragic journey of systemic corruption.

This book analyzes the 400-year history of power distribution in the Han Dynasty from a unique political game perspective. It compares the politics of the early Han Dynasty to a grand card game, vividly demonstrates how Liu Bang, as a "banker", dealt with "players" such as the hero group, princes and kings, and reveals the profound contradiction between the central and local governments under the "parallel system of prefectures and states". As the chapters progress, the work goes deeper into the centralization plot of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, the rise of the Confucian scholar group, the out-of-control land annexation, to the disputes between relatives and eunuchs in the Eastern Han Dynasty and the disasters of the party, and finally ends with the warlord separatism triggered by the Yellow Turban Uprising. It completely presents the entire process of the power structure of the Han Dynasty from establishment to disintegration, and profoundly explains the power of institutional design and benefit distribution to shape the fate of the dynasty.

Mr. Huang Yongnian is famous for his research on the history of the Tang Dynasty. He not only wrote many high-quality papers and monographs, pushing the study of Tang history to a higher level, but also devoted himself to popularizing the historical and cultural knowledge of the Tang Dynasty and wrote many popular books that are suitable for both refined and popular tastes. This book contains the author's four readings on the history and culture of the Tang Dynasty, including "Tang Taizong Li Shimin", "Old Book of Tang" and "New Book of Tang", "Chang'an in the Tang Dynasty", and "Dunhuang Thousand Buddha Caves". It presents the prosperous and open civilization of the Tang Dynasty from different aspects such as politics, documents, cities, and art. Concise and concise, with pictures and texts, it is an introductory book for general readers to understand the Tang Dynasty.

This book focuses on the decline history of the middle-ranking vassal state of Lu during the Spring and Autumn Period. "Lingchi" in the title of the book means "gradual decline". The reason why the state of Lu was chosen is, firstly, because it is the home state of Confucius, secondly, because it is the middle-level vassal state with the richest historical records, and thirdly, because it provides a typical case of the decline process of the middle-level vassal state in the Spring and Autumn Period. On the basis of sorting out the historical events of the political evolution of the State of Lu, this book focuses on the following questions: Why did the power of the monarch of the State of Lu gradually shift down to the ministers? How did the monarchs and ministers of Lu State resist in the face of internal and external pressure? How did Confucius, a scholar from the state of Lu, learn about the destiny of heaven and set out to practice the right way? How did the centralized military state of the Warring States Period grow out of the decentralized system of the Zhou Dynasty? This book provides a sincere exploration of the above issues and is worthy of reading by lovers of Spring and Autumn history and even traditional culture.

This book analyzes the evolution of China's fiscal system over two thousand years from the Qin and Han dynasties to the late Qing Dynasty from the perspective of modern economics. Taking the three dimensions of "land tax, currency, and official economy" as the axis, it reveals the deep connection between the rise and fall of past dynasties and the fiscal mechanism: Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty used salt, iron, official management, and currency monopoly to cope with war expenditures, but it hid hidden dangers of economic rigidity; the state ownership of land in the Tang Dynasty caused social chaos, and the financial reform in the Song Dynasty spawned hyperinflation; the Ming and Qing Dynasties focused on land tax, but missed the opportunity of the industrial revolution because of the isolation of the country. This book connects fiscal history with story-based narratives, pointing out that "state-owned enterprises, land control, and currency monopoly" constitute the core logic of traditional finance, and that the expansion of bureaucratic groups and institutional inertia will eventually bring down finance. This book is not only a history of China's fiscal system, but also a key to understanding the logic of national governance.

