DOCSLIB.ORG

Historical Evolution of Urban Water Conservancy Projects in Xidan

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Historical Evolution of Urban Water Conservancy Projects in Xidan 2173 © 2021 The Authors Water Supply | 21.5 | 2021 Historical evolution of urban water conservancy projects in Xi’an, China in the past 3,000 years and its revelations Wei Zhou, Junrui Chai, Zengguang Xu, Yixuan Wang, Kewu Wei and Yungang Dang ABSTRACT Xi’an has a special historical position in ancient China, and it has made great achievements in water Wei Zhou Junrui Chai (corresponding author) conservancy projects in all dynasties. The water network skeleton formed mainly by the ‘Eight Waters’ in Zengguang Xu ’ ‘ Yixuan Wang the territory, along with the historical changes of Xi an, has experienced the Lantian ape-man living by State Key Laboratory of Eco-Hydraulics in the water’, the Western Zhou Fenghao ‘two capitals along the Fenghe River’,andtheQinXianyangcity Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi’an University of Technology, ‘capitalpassedbyWeiheriver’. Developments and changes such as the ‘diversion of water to develop Xi’an 710048, China the capital’ in Chang’an in the Western Han Dynasty, the ‘capital be ringed by eight rivers’ in Chang’an in E-mail: [email protected] ‘ ’ the Sui and Tang Dynasties, reduced water from the end of the Tang Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty, and Wei Zhou the ‘coordinated supply’ after the founding of the People’s Republic of China. After sorting out the Kewu Wei Yungang Dang system,itisbelievedthatthe‘Eight Waters’ in the territory are the original driving force for the flourishing Shanxi Province Institute of Water Resources and Electric Power Investigation and Design, Chang’an in history. From ancient times to the present, with the development of industry, there has Xi’an 710001, China been a trend that human settlements and rivers are farther away. Urban water supply has shifted from groundwater sources to surface water sources. This article investigates the evolution of water conservancy projects in Xi’an from the Paleolithic Age to the present, and studies the relationship between human production and life and water resources. The changing law and development trend of the water supply structure in Xi’an urban area in modern times are analyzed. We have summarized the enlightenment left to us by the practice of water conservancy projects for thousands of years. This paper provides references for the development and planning of water resources in similar cities. Key words | drainage, water diversion, water source engineering, water supply, water transfer HIGHLIGHTS • Water supply methods and water conservancy facilities over thousands of years are summarized. • The variation of water supply in Xi’an urban area in recent decades is investigated. • The development trend of Xi’an’s water supply in the future is analyzed. INTRODUCTION Xi’an, known as ‘Chang’an’ and ‘Haojing’ in ancient times, ancient civilizations, and the starting point of the ancient is the capital of Shaanxi Province, one of the world’s four Silk Road. Xi’an is a historical and cultural city with the richest cultural connotations, the most profound cultural This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative heritage, and the most complete preservation of the ancient Commons Attribution Licence (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), which permits copying city system in the world. It has more than 7,000 years of civi- and redistribution for non-commercial purposes with no derivatives, provided the original work is properly cited (http://creativecommons.org/ lization history, more than 3,100 years of history of the city, licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). and more than 1,100 years of history as a capital. Located in doi: 10.2166/ws.2021.043 Downloaded from http://iwaponline.com/ws/article-pdf/21/5/2173/919798/ws021052173.pdf by guest on 27 September 2021 2174 W. Zhou et al. | Historical and revelations of water source project in Xi’an Water Supply | 21.5 | 2021 the middle of the Guanzhong Plain, with Qinling Mountains Bahe River began their cultural creation. According to in the south and Weihe river in the north, the four seasons archaeological research, the Lantian ape-man of Gongwan- are distinct. Since ancient times, Xi’an has been known as gling Mountain reached 1.1 million years ago (Nianhai & ‘Eight Waters Around Chang’an’; ‘Eight Waters’ of