Ancient China and Its Enemies : The Rise of Nomadic Power in East Asian History

This comprehensive history of the northern frontier of China through the first millennium B.C. details the formation of two increasingly distinct cultural areas: the sedentary Chinese and the northern nomads. Nicola Di Cosmo explores the tensions existing between these two worlds as they became progressively more polarized, with the eventual creation of the nomadic Hsiung-nu empire in the north, and of the Chinese empire in the south. Di Cosmo investigates the origins of the antagonism between early China and its "barbarian" neighbors. Relations Between Inner Asian Nomads And Chinese Are A Continuous Theme Throughout Chinese History. By Investigating The Formation Of Nomadic Cultures, By Analyzing The Evolution Of Patterns Of Interaction Along China's Northern Frontiers, And By Exploring How This Interaction Was Recorded In Early Chinese Historiography, This Book Explores The Origins Of The Cultural And Political Tensions Between These Two Civilizations Through The First Millennium Bc. The Main Purpose Of The Book Is To Analyze Ethnic, Cultural, And Political Frontiers Between Nomads And Chinese In The Historical Contexts That Led To Their Formation, And To Look At Cultural Perceptions Of 'others' As A Function Of The Same Historical Process. Based On Both Archaeological And Textual Sources, This Book Also Introduces A New Methodological Approach To Chinese Frontier History, Which Combines Extensive Factual Data With A Careful Scrutiny Of The Motives, Methods, And General Conception Of History That Informed The Chinese Historian Ssu-ma Ch'ien. Steppe Highway: Rise Of Pastoral Nomadism As A Eurasian Phenomenon -- Bronze, Eron And Gold: Evolution Of Nomadic Cultures On The Northern Frontier Of China -- Beasts And Birds: Historical Context Of Early Chinese Perceptions Of Northern Peoples -- Walls And Horses: Beginning Of Historical Contacts Between Horse-riding Nomads And Chinese States -- Those Who Draw The Bow: Rise Of The Hsiung-nu Nomadic Empire And The Political Unification Of The Nomads -- From Peace To War: China's Shift From Appeasement To Military Engagement -- In Search Of Grass And Water: Ethnography And History Of The North In The Historian's Records -- Taming The North: Rationalization Of The Nomads In Ssu-ma Ch'ien's Historical Thought Conclusion. Nicola Di Cosmo. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 335-359) And Index. Contents......Page 5 Acknowledgments......Page 7 Introduction......Page 11 Part I......Page 21 1: The Steppe Highway: The Rise of Pastoral Nomadism as a Eurasian Phenomenon......Page 23 2: Bronze, Iron, and Gold: The Evolution of Nomadic Cultures on the Northern Frontier of China......Page 54 Part II......Page 101 3: Beasts and Birds: The Historical Context of Early Chinese Perceptions of the Northern Peoples......Page 103 4: Walls and Horses: The Beginning of Historical Contacts between Horse-Riding Nomads and Chinese States......Page 137 Part III......Page 169 5: Those Who Draw the Bow: The RIse of the Hsiung-nu Nomadic Empire and the Political Unification of the Nomads......Page 171 6: From Peace to War: China's Shift from Appeasement to Military Engagement......Page 216 Part IV......Page 263 7: In Search of Grass and Water: Ethnography and History of the North in the Historian's Records......Page 265 8: Taming the North: The Rationalization of the Nomads in Ssu-ma Ch'ien's Historical Thought......Page 304 Conclusion......Page 323 Glossary......Page 329 Select Bibliography......Page 345 Index......Page 371 Relations between Inner Asian nomads and Chinese are a continuous theme throughout Chinese history. By investigating the formation of nomadic cultures, by analyzing the evolution of patterns of interaction along China's frontiers, and by exploring how this interaction was recorded in historiography, this looks at the origins of the cultural and political tensions between these two civilizations through the first millennium BC. The main purpose of the book is to analyze ethnic, cultural, and political frontiers between nomads and Chinese in the historical contexts that led to their formation, and to look at cultural perceptions of'others'as a function of the same historical process. Based on both archaeological and textual sources, this 2002 book also introduces a new methodological approach to Chinese frontier history, which combines extensive factual data with a careful scrutiny of the motives, methods, and general conception of history that informed the Chinese historian Ssu-ma Ch'ien. Relations between Inner Asian nomads and Chinese are a continuous theme throughout Chinese history. By investigating the formation of nomadic cultures, by analyzing the evolution of patterns of interaction along China's frontiers, and by exploring how this interaction was recorded in historiography, this looks at the origins of the cultural and political tensions between these two civilizations through the first millennium BC. The main purpose of the book is to analyze ethnic, cultural, and political frontiers between nomads and Chinese in the historical contexts that led to their formation, and to look at cultural perceptions of 'others' as a function of the same historical process. Based on both archaeological and textual sources, this book also introduces a new methodological approach to Chinese frontier history, which combines extensive factual data with a careful scrutiny of the motives, methods, and general conception of history that informed the Chinese historian Ssu-ma Ch'ien. The terminology for the regions inhabited by the nomadic and semi-nomadic peoples of Inner Asia in pre-historical and historical times is inherently unstable, given that geographic areas such as Central Asia, Inner Asia, the Northern Zone, and Central Eurasia are usually defined ad hoc.