China's golden age : everyday life in the Tang dynasty

The Tang Dynasty (618-907) is regarded as the golden age of China. This book paints an interesting picture of the lifestyle behind the grandeur of the Tang culture. Various aspects of day-to-day life are presented, including crime, entertainment, fashion, marriage, food, hygiene, dwellings, and transportation

The Tang Dynasty (618-907), traditionally regarded as the golden age of China, was a time of patricians and intellectuals, Buddhist monks and Taoist priests, poetry and music, song and dance. In China's Golden Age: Everyday Life in the Tang Dynasty, Charles Benn paints a vivid picture of the lifestyle behind the grandeur of the Tang culture.
All aspects of day-to-day life are presented, including crime,entertainment, fashion, marriage, food, hygiene, dwellings, and transportation. Attend an ancient feast to celebrate an imperial birthday, where ale was served in elaborate pitchers before a meal of fourteen hors d'oeuvres and twenty-three courses. Learn which colors concubines used for their eye makeup and beauty marks, and what jealous wives did to discourage such enhancement. See the similarities between today's pubs and the Tang alehouses, where women were hired to dance and sing to encourage patrons to stay longer and spend more money. Decide for yourself why Yangzhou, a city on the Grand Canal close to the Yangtze River, was considered one of the greatest cities in the Tang Dynasty.
Benn translates and paraphrases his classical Chinese sources from the Tang era with fresh and polished prose. He also includes his own illustrations of everything from tools and hairstyles to musical instruments and courtyard dwellings. A history of the rise and fall of the dynasty is presented, as is a look at the societal structure of the aristocracy, bureaucracy, eunuchs, clergy, peasants, artisans, merchants, and slaves. This thorough explanation provides fascinating insight into a culture and time that is often misunderstood by Westerners and brings alive both the everyday routine and the timeless splendor of this intellectually and artistically powerful epoch. Enjoy your journey in China's Golden Age, and come back to the present with a greater understanding of this amazing time.

The Tang Dynasty (618-907), traditionally regarded as the golden age of China, was a time of patricians and intellectuals, Buddhist monks and Taoist priests, poetry and music, song and dance. In China's Golden Age, Charles Benn paints a vivid picture of the lifestyle behind the grandeur of the Tang culture. All aspects of day-to-day life are presented, including crime, entertainment, fashion, marriage, food, hygiene, dwellings, and transportation. Attend an ancient feast to celebrate an imperial birthday, where ale was served in elaborate pitchers before a meal of fourteen hors d'oeuvres and twenty-three courses. Learn which colors concubines used for their eye makeup and beauty marks, and what jealous wives did to discourage such enhancement. Benn translates and paraphrases his classical Chinese sources from the Tang era with fresh and polished prose and includes his own illustrations of everything from tools and hairstyles to musical instruments and courtyard dwellings. A history of the rise and fall of the dynasty is presented, as is a look at the societal structure of the aristocracy, bureaucracy, eunuchs, clergy, peasants, artisans, merchants, and slaves. This thorough explanation provides fascinating insight into a culture that is often misunderstood by Westerners and brings alive both its everyday routine and timeless splendor. Enjoy your journey though China's Golden Age, and come back to the present with a greater understanding of this amazing time. Contents Preface Reigns of Tang Emperors 1 History REBELLION (617-618) RECONSTRUCTION (618-683) USURPATION, OVERTHROW, AND CORRUPTION (684-712) THE GOLDEN AGE (712-755) TIME OF TROUBLES (756-804) RECOVERY (805-860) THE DECLINE (860-884) NOTES 2 Society ARISTOCRACY BUREAUCRACY EUNUCHS CLERGY PEASANTS ARTISANS AND MERCHANTS SLAVES FOREIGNERS 3 Cities and Urban Life CITIES WARDS MARKETS OFFICES CHURCHES THE GAY QUARTERS PARKS 4 House and Garden DWELLINGS FURNISHINGS GARDENS 5 Clothes and Hygiene FABRICS FASHIONS APPEARANCE HYGIENE 6 Food and Feasts FOODSTUFFS PRESERVATION COOKING FEASTS BEVERAGES DRINKING 7 Leisure and Entertainment FESTIVALS GRAND CARNIVALS ENTERTAINERS AND THEIR ACTS SPORTS GAMES 8 Travel and Transportation ON LAND AND WATER WAYFARING AND WAYFARERS ACCOMMODATIONS 9 Crime and Punishment CRIME ARREST IMPRISONMENT TRIAL PUNISHMENT CLEMENCY VENGEANCE 10 Sickness and Health ILLNESS HEALERS AND HEALTH CARE TREATMENT 11 Life Circle MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE CHILDBIRTH AND CHILD REARING FORMAL EDUCATION EXAMINATIONS OLD AGE 12 Death and the Afterlife DEATH FUNERALS AND ENTOMBMENTS MOURNING THE AFTERLIFE: SOULS BUDDHISM TAOISM Suggested Readings GENERAL THE TANG DYNASTY: HISTORY AND SOCIETY CITIES AND URBAN LIFE HOUSE AND GARDEN CLOTHES AND HYGIENE FOOD AND FEASTS LEISURE AND ENTERTAINMENT TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION CRIME AND PUNISHMENT SICKNESS AND HEALING LIFE CYCLE DEATH AND THE AFTERLIFE Index About the Author