"Don't allow others to snore on the side of the bed!" Zhao Kuangyin's final declaration of annihilation of the Southern Tang Dynasty demonstrated his firm belief in the unification of the world. After thousands of years, it still carries the sound of wind and thunder. Zhang Mingyang uses the literary style of gratification and grudges, two main lines of north and south, and dual perspectives of Zhao Kuangyin and Li Yu to recreate the soul-stirring Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms: This is an epic epic that splits the continent and must be reunited after a long time. From Guo Wei, Chai Rong to Zhao Brothers, there are many heroes in the north, whether to "stop war with war" or "promote unification with peace", they are fighting at every step; from the Li family of the Southern Tang Dynasty to King Qian of Wu and Yue, the political power in the south is relatively peaceful, whether to fight to the death or to "accept land and surrender to the Song Dynasty", they are in a dilemma of survival. This is a cruel trial in troubled times where people are trapped and beasts still fight. Feng Dao went through four dynasties and was scolded as a "shameless person", but he also maintained the cultural heritage and people's livelihood; Han Xizai indulged in sensuality, but could not hide the painful struggle after his ideals were disillusioned; Qian Chu accepted the soil and surrendered to the Song Dynasty to protect the peace of Wu and Yue, but he was still worried about his own safety...

This is a collection of essays that examines the history of ancient Rome from natural science disciplines such as climatology, zoology, botany, and osteology. Walter Scheider, professor of history at Stanford University, brings together seven essays by historians, anthropologists, and geneticists who are at the forefront of the field. Their research results help reconstruct life in the ancient Roman world. They discuss climate change and its impact on the history of ancient Rome; build a biological archive with a rich record of human skeletal material, which preserves important information about health, nutrition, disease, work, and more; and show how ancient DNA can be used to track the spread of infectious diseases and the spread of livestock and crops with people.

This compilation selects important historical events of more than a hundred years in modern China, arranged in chronological order, to show the changing historical scene from the late Qing Dynasty to the Republic of China. From the beginning of modern history when Lin Zexu destroyed opium in Humen (1839), to the fall of the Qing Dynasty (1912) and the establishment of the Republic of China; from the rise of the Westernization Movement and attempts at reform, to the outbreak of the Boxer Rebellion (1900) and the invasion of China by the Eight-Power Allied Forces; to the overthrow of the monarchy by the Revolution of 1911 and the social unrest caused by warlords' melee. The book also includes the national awakening and heroic struggle during the Anti-Japanese War (1937 to 1945), as well as the conflicts and cooperation between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party. Finally, with the founding of New China in 1949 as the end point of the book, a series of threads are connected to witness the process of exploration and progress of the Chinese people in suffering, and finally ushered in national independence and liberation.

This is a guide that takes you through time and space to explore the real life details of ancient people. We always think that the days of the ancients are distant and mysterious, full of poetry or suffering. But their basic necessities of life actually contain a lot of fresh and interesting wisdom. This book will break your stereotypes about ancient life, start with the most ordinary daily life, and take you into the real world of the ancients.

This is a historical storybook describing the experience of Robert Fortune, an employee of the British Empire's East India Company, in China. The plot is very attractive and the writing style is like a novel. It tells the personal "adventure story" of Robert Fortune in an extremely exciting way. The core of Robert Fujun's story is that he relied on his botanical talent and strong interest to find excellent tea seeds in China, funded by the East India Company's business practices driven by interests and social needs.

"Illustrated Book of Ancient People's Life and Culture" is an interesting encyclopedia created by history blogger Langhua Jiang. The author starts from two clues: "daily life" and "culture", and scans the material life and spiritual world of ancient people in a multi-faceted way through 22 perspectives and more than a hundred exquisite pictures, including eating, eating meat, drinking wine, tasting tea, staying up late, spending money, surnames, nobles, prophecies, bronzes, jades, ancient buildings, etc. This book is called "Illustrated Book of Ancient People's Life and Culture" and is not a collection of specimens displaying ancient cultural relics. In the traditional sense, "illustrated books" refer to classification reference books in the scientific field that are mainly images and supplemented by text, such as the "Illustrated Book of Birds". But now the concept of "pictorial" has been expanded. This book continues the narrative gene of "Urban Illustrated Books" (such as Tokyo Women's Illustrated Book, Beijing Women's Illustrated Book), treating the ancients as living individuals struggling to survive in specific time and space. The book breaks users' single romantic imagination of ancient life and shows the real and complex living conditions of ancient people.

