A Neighbourless Empire? The Forgotten Diplomatic Tradition of Imperial China

2012 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 245-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bjørnar Sverdrup-Thygeson
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Song Dynasty ◽  
Chinese Foreign Policy ◽  
State System ◽  
Diplomatic Relations ◽  
Chinese History ◽  
The Song Dynasty ◽  
Imperial China ◽  
State Relations

Summary In the diplomatic canon, where the field has been demarcated by a central distinction drawn between suzerain and parity-based state relations, Imperial China has squarely been designated to the former category, and thereby as inherently alien to the diplomatic tradition. However, this image of a monolithic 2000-year-long rigid, hierarchical system betrays a too shallow assessment of Chinese history, and fails to acknowledge a noteworthy strain of parity-based relations running through Imperial Chinese foreign policy. This strain was at its most pronounced during the four centuries of the Song Dynasty, where China’s relations with a set of important neighbouring states were handled on egalitarian terms that were far more reminiscent of a full-fledged diplomatic multi-state system than what is popularly acknowledged. Based on a case study of the diplomatic relations of the Song Dynasty, this article argues that Imperial Chinese foreign policy on a set of occasions showed itself to adhere to principles immanent to classical diplomacy, and that these eras thus should naturally, and beneficially, belong to the historical canon of diplomacy.

An Economic Cycle in Imperial China? Revisiting Robert Hartwell on Iron and Coal

2007 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 398-423 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tim Wright
Keyword(s):  
Song Dynasty ◽  
Iron Production ◽  
Chinese History ◽  
Global History ◽  
Economic Cycle ◽  
Secondary Sources ◽  
The Song Dynasty ◽  
Production And Consumption ◽  
Imperial China ◽  
Per Capita

AbstractRobert Hartwell's article published in 1967 in this journal has had an extensive influence in both Chinese and global history. The present article reviews the reception and use made of Hartwell's arguments by secondary sources over the last forty years. It focuses on three aspects: the Song economic revolution; Hartwell's quantitative estimate for iron production; and Hartwell's proposition that coal and iron production and consumption peaked in the Song dynasty, at least on a per capita basis. It argues that a consistent set of estimates are needed for coal and iron development over the last thousand years of imperial Chinese history. En 1967 Robert Hartwell publia un article dans ce journal qui a fortement influencé l'historiographie chinoise et mondiale. Cette contribution passe en revue l'acceptation et l'utilisation des arguments de Hartwell qu'on trouve dans les sources secondaires parues depuis quarante ans. Elle traite surtout de trois aspects de sa thèse, la révolution économique sous les Song; l'estimation quantitative de la production de fer, et la proposition qui veut que la production et la consommation du charbon et du fer par tête furent maximales sous la dynastie Song. La contribution témoigne de la nécessité de disposer d'une série cohérente d'estimations traitant du développement du charbon et du fer durant le dernier millénium de l'histoire de la Chine impériale.

Connecting with the Local, or Not: The Song Emperor’s Terrace

2020 ◽  
pp. 89-119
Author(s):  
Helena Y.W. Wu
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Everyday Life ◽  
Thirteenth Century ◽  
Song Dynasty ◽  
Filial Piety ◽  
Cultural Icon ◽  
The Song Dynasty ◽  
Imperial China ◽  
Late Nineteenth

By taking the Song Emperor’s Terrace as the main object of analysis, Chapter 4 takes a step into history. The Terrace was once a popular cultural icon, for that it was valorized as a rock that stood witness to the royal visit paid to Hong Kong by the last two Song emperors at the end of the Song Dynasty in the thirteenth century—because of this event, the terrace became an oft-cited chanting object among the émigré-literati who fled China to Hong Kong during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. To vent frustration at the loss of their home(land), nostalgia for ancient (Imperial) China and adherence to virtues such as loyalty and filial piety, the Terrace became a place of gathering for these literati in everyday life and an object that frequently appeared in their creative works, ranging from verses, calligraphy to paintings. With an eye to the special bond between the émigré-literati and the rock and David Der-wei Wang’s notion of “post-loyalism”, this chapter challenges the presumed collectivity of this literati community by unfolding their varying political aspirations, worldviews and connections to “Hong Kong” through the relationships they constructed with the rock.

Women Rulers in Imperial China

NAN Nü ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 179-218 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keith McMahon
Keyword(s):  
Song Dynasty ◽  
Tang Dynasty ◽  
Extreme Case ◽  
Han Dynasty ◽  
The Song Dynasty ◽  
Women Rulers ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Tang Dynasty ◽  
Imperial China

“Women Rulers in Imperial China”is about the history and characteristics of rule by women in China from the Han dynasty to the Qing, especially focusing on the Tang dynasty ruler Wu Zetian (625-705) and the Song dynasty Empress Liu. The usual reason that allowed a woman to rule was the illness, incapacity, or death of her emperor-husband and the extreme youth of his son the successor. In such situations, the precedent was for a woman to govern temporarily as regent and, when the heir apparent became old enough, hand power to him. But many women ruled without being recognized as regent, and many did not hand power to the son once he was old enough, or even if they did, still continued to exert power. In the most extreme case, Wu Zetian declared herself emperor of her own dynasty. She was the climax of the long history of women rulers. Women after her avoided being compared to her but retained many of her methods of legitimization, such as the patronage of art and religion, the use of cosmic titles and vocabulary, and occasional gestures of impersonating a male emperor. When women ruled, it was an in-between time when notions and language about something that was not supposed to be nevertheless took shape and tested the limits of what could be made acceptable.

scholarly journals On the Norm Memes in English Translation of Classics—A Case Study of the Translation of the Works by Jiangxi Native Literati in the Song Dynasty