Jinghe, Xianzhi ), and this should be one of the earliest active Weihe, Chanhe, Bahe, Juehe, Haohe, Fenghe and Laohe areas of the Chinese nation. In the Stone Age, human rivers. In addition, Zaohe and Xiaohe spatially formed the beings survived only with the products endowed by the natu- water network skeleton in Xi’an. For thousands of years, ral environment. They mainly lived by collecting wild fruits, the ‘eight waters’ have flowed, not only nourishing and nur- hunting and fishing. Constrained by nature and under the turing the people of the ancient city, but also contributing to pressure of survival, humans must live near water to solve Xi’an politics, economy, culture, and society. It has had a water sources, food, and even stones. profound impact in many ways. In the Neolithic period, humans could not dig wells for With the continuous expansion of ‘Greater Xi’an’ city water, so it was impossible to stay away from rivers. The scale and rapid population increase, at the end of 2017, water in the river fluctuates and the living area is closer to the total area was 10,752 km2, the population was 12 the river, so it is more convenient to get water, but if it is million, and the per capita water consumption was too close to the river, it will inevitably be washed away 197.9 m3/person (Shaanxi Provincial Water Resources when the water rises. People in the Neolithic period used Bulletin ), accounting for 82% of the province’s per the second-level terraces near the river as their residence, capita water consumption and for 45% of the country’s which should be a rule of experience gained over a long per capita water consumption, which is a typical resource- period of time. The most numerous Neolithic cultural sites scarce city. So, where is the water source that helped Chan- have been discovered along the Bahe and Chanhe Rivers. g’an flourish in history? What kind of water source changes The sites along the Chanhe River are located on the east did it experience afterwards? What is the enlightenment and west banks, while the Bahe River is limited to the east from the historical evolution of water conservancy projects? bank (see Figure 1 for details). In addition, there are also What enlightenment can we learn? This article aims to Neolithic cultural sites found near the Weihe, Fenghe, and explore these issues and obtain useful enlightenment. Laohe river tributaries of the Weihe River that flow down Due to Xi’an’s geographical location and its special histori- from the Qinling Mountains in downtown Xi’an, as well as cal position as a long-term political, economic, and cultural the pond and lakes along the river (Nianhai & Xianzhi center in ancient China, all dynasties have made great contri- ). Primitive humans ‘living by water’ objectively pro- butions to water conservancy. Combing its achievements, it vided very convenient conditions for frequent contacts and can be derived from the ‘living by water’ of Lantian ape- cultural exchanges among settlements in the river network. man, ‘Two capitals along the Fenghe river’ by Fenghao in Wes- tern Zhou Dynasty, ‘Capital passed by Weihe river’ in Historical evolution of urban water conservancy Xianyang City of Qin Dynasty, ‘Prosperous capital’ of Chan- projects g’an in the Western Han Ddynasty; ‘Capital be ringed by eight rivers’ of Chang’an in Sui and Tang Dynasties, ‘Reduced Xi’an was the ancient capital of 13 dynasties, including the water’ after the abandoned city, and the ‘coordinated supply’ Western Zhou, Qin, Western Han, New Dynasty, Former after the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Zhao, Former Qin, Later Qin, Western Wei, Northern Zhou, Sui Dynasty, Tang Dynasty, Eastern Han Dynasty and Western Jin Dynasty, with a history of 1,140 years. HISTORICAL EVOLUTION The transformation of the ancient capital in the thirteen Lantian ape-man’s ‘living by water’ dynasties is a history of the evolution of water conservancy projects, among which urban water conservancy projects in The primitive humans ‘lived by the water’; as early as the the Western Zhou, Qin, Western Han, Sui and Tang dynas- Paleolithic age, the Lantian ape-men on the terraces of the ties are typical. In addition, the water conservancy projects Downloaded from http://iwaponline.com/ws/article-pdf/21/5/2173/919798/ws021052173.pdf by guest on 27 September 2021 2175 W. Zhou et al. | Historical and revelations of water source project in Xi’an Water Supply | 21.5 | 2021 Figure 1 | Distribution of Yangshao cultural sites in the