This is a unique set of Chinese history books that combines comics and text to make historical reading both interesting and educational. This book is the first volume in the series, covering a long historical period from ancient times to the Qin and Han Dynasties. Through this book, readers can easily grasp this magnificent historical context.

Taking enlightenment and elegance as the starting point, this book discusses the food, clothing, housing, transportation, thought and culture of the Song Dynasty. It tries to give a three-dimensional impression of the Song Dynasty and restore that era of open-mindedness and cultural prosperity from the Song Dynasty's simple and plain clothing trends, exquisite and elegant food culture, colorful entertainment life, the evolution of book printing, the pros and cons and innovations of the imperial examination system, tourism and people's hobbies in the Song Dynasty, and solar terms and customs.

Chongqing Daily is a collection of reports formed to explore Chongqing's revolutionary culture and inherit the red gene, by revisiting the places where the revolutionary martyrs once fought, using new perspectives, new discoveries, and new expressions to trace the origin of the original intention and interpret the power of faith. The manuscript outlines for us the great sacrifices and immortal achievements made by the revolutionary martyrs in the struggle to realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation for more than 100 years, who dared to pursue the truth, stand up to the tide, and were tenacious. Especially under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, they dared to think and work, were unyielding, risked their lives, and rose up again and again to build a new China.

The invention of writing is simple, to convey the human desire to be understood; the spread of writing is difficult, and a unified opinion must be continuously reached within the group. Cretan hieroglyphics, Linear A, Cypriot Minoan, Langlange, Egyptian hieroglyphics, cuneiform, Chinese characters, Mayan script, Harappan script... This book starts from nine mysterious ancient scripts, interprets the evolution of language and script, appreciates the ancient remaining scripts that are still undecipherable, and explores the immeasurable ability of human beings to create symbols and stories.

In the late Hongwu years of the early Ming Dynasty, Prince Zhu Biao suddenly passed away. The waning Zhu Yuanzhang succeeded to the throne for the emperor's grandson Zhu Yunwen, setting off a bloody purge of heroes. The "benevolent and weak" Emperor Jianwen insisted on reducing the vassal vassal, and the Yan King Zhu Di, who was dormant in Peiping, brazenly raised troops in the name of "Qingjun side", triggering the four-year Jingnan Campaign. This uncle-nephew duel, involving the collapse of the system and the game of human nature, finally shook the mountains and rivers with gold and iron horses, and rewrote the fate of the empire with the flames of Nanjing. How did the enfeoffment system produce negative consequences that could backfire on the country? Why were the literati ideals of Jianwen's New Deal no match for the cavalry of Yan and Fan? What kind of imperial anxiety was hidden behind Zheng He's seven voyages to the West? From the bloody emperor's magic in the Blue Jade Case to the rain of millions of arrows in the Baigou River, from the tug-of-war in the city of Jinan to the swan song of the slaying clan at the tip of Fang Xiaoru's pen, every move in the chess game of power hides the tearing and rebirth of civilization. This book shows the tragedy of idealists and the counterattack of pragmatists under autocratic imperial power through the life and death choices of generals and civil servants during the change of power and the rise of the eunuch group. This is not only a history of dynastic wars, but also an in-depth analysis of the legitimacy of power, institutional dilemmas and the struggle of human nature.

This book helps you quickly understand the Opium War, the beginning of modern history. From the pre-war confrontation between China and Britain, the opium trade, to Lin Zexu's smoking ban and the smoke of artillery fire; detailing the impact of the Treaty of Nanjing, tracing the reflections of "Opening Your Eyes to See the World", and the Second Opium War... The seven short essays outline the causes, processes and warnings of a century of national humiliation, inviting you to deeply understand the humiliation and awakening of modern China.

