Minggu, 23 Desember 2012

Astrology and Cosmology in Early China: Conforming Earth to Heaven, by David W. Pankenier

Astrology and Cosmology in Early China: Conforming Earth to Heaven, by David W. Pankenier

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Astrology and Cosmology in Early China: Conforming Earth to Heaven, by David W. Pankenier

Astrology and Cosmology in Early China: Conforming Earth to Heaven, by David W. Pankenier



Astrology and Cosmology in Early China: Conforming Earth to Heaven, by David W. Pankenier

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The ancient Chinese were profoundly influenced by the Sun, Moon and stars, making persistent efforts to mirror astral phenomena in shaping their civilization. In this pioneering text, David W. Pankenier introduces readers to a seriously understudied field, illustrating how astronomy shaped the culture of China from the very beginning and how it influenced areas as disparate as art, architecture, calendrical science, myth, technology, and political and military decision-making. As elsewhere in the ancient world, there was no positive distinction between astronomy and astrology in ancient China, and so astrology, or more precisely, astral omenology, is a principal focus of the book. Drawing on a broad range of sources, including archaeological discoveries, classical texts, inscriptions and paleography, this thought-provoking book documents the role of astronomical phenomena in the development of the 'Celestial Empire' from the late Neolithic through the late imperial period.

Astrology and Cosmology in Early China: Conforming Earth to Heaven, by David W. Pankenier

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #939580 in Books
  • Published on: 2015-03-05
  • Released on: 2015-03-05
  • Original language: English
  • Number of items: 1
  • Dimensions: 9.02" h x 1.26" w x 5.98" l, .0 pounds
  • Binding: Paperback
  • 616 pages
Astrology and Cosmology in Early China: Conforming Earth to Heaven, by David W. Pankenier

Review 'David Pankenier's examination of traditional cosmology and astrology in China is the authoritative work in the area. It draws on the latest evidence and most recent scholarship to make a compelling case for the central role of the sky in Chinese religion, philosophy, political thought and social organisation. This book makes a significant contribution both to our understanding of Chinese history and culture, and to the wider history of ideas.' Nicholas Campion, Sophia Centre for the Study of Cosmology in Culture, University of Wales, Trinity Saint David'Professor Pankenier has made many important discoveries about the sky in Early China ... This is a series of admirably ingenious probes into not only the darkness of the sky above, but also that of the ancient mind. Hardly any other book has disclosed nearly as many secrets about early human history as does [this] volume, which the specialists will find deeply educating, even entertaining, and everyone else will find exciting.' Li Feng, Columbia University, New York'Astrology and Cosmology in Early China is a unique and profoundly learned contribution to early Chinese intellectual history, religion, and science - nothing like it exists in any Western language. The comprehensive sum of the author's deep research over three decades, the book offers a magisterial cultural history of what the astral order meant to the ancient Chinese, how they explored it, and how they interpreted it in political and religious terms. With his broad comparative and interdisciplinary perspectives, authoritative command of the ancient sources, and bold and imaginative interpretations, Pankenier has given us a true intellectual thrill, and one of far-reaching consequences for an entire range of fields both within and beyond the study of China.' Martin Kern, Princeton University, New Jersey'Using an enormous wealth of archaeological discoveries, inscriptions, linguistic evidence, religious rites and historical sources, the author has succeeded in recovering ancient Chinese astronomical concepts and practices of paramount importance for our understanding of the formation of the Chinese civilization. A brilliant achievement!' Göran Malmqvist, Professor Emeritus, Stockholm University, and Member, Swedish Academy'A tremendously exciting book that powerfully demonstrates the extraordinary importance of astronomy in early China. David Pankenier argues that significant aspects of early Chinese civilization - including highly influential notions such as the Mandate of Heaven - were based upon astronomical views. The work also helps to bring early Chinese astronomy into the larger comparative study of archaeoastronomy.' Michael Puett, Harvard University, Massachusetts'Professor David Pankenier is a renowned sinologist who is very well known to Chinese academics. For many years his research has focused on texts and artifacts connected with ancient Chinese astronomy, yielding outstanding achievements and many profound insights ... From Pankenier's book the reader can acquire a full appreciation of the special characteristics of ancient Chinese ways of thinking. He ingeniously combines in-depth analysis, discussion, and interpretation of ancient astronomy, in particular the nature and significance of astrology, to explore and integrate intellectual history and astronomy with political and military history, research from which scholars of many disciplines will derive benefit.' Li Xueqin, Director, Institute of History, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing, and Director, Institute of Sinology, Tsinghua University