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 629
Author(s):  
Yuying Li ◽  
Wandi Hu
Keyword(s):  
English Translation ◽  
Song Dynasty ◽  
Chinese Culture ◽  
Jiangxi Province ◽  
Translation Strategies ◽  
The Song Dynasty ◽  
Professional Norms ◽  
Tang And Song Dynasties ◽  
Chinese Classic

With the convening of the 19th NCCPC and at the call of “Building stronger cultural confidence and helping socialist culture to flourish.” the going global of Chinese cultural classics has gained increasing importance. Jiangxi Province is the birthplace of literati and scholars throughout the ages, especially in the Song Dynasty. Among the Eight Great Literati of the Tang and Song Dynasties three were JX natives. Therefore, the study on the English translation of the classic works by them would be of great academic and practical values as well as significance for popularization. Taking Chesterman’s Translation Memetics as the guidance and from the aspects of Expectancy Norms and Professional Norms, the study analyses and explores the translation strategies and skills of Chinese classic, in the hope to contribute the author’s pygmy to the translation and spread of traditional Chinese culture.

scholarly journals China in Latin America in the 21st century

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 24-34
Author(s):  
M. Santoro
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Latin America ◽  
The United States ◽  
Chinese Foreign Policy ◽  
Strategic Partnership ◽  
Dynamic Changes ◽  
Chinese Policy ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Trade And Investment

In the last two decades, China became a major economic force in Latin America, due to trade and investment, and it established strong links with the countries in the region, including a strategic partnership with Brazil. However, Chinese influence is also provoking concerns in the United States, while the latter is trying to curb Beijing’s role in Latin America. This paper analyzes China’s actions in the region and the American response, using Brazil as a case-study environment because of its importance for the Chinese foreign policy and its current president, who adopted a pro-Trump foreign policy and a rhetoric that is very critical of Beijing. The author begins by analyzing China’s strategy towards Latin America presenting a historical outlook of major events thereto, particularly underscoring both growth and diversification of the Chinese investments in the last decade. The author then proceeds to analyzing current position of the U.S. towards Chinese actions in Latin America, additionally highlighting major U.S. concerns thereto. The final part of the paper represents a case-study of Chinese policy towards Brazil and correspondent Brasília’s position on the subject concerned. It is noted that close-term prospects are complicated to draw due to the dynamic changes in the international scenario, with the deterioration of the Washington-Beijing relations, and the cross-pressures that these disputes will bring to Brazil.

To Negotiate or Not-to Negotiate with the FDLR Rebels? President Kikwete and Tanzania’s Foreign Policy towards Rwanda (2013–2015)

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-22
Author(s):  
Nicodemus Minde
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Addis Ababa ◽  
Policy Decision ◽  
Foreign Policy Analysis ◽  
Political Actors ◽  
Policy Decision Making ◽  
State Relations ◽  
Traditional Approaches

Abstract This article challenges traditional approaches to inter-state relations and reinforces the actor-specific nature of foreign policy analysis. Using individual decision-making theory based on the personalities of key political actors, this article proposes a case study on the foreign policy decision outcome by Tanzania’s President Jakaya Kikwete, in response to the 2013 diplomatic row with Rwanda. Tanzania’s relations with Rwanda have historically been cordial. However, President Kikwete’s proposal for Rwanda to negotiate with the rebel group Forces Démocratiques pour la Libération du Rwanda (FDLR) at the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa in 2013 was not well received by Rwanda. The FDLR is a Hutu rebel outfit based in Eastern DRC, consisting of surviving Hutus who had fled into DRC, after the 1994 genocide. This article argues that in view of the diplomatic row that ensued, Kikwete’s response supports current theories on the role played by a key political actor’s personality in the foreign policy decision-making process.

scholarly journals Technical Studies and Replication of Guan Ware, an Ancient Chinese Ceramic

MRS Bulletin ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li Jiazhi ◽  
Deng Zequn ◽  
Xu Jiming
Keyword(s):  
Song Dynasty ◽  
North China ◽  
Zhejiang Province ◽  
Chinese History ◽  
Southern Song Dynasty ◽  
The Song Dynasty ◽  
Southern Song ◽  
Technical Studies

When North China was invaded in 1127, the emperor of the Song dynasty moved the capital to Lin'an (now called Hangzhou) in Zhejiang Province southeast of Shanghai. He established the Southern Song dynasty (1127–1279 a.d.), known as a period of cultural flowering and stability in Chinese history. Several years later, official kilns were built by court officials to meet the need for the porcelains required for use at the Southern Song palace.

scholarly journals Persepsi Suharto dan Perubahan Kebijakan Luar Negeri Indonesia terhadap Cina pada Awal Orde Baru

2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-42
Author(s):  
Hafid Adim Pradana
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Policy Change ◽  
Diplomatic Relations ◽  
Leadership Change ◽  
Specific Research ◽  
Foreign Policies ◽  
Perception Theory ◽  
Foreign Policy Change

Leadership change from Sukarno to Suharto had given impact to Indonesia foreignpolicies. One of many changes of Indonesia foreign policies in Suharto regime is the severance ofdiplomatic relations with China. This paper aim to explain the Indonesia’s foreign policy change inthat time, especially the severance of diplomatic relations with China in 1967. Despite it becomes ahistorical relic, a case study of Indonesia’s foreign policy under Suharto remains important sincethere have been no specific research focusing on the severance of diplomatic relations betweenIndonesia and China. Using Perception Theory from Ole R. Holsti as the tool of analysis, thispaper concludes that the deteriorating relations between Indonesia and China in 1967 wasinfluenced by Suharto’s perception considered that China is a threat to Indonesia following theattempted coup in 1965.Keywords: Suharto’s perception, Indonesia’s foreign policy, China

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