Chanba two rivers basin (screen from ‘Xi’an Banpo’)(Jun 2000). after the abandonment of the capital are in the same line as Xiqi. King Wen and King Wu established Fengjing and the destiny of the city, and appear weak and unsustainable. Haojing on the west and east banks of the Fenghe River respectively, establishing the Western Zhou Dynasty. Since ‘Two capitals along the Fenghe River’ by Fenghao in then, Xi’an began its historical structure as the political, Western Zhou Dynasty economic and cultural center of ancient China, and began its glorious history of building the capital of thirteen emper- In the 11th century BC, people from the Zhou Dynasty ors (Si ). entered the Fenghe River basin on the south bank of the Fengjing and Haojing in the Western Zhou Dynasty Weihe River in the central part of the Guanzhong from were the earliest twin cities in the world.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Chapter 5 Sinicization and Indigenization: the Emergence of the Yunnanese
    Between Winds and Clouds Bin Yang Chapter 5 Sinicization and Indigenization: The Emergence of the Yunnanese Introduction As the state began sending soldiers and their families, predominantly Han Chinese, to Yunnan, 1 the Ming military presence there became part of a project of colonization. Soldiers were joined by land-hungry farmers, exiled officials, and profit-driven merchants so that, by the end of the Ming period, the Han Chinese had become the largest ethnic population in Yunnan. Dramatically changing local demography, and consequently economic and cultural patterns, this massive and diverse influx laid the foundations for the social makeup of contemporary Yunnan. The interaction of the large numbers of Han immigrants with the indigenous peoples created a 2 new hybrid society, some members of which began to identify themselves as Yunnanese (yunnanren) for the first time. Previously, there had been no such concept of unity, since the indigenous peoples differentiated themselves by ethnicity or clan and tribal affiliations. This chapter will explore the process that led to this new identity and its reciprocal impact on the concept of Chineseness. Using primary sources, I will first introduce the indigenous peoples and their social customs 3 during the Yuan and early Ming period before the massive influx of Chinese immigrants. Second, I will review the migration waves during the Ming Dynasty and examine interactions between Han Chinese and the indigenous population. The giant and far-reaching impact of Han migrations on local society, or the process of sinicization, that has drawn a lot of scholarly attention, will be further examined here; the influence of the indigenous culture on Chinese migrants—a process that has won little attention—will also be scrutinized.
    [Show full text]
  • Dressing for the Times: Fashion in Tang Dynasty China (618-907)
    Dressing for the Times: Fashion in Tang Dynasty China (618-907) BuYun Chen Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY 2013 © 2013 BuYun Chen All rights reserved ABSTRACT Dressing for the Times: Fashion in Tang Dynasty China (618-907) BuYun Chen During the Tang dynasty, an increased capacity for change created a new value system predicated on the accumulation of wealth and the obsolescence of things that is best understood as fashion. Increased wealth among Tang elites was paralleled by a greater investment in clothes, which imbued clothes with new meaning. Intellectuals, who viewed heightened commercial activity and social mobility as symptomatic of an unstable society, found such profound changes in the vestimentary landscape unsettling. For them, a range of troubling developments, including crisis in the central government, deep suspicion of the newly empowered military and professional class, and anxiety about waste and obsolescence were all subsumed under the trope of fashionable dressing. The clamor of these intellectuals about the widespread desire to be “current” reveals the significant space fashion inhabited in the empire – a space that was repeatedly gendered female. This dissertation considers fashion as a system of social practices that is governed by material relations – a system that is also embroiled in the politics of the gendered self and the body. I demonstrate that this notion of fashion is the best way to understand the process through which competition for status and self-identification among elites gradually broke away from the imperial court and its system of official ranks.