Travel through the thousand-year starry sky and reappear the true colors of heroes. Discuss the major events of the Three Kingdoms, carefully analyze the merits and demerits of the heroes, and summarize the successes and failures. In Yi Zhongtian's writings, we can see a more three-dimensional and realistic world of the Three Kingdoms, where there are no perfect heroes, only real people who work hard to move forward in troubled times.

This book records the author's various experiences and insights while working in the Japanese secret service, and reveals a large number of secrets about the activities of Japanese spies in China, such as the organization and activities of Japanese spies in China, the details of how Zhang Zuolin was killed, and how the Japanese exploited the people's wealth in China. The book denounces Japan's so-called "culture" and Japan's barbaric actions in China, and exposes various details of Japan's poisoning of the Chinese people. For example, shortly after the "September 18th" Incident, the entire Northeast was filled with "poison gas", and opium dens were opened in every street in major cities in the three northeastern provinces, thereby poisoning the Chinese people's bodies and spirits, and grabbing China's wealth. These details allow today's readers to deeply understand the ugly image of Japanese militarism and understand the aggressive ambitions of Japanese imperialists. After the book was published, the author was hated by the Japanese military, and a few years later, in 1943, he was killed by the Japanese army in Manila.

The Northern Song Dynasty had two outstanding features in Chinese history. First, it was an unprecedentedly prosperous economy and culture, and was known as a prosperous age; second, it was militarily weak, and was destroyed by the Jin Dynasty more than 160 years after its founding. The emergence of such a historical phenomenon is closely related to the national policy of "advocating culture and restraining military force" implemented in the Northern Song Dynasty. In view of the shortcomings of military dictatorship in the late Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties, Emperor Taizu of the Song Dynasty began to re-employ literati and restrain military generals. This policy was perfected by Taizong and Zhenzong. In the Renzong Dynasty, the policy of "advocating literature and suppressing military force" had reached its extreme, and scholars began to take charge of the army instead of military generals. Although Yingzong, Shenzong, and Zhezong tried to reverse the shortcomings of this policy, they were unable to reverse it. Eventually, Huizong and Qinzong were captured by the Jin people, and the Northern Song Dynasty was destroyed. The negative impact of the Northern Song Dynasty's implementation of the national policy of "advocating civility and restraining military force" was not only reflected in the Song Dynasty's always being weak in external relations, but also in the serious imbalance of civil-military relations in internal political operations, which led to the tragic fate of Yang Ye, Chen Yaozi, Wang Deyong, Zhang Kang, Liu Kai, Zhong Shiheng, Di Qing, Wang Shao and others. These flesh-and-blood cases reflected the fragility of the foundation of the Northern Song Dynasty, which ultimately led to the sad end of the prosperous Northern Song Dynasty.

This book outlines the six hundred years of the Forbidden City in a relaxed way. From the founding of Emperor Yongle, through the rise and fall of the Ming and Qing dynasties, the glory of the Kangxi and Qianlong dynasties, to the humiliation of the wars of the late Qing Dynasty, to the transformation from a palace to a museum, and the legend of the protection of cultural relics... The seven short essays condensedly present the architecture, characters and history of the palace, aiming to allow readers to quickly appreciate the vicissitudes of the Forbidden City's charm and rich heritage in the concept of "half an hour", and get started easily.

Based on the concept of "reading in half an hour", this book will guide you through a thousand-year picture of Tianjin from "Gu Shui Shang" to a modern city. From the establishment of the "Tianzi Jindu" garrison in the Ming Dynasty, the prosperity of water transportation in the Qing Dynasty, to the "Nine Nations Concession" and the pioneers of Westernization in modern times, to the storms of the Republic of China and the new life after liberation... The seven short articles connect the key nodes and unique charm, allowing you to easily grasp the legend and heritage of this famous city "Nine Rivers".