About the Author David W. Pankenier is Professor of Chinese at Lehigh University, Pennsylvania. His current research interests range from the history of ideas in early China, to archaeoastronomy and cultural astronomy. He is particularly interested in the connection between rare astronomical phenomena and epoch-making political and military events in ancient China.


Astrology and Cosmology in Early China: Conforming Earth to Heaven, by David W. Pankenier

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Most helpful customer reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful. An impressive and innovative book By Gill Zukovskis This impressive and innovative book offers a detailed topical treatment of how the heavens have played a key role in shaping the culture and civilization of China in ancient and historical periods. The author David Pankenier is Professor of Chinese at Lehigh University, Pennsylvania and he has applied his specialist expertise in Sinology and long-term interests in cultural astronomy and archaeoastronomy to offer both broad sweeps and fine brush-strokes in an illuminating series of case studies of specific events and concepts.His writing combines scholarly authority with a clear style accessible to general readers, though naturally aimed primarily at those with more serious interests in this area. The material is based on thirty years of ongoing research, extending some information appearing previously in journal articles and adding many new insights.It follows an academic format, with copious footnotes and a helpful list of References, an Index and a Glossary of Chinese characters, as well as a wealth of illustrations, including sky charts, ground maps, photographs and drawings. The Introduction gives brief outlines on general and Chinese archaeoastronomy and for the fourteen chapters, while the Appendix offers a valuable new annotated translation of the major astronomical-astrological text known as the `Treatise on the Celestial Offices' (written in c.100 BCE by China's most famous historian Sima Qian and his father).Among the key themes discussed are: much earlier dating for the origins of traditional correlative cosmology and astrology than the general scholarly consensus; the significance of multiple planet groupings in political and military affairs, including a detailed comparison between European and Chinese interpretations of such an event in AD 1524; a study of astronomical observation at the third millennium BCE site at Taosi; calendrical and cultural functions of the Milky Way and the asterism known as the Cerulean Dragon; the importance of polar and cardinal alignments and suggested ancient methods to establish them; and links between skywatching and the evolution of the Chinese script.Creative, exciting hypotheses are supported throughout by detailed analysis of textual, epigraphic, archaeological and astronomical evidence as well as relevant theoretical models. Although comparative approaches are not the book's chief aim, points of similarity and difference with other ancient civilizations are mentioned in relevant instances, along with discussions of the views of other writers in the field.This is a well-bound volume, printed on high quality paper. Its compact size makes it a pleasure to handle, for browsing and detailed study. The standard of editing and proof reading is high, as befits a major academic publisher, with commendably few typographical errors and lapses, especially given the large quantity of technical vocabulary.In short, like the rich brocade adorning the cover, this valuable book contains a treasure trove of interwoven data and ideas threading through the wide-ranging chapters in recurrent motifs, and it looks set to serve as a fruitful reference source for years to come.For a more detailed review, see [...]

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. so print book is recommended. By Christopher J. Gait A splendid book, both for the scholar and non-specialist. Note: Problems on the Kindle edition with display of archaic Chinese characters. Also graphics and conventional Chinese characters show as greyed out, so print book is recommended.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Far East Anthropology I By Frederick C. Monson Probably an Anthropology 1 for those who want to be immersed in Far East culture.

See all 3 customer reviews... Astrology and Cosmology in Early China: Conforming Earth to Heaven, by David W. Pankenier


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Astrology and Cosmology in Early China: Conforming Earth to Heaven, by David W. Pankenier

Astrology and Cosmology in Early China: Conforming Earth to Heaven, by David W. Pankenier

Astrology and Cosmology in Early China: Conforming Earth to Heaven, by David W. Pankenier
Astrology and Cosmology in Early China: Conforming Earth to Heaven, by David W. Pankenier

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