    [Show full text]
  • Southeast Asia
    SOUTHEAST ASIA Shang Dynasty Zhou Dynasty ● Time of emergence: 1766 BC ● Time of emergence: 1046-256 BCE ● Time they were at their peak:1350 BC ● Divided into 2 different periods (Western Zhou: ● Time they were around: 1766-1122 BC 1046-771 BCE)(Eastern Zhou: 770-256 BCE) ● Time of fall: 1122 BC ● They were around for 8 centuries (800+ years) ● Time of fall: 256 BCE GEOGRAPHIC IMPACT ON SOCIETY Shang Dynasty Zhou Dynasty The Shang Dynasty controlled the North China Plain, which ● They were located west of Shang Dynasty however after corresponds to the modern day Chinese provinces of Anhui, Hebei, conquering Shang Dynasty, their borders extended as far Henan, Shandong, and Shanxi. The area that those of the Shang south as chang Jiang river and east to the Yellow sea. Dynasty lived in, under the Yellow River Valley, gave them water as These body of waters provided fertile soil for good farming well as fertile soil which helped their civilization thrive. Natural borders, and their trading increased. ● Present day location: Xi’an in Shaanxi near the Wei river such as mountains, also protected the area, making it easier to protect. and confluence of the Yellow river The Yellow River also made it easy for the people that lived there to ● They were not geographically isolated from other obtain a steady supply of water. civilizations ● They were exposed to large bodies of water POLITICAL SYSTEM AND IMPACT ON SOCIETY government Shang Dynasty Zhou Dynasty The Shang Dynasty was ruled by a ● The Zhou Dynasty ruled with a confucian social hierarchy hereditary monarchy, in which the ● The citizens were expected to follow the rules and values of confucianism government wa controlled by the king Organization: mainly, and the line of rule descended ● Had the “mandate of heaven” through the family.
    [Show full text]
  • Day 2 Day 3 Day 1
    Xi’AN Back to the heyday of the Tang Dynasty Location of Xi’an Xi’an is known as Chang’an in ancient times. Having served as the capital of thirteen dynasties, this city is one of the most important places to study and review the history of China. The Tang Dynasty was the pinnacle of China’s history, a period marked by great urbanism and cultural magnificence. As the capital of the Tang Dynasty, Xi’an was the centre of Eastern civilisation. Its importance was comparable to that of Rome in the West. Xi’an’s Tang Dynasty monuments are the most famous of all, and beyond that, the city is committed to recreating the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty. Nowadays, in Xi’an, it is no longer an unattainable dream to travel back in time to the Tang Dynasty. What’s hot Shaanxi History Museum The Shaanxi History Museum is one of the four major museums in China. Its extensive collection of artefacts showcase 1.5 million years of Shaanxi’s history. The third gallery features the culture of the Tang Dynasty as well as artefacts from both the Sui and Tang Dynasties, while the fourth gallery displays a collection of gold and silver artefacts from the Tang Dynasty unearthed in Hejiacun Village. The “Treasure of the Museum”—Agate Cup with Beast’s Head Carving is a superbly crafted jade carving with chic colour. One can also visit the Treasures Gallery and the Tang Dynasty Mural Treasures Gallery of the museum. 91 Xiaozhai East Road, Xiaozhai Commercial Street, Yanta District, Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province, China Take Xi’an Metro Line 1 or 2 and get off at Xiaozhai Station, the museum will be reach from north-east exit.
    [Show full text]
  • Local Authority in the Han Dynasty: Focus on the Sanlao
    Local Authority in the Han Dynasty: Focus on the Sanlao Jiandong CHEN 㱩ڎ暒 School of International Studies Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences University of Technology Sydney Australia A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy University of Technology Sydney Sydney, Australia 2018 Certificate of Original Authorship I certify that the work in this thesis has not previously been submitted for a degree nor has it been submitted as part of requirements for a degree except as fully acknowledged within the text. I also certify that the thesis has been written by me. Any help that I have received in my research work and the preparation of the thesis itself has been acknowledged. In addition, I certify that all information sources and literature used are indicated in the thesis. This thesis is the result of a research candidature conducted with another University as part of a collaborative Doctoral degree. Production Note: Signature of Student: Signature removed prior to publication. Date: 30/10/2018 ii Acknowledgements The completion of the thesis would not have been possible without the help and support of many people. Firstly, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my supervisor, Associate Professor Jingqing Yang for his continuous support during my PhD study. Many thanks for providing me with the opportunity to study at the University of Technology Sydney. His patience, motivation and immense knowledge guided me throughout the time of my research. I cannot imagine having a better supervisor and mentor for my PhD study. Besides my supervisor, I would like to thank the rest of my thesis committee: Associate Professor Chongyi Feng and Associate Professor Shirley Chan, for their insightful comments and encouragement; and also for their challenging questions which incited me to widen my research and view things from various perspectives.
