About the book
While cultural literacy in early China was grounded in learning the Classics, basic competence in official life was generally predicated on acquiring several forms of technical knowledge. Recent archaeological finds have brought renewed attention to the use of technical manuals and mantic techniques within a huge range of discrete contexts, pushing historians to move beyond the generalities offered by past scholarship. To explore these uses, Technical Arts in the Han Histories delves deeply into the rarely studied \"Treatises\" and \"Tables\" compiled for the first two standard histories, the Shiji (Historical Records) and Hanshu (History of Han), important supplements to the better-known biographical chapters, and models for the inclusion of technical subjects in the twenty-three later \"Standard Histories\" of imperial China. Indeed, for a great many aspects of life in early imperial society, they constitute our best primary sources for understanding complex realities and perceptions. The essays in this volume seek to explain how different social groups thought of, disseminated, and withheld technical knowledge relating to the body, body politic, and cosmos, in the process of detailing the preoccupations of successive courts from Qin through Eastern Han in administering the localities, the frontier zones, and their numerous subjects (at the time, roughly one-quarter of the world's population).
Editions of Technical Arts in the Han Histories
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9781438485430
- Paperback
- ISBN 9781438485423
- PDF
- ISBN 9781438485447
Read an Excerpt
While cultural literacy in early China was grounded in learning the Classics, basic competence in official life was generally predicated on acquiring several forms of technical knowledge. Recent archaeological finds have brought renewed attention to the use of technical manuals and mantic techniques within a huge range of discrete contexts, pushing historians to move beyond the generalities offered by past scholarship. To explore these uses, Technical Arts in the Han Histories delves deeply into the rarely studied \"Treatises\" and \"Tables\" compiled for the first two standard histories, the Shiji (Historical Records) and Hanshu (History of Han), important supplements to the better-known biographical chapters, and models for the inclusion of technical subjects in the twenty-three later \"Standard Histories\" of imperial China. Indeed, for a great many aspects of life in early imperial society, they constitute our best primary sources for understanding complex realities and perceptions. The essays in this volume seek to explain how different social groups thought of, disseminated, and withheld technical knowledge relating to the body, body politic, and cosmos, in the process of detailing the preoccupations of successive courts from Qin through Eastern Han in administering the localities, the frontier zones, and their numerous subjects (at the time, roughly one-quarter of the world's population).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Technical Arts in the Han Histories about?
While cultural literacy in early China was grounded in learning the Classics, basic competence in official life was generally predicated on acquiring several forms of technical knowledge. Recent archaeological finds have brought renewed attention to the use of technical manuals and mantic techniques within a huge range of discrete contexts, pushing historians to move beyond the generalities offered by past scholarship. To explore these uses, Technical Arts in the Han Histories delves deeply into the rarely studied \"Treatises\" and \"Tables\" compiled for the first two standard histories, the Shiji (Historical Records) and Hanshu (History of Han), important supplements to the better-known biographical chapters, and models for the inclusion of technical subjects in the twenty-three later \"Standard Histories\" of imperial China. Indeed, for a great many aspects of life in early imperial society, they constitute our best primary sources for understanding complex realities and perceptions. The essays in this volume seek to explain how different social groups thought of, disseminated, and withheld technical knowledge relating to the body, body politic, and cosmos, in the process of detailing the preoccupations of successive courts from Qin through Eastern Han in administering the localities, the frontier zones, and their numerous subjects (at the time, roughly one-quarter of the world's population).
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Technical Arts in the Han Histories?
History and Archaeology > History > Asian history
Where can I read a sample of Technical Arts in the Han Histories?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781438485430
How long is Technical Arts in the Han Histories and how many pages does it have?
Technical Arts in the Han Histories has 426 page(s)
Is Technical Arts in the Han Histories part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?
Yes it is a part of series SUNY series in Chinese Philosophy and Culture
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Technical Arts in the Han Histories?
Mark Csikszentmihalyi
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Technical Arts in the Han Histories is available as hardcover(ISBN 9781438485430) and paperback(ISBN 9781438485423) and pdf(ISBN 9781438485447)
Where can I buy Technical Arts in the Han Histories online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Technical Arts in the Han Histories from below
Where can I buy Technical Arts in the Han Histories?