The Korean messengers are the collective name for a series of mission teams sent by the Joseon Dynasty to Japan from the 17th to the 19th century. This series of historical events is not only a direct manifestation of the cultural exchanges between Korea and Japan, but also reflects the profound impact of China, as an "absent presence", on the engagement etiquette, Confucian exchanges, knowledge exchanges, and literary competitions between the two countries using the messengers as the carrier. This book contains the latest research on issues related to North Korean messengers by scholars from China, Japan, and South Korea from different perspectives such as history, culture, and language. These articles use transnational, interdisciplinary, and cross-field research methods to present the various aspects of North Korean messenger activities from the perspective of East Asian cultural exchanges, thereby giving us a new understanding of the impact of Chinese civilization on East Asia in history.

This book is a masterpiece of Qin and Han historian Professor Wang Zijin's interpretation of "Historical Records". The author's unconventional interpretation method of "Historical Records" is not to follow the order of chronicles, tables, books, aristocratic families, and biographies, or to extract a certain part of "Historical Records" and explain it "step by step". Rather, it grasps the content and elements of "Historical Records" as a whole, comprehensively uses research techniques from history, archaeology, sociology, communication, psychology and other disciplines, selects interesting and realistically enlightening points, and then analyzes and explains them in conjunction with other historical materials. The point-to-point approach enables readers to understand the characteristics of the entire "Historical Records" and the historical situation of the Qin and Han Dynasties. It is a rare and good book for both professional researchers and history buffs!

At the beginning of the biography, why should we focus on the hermit? Why did the Taoist Lao Tzu, the Legalist Han Fei, and Sima Qian marry each other? Why did Liu Bang's nephew become a traitor to the Han Dynasty? Why did the fierce general Li Guang not become a marquis even when he was old? Is it difficult to be an official who abides by the rules and has a bottom line? ..."All Living Beings" is the third volume of "Chen Zhenghong's "Historical Records" series". According to the order of the seventy biographies in the current "Historical Records", it is divided into three volumes: "Hermits, sages and assassins in the Pre-Qin Dynasty", "Heroes, celebrities and traitors in the Qin and Han Dynasties" and "Under the Starry Sky, Seeing All Living Beings from Several Angle", which provides a detailed account of the events from the Pre-Qin Dynasty to the early Western Han Dynasty. The observation and analysis of this historical drama by various people full of historical wisdom not only more truly reflects the intention of "Historical Records" to "connect the past and the present", but also reflects the author's understanding and speculation on the shift in focus of Sima Qian's document compilation and historical compilation before and after the Li Ling incident.

The Yuan Dynasty was a unified dynasty established by Mongolian rulers in Chinese history. Focusing on the four aspects of clothing, food, housing and transportation, this book reveals a corner of social life in the Yuan Dynasty, leading readers to touch history, get closer to the Yuan Dynasty, and feel its distinctive and unique style of the times. The content of this book is extensive, the text is fluent and rigorous, and it has both historical documents and cultural relics that support each other. It can well enrich the readers' overall understanding of the society of the Yuan Dynasty.

"Stone House" is the nickname of the famous scholar Ma Xulun, and "Yucheng" means the remaining ink, which refers to the notes and miscellaneous talks other than formal works. "Remnants of the Stone House" and "Continuation of the Stone House" are a collection of Ma Xulun's two notes. In a relaxed and concise writing style, they record the author's past interactions, readings, travel experiences, and thoughts on the current situation. The content covers all aspects of personal anecdotes, political secrets, poetry and calligraphy, and interesting talks in the opera garden. It can be regarded as a masterpiece of notes in the Republic of China. This compilation and publication is based on the Jianwen Bookstore edition, carefully corrected, and sorted out from various newspaper serialized versions, adding more than 20,000 words of "relics" that have not been published in the book for the benefit of readers.