    [Show full text]
  • 4 Days 3 Nights Xi'an / Terracotta Army ~西安/兵马俑
    No 22 A (B) Jalan SJ6, Taman Selayang Jaya, 68100 Batu Caves, Selangor. Office: +603-6127 0508 Fax: +603- 6128 0507 E-mail: [email protected] Website : www.dailyholidays.com.my 4 Days 3 Nights Xi’an / Terracotta Army ~西安 /兵马俑 DAY 1 Arrival Xi’an (-) 第 1 天 抵达西安 （-） • Transfer to hotel and check in 接机后，入住酒店 DAY 2 Xi’an (B) 第 2 天 西安 （早餐） • Shaanxi History Museum Closed on every Monday 陕西历史博物馆（周一闭馆 |） • SAGA Shopping Mall 西安赛格国际商业中心 • Outside Visit Wild Goose Pagoda 外观大雁塔 • Music Fountain Plaza 大雁塔音乐喷泉广场 • South Lake scenic area 南湖风景区 • Da Tang all day Mall 大唐不夜城 DAY 3 Xi’an (B) 第 3 天 西安 （早餐） • Terracotta Army 兵马俑+电瓶车 • Small Wild Goose Pagoda 小雁塔 • Outside View Ancient City Wall 外观城墙 • Yongxingfang 舌尖上的陕西“永兴坊美食一条街” DAY 4 Xi’an – Departure Xi’an (B) 第 4 天 西安 – 启程回国（早餐） • Daming Palace 大明宫遗址 (含门票+电瓶车+大明宫传奇 3D 电影) • Drum tower square 钟鼓楼广场 • Muslim Street 回民一条街 • Transfer to airport 送往机场 *Sequence of itinerary subject to local arrangement* *Image Shown are for illustration purposes only* Travelling Period : 01 MAR 2020 – 31 DEC 2020 Ground Arrangement – MYR (Per Person) Extension Night Hotel (Room / Night) or similar class | 或同级 (Adult/Child With Bed) Without Airport Transfer Single / Single Triple 2 3 - 4 5 - 6 7 - 8 Twin Supp Room Room Xi’an : Vienna Hotel Local 3* 西安: 维也纳酒店或同级 1370 1125 1050 950 320 230 345 Xi’an : Rizen Hotel Local 4* 西安: 丽呈酒店或同级 1545 1355 1225 1165 375 270 405 Peak Season Surcharge (01-05 MAY 2020, 22-31 MAY 2020, 01-08 OCT RM 80/Pax 2020, 21-31 DEC 2020) Optional Tour 唐歌舞表演 + 书画院一条街 RMB 200/PAX NO SHOPPING
    [Show full text]
  • Sunrise and Sunset Azimuths in the Planning of Ancient Chinese Towns Amelia Carolina Sparavigna
    Sunrise and Sunset Azimuths in the Planning of Ancient Chinese Towns Amelia Carolina Sparavigna To cite this version: Amelia Carolina Sparavigna. Sunrise and Sunset Azimuths in the Planning of Ancient Chinese Towns. International Journal of Sciences, Alkhaer, UK, 2013, 2 (11), pp.52-59. 10.18483/ijSci.334. hal- 02264434 HAL Id: hal-02264434 https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-02264434 Submitted on 8 Aug 2019 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. 1Department of Applied Science and Technology, Politecnico di Torino, Italy Abstract: In the planning of some Chinese towns we can see an evident orientation with the cardinal direction north-south. However, other features reveal a possible orientation with the directions of sunrise and sunset on solstices too, as in the case of Shangdu (Xanadu), the summer capital of Kublai Khan. Here we discuss some other examples of a possible solar orientation in the planning of ancient towns. We will analyse the plans of Xi’an, Khanbalik and Dali. Keywords: Satellite Imagery, Orientation, Archaeoastronomy, China 1. Introduction different from a solar orientation with sunrise and Recently we have discussed a possible solar sunset directions.
    [Show full text]
  • Examination of Urban Landscape Aesthetics Through Mapping Using Geotagged Social Media Data from Flickr
    Current Urban Studies, 2021, 9, 66-82 https://www.scirp.org/journal/cus ISSN Online: 2328-4919 ISSN Print: 2328-4900 Examination of Urban Landscape Aesthetics through Mapping Using Geotagged Social Media Data from Flickr Wantong Zhao*, Wei Han School of Humanities and Arts, Xidian University, Xi’an, China How to cite this paper: Zhao, W. T., & Han, Abstract W. (2021). Examination of Urban Landscape Aesthetics through Mapping Using Geo- Landscapes are part of the earth’s surface, and include terrestrial, aquatic, tagged Social Media Data from Flickr. Cur- natural, and anthropogenic features with differing dominance. The evaluation rent Urban Studies, 9, 66-82. of Landscape Aesthetics (LA) and scenery is helpful for the understanding https://doi.org/10.4236/cus.2021.91005 landscapes. The mapping of LA is increasingly being recognized in urban and Received: December 11, 2020 landscape planning. Examining the flow and capacity of LA is an essential Accepted: February 6, 2021 element in understanding the sustainability of urban landscapes. An explicit Published: February 9, 2021 methodological approach was proposed for mapping LA using social media data (geolocated photographs) from Flickr to study the spatial distribution of Copyright © 2021 by author(s) and Scientific Research Publishing Inc. LA in Xi’an, China. The LA flow and LA capacity were conceptually distin- This work is licensed under the Creative guished and assessed. The LA flow was analyzed with 10,278 geotagged pho- Commons Attribution International tographs from Flickr to express people’s actual appreciation of LA. The LA License (CC BY 4.0). capacity was examined by spatial criterion evaluation, combined the weight of http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Open Access landscape features.
    [Show full text]
  • Report on Domestic Animal Genetic Resources in China
    Country Report for the Preparation of the First Report on the State of the World’s Animal Genetic Resources Report on Domestic Animal Genetic Resources in China June 2003 Beijing CONTENTS Executive Summary Biological diversity is the basis for the existence and development of human society and has aroused the increasing great attention of international society. In June 1992, more than 150 countries including China had jointly signed the "Pact of Biological Diversity". Domestic animal genetic resources are an important component of biological diversity, precious resources formed through long-term evolution, and also the closest and most direct part of relation with human beings. Therefore, in order to realize a sustainable, stable and high-efficient animal production, it is of great significance to meet even higher demand for animal and poultry product varieties and quality by human society, strengthen conservation, and effective, rational and sustainable utilization of animal and poultry genetic resources. The "Report on Domestic Animal Genetic Resources in China" (hereinafter referred to as the "Report") was compiled in accordance with the requirements of the "World Status of Animal Genetic Resource " compiled by the FAO. The Ministry of Agriculture" (MOA) has attached great importance to the compilation of the Report, organized nearly 20 experts from administrative, technical extension, research institutes and universities to participate in the compilation team. In 1999, the first meeting of the compilation staff members had been held in the National Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Service, discussed on the compilation outline and division of labor in the Report compilation, and smoothly fulfilled the tasks to each of the compilers.
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter Three – the Zhou Dynasty and the Warring States
    CHAPTER THREE – THE ZHOU DYNASTY AND THE WARRING STATES THE OVERTHROW OF THE SHANG As our archaeological record has proven, outside of Shang territory there existed a myriad of other kingdoms and peoples – some were allied to the Shang, others were hostile. Between the Shang capital at Anyang and the territory of the Qiang peoples, was a kingdom named Zhou. A nomadic peoples who spoke an early form of the Tibetan language, the Qiang tribes were often at war with the Shang kingdom. Serving as a buffer zone against the Qiang, this frontier kingdom of Zhou shared much of the Shang’s material culture, such as its bronze work. In 1045 BCE, however, the Zhou noble family of Ji rebelled against and overthrew the Shang rulers at Anyang. In doing so, they laid the foundations for the Zhou dynasty, China’s third. In classical Chinese history, three key figures are involved in the overthrow of the Shang. They are King Wen, who originally expanded the Zhou realm, his son King Wu, who conquered the Shang, and King Wu’s brother, known as the duke of Zhou, who secured Zhou authority while serving as regent for King Wu’s heir. The deeds of these three men are recorded in China’s earliest transmitted text, The Book of Documents.The text portrays the Shang kings as corrupt and decadent, with the Zhou victory recorded as a result of their justice and virtue. The Zhou kings shifted the Shang system of religious worship away from Di, who was a personified supreme first ancestor figure and towards Tian, which was Heaven itself.
    [Show full text]
  • Hardships from the Arabian Gulf to China: the Challenges That Faced Foreign Merchants Between the Seventh
    57 Dirasat Hardships from the Arabian Gulf to China: The Challenges that Faced Foreign Merchants Between the Seventh Dhul Qa'dah, 1441 - July 2020 and Thirteenth Centuries WAN Lei Hardships from the Arabian Gulf to China: The Challenges that Faced Foreign Merchants Between the Seventh and Thirteenth Centuries WAN Lei © King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, 2020 King Fahd National Library Cataloging-in-Publication Data Lei, WAN Hardships from the Arabian Gulf to China: The Challenges that Faced Foreign Merchants Between the Seventh and Thirteenth Centuries. / Lei. WAN. - Riyadh, 2020 52 p ; 23 x 16.5 cm ISBN: 978-603-8268-57-5 1- China - Foreign relations I-Title 327.51056 dc 1441/12059 L.D. no. 1441/12059 ISBN: 978-603-8268-57-5 Table of Contents Introduction 6 I. Dangers at Sea 10 II. Troubles from Warlords and Pirates 19 III. Imperial Monopolies, Duty-Levies and Prohibitions 27 IV. Corruption of Officialdom 33 V. Legal Discrimination 39 Conclusion 43 5 6 Dirasat No. 57 Dhul Qa'dah, 1441 - July 2020 Introduction During the Tang (618–907) and Northern Song (960–1127) dynasties, China had solid national strength and a society that was very open to the outside world. By the time of the Southern Song (1127–1279) dynasty, the national economic weight of the country moved to South China; at the same time, the Abbasid Caliphate in the Mideast had grown into a great power, too, whose eastern frontier reached the western regions of China, that is, today’s Xinjiang and its adjacent areas in Central Asia.
    [Show full text]
  • The Spreading of Christianity and the Introduction of Modern Architecture in Shannxi, China (1840-1949)
    Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Madrid Programa de doctorado en Concervación y Restauración del Patrimonio Architectónico The Spreading of Christianity and the introduction of Modern Architecture in Shannxi, China (1840-1949) Christian churches and traditional Chinese architecture Author: Shan HUANG (Architect) Director: Antonio LOPERA (Doctor, Arquitecto) 2014 Tribunal nombrado por el Magfco. y Excmo. Sr. Rector de la Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, el día de de 20 . Presidente: Vocal: Vocal: Vocal: Secretario: Suplente: Suplente: Realizado el acto de defensa y lectura de la Tesis el día de de 20 en la Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Madrid. Calificación:………………………………. El PRESIDENTE LOS VOCALES EL SECRETARIO Index Index Abstract Resumen Introduction General Background........................................................................................... 1 A) Definition of the Concepts ................................................................ 3 B) Research Background........................................................................ 4 C) Significance and Objects of the Study .......................................... 6 D) Research Methodology ...................................................................... 8 CHAPTER 1 Introduction to Chinese traditional architecture 1.1 The concept of traditional Chinese architecture ......................... 13 1.2 Main characteristics of the traditional Chinese architecture .... 14 1.2.1 Wood was used as the main construction materials ........ 14 1.2.2
    [Show full text]