The First Known Chinese Woman Historian

Ban Zhao, the first known Chinese woman historian, lived during the Eastern Han Dynasty( 25-220 A.D.), and is renowned for her contribution to the completion of Han Shu( History of the Han Dynasty), which covers the entire Western Han period( 206B.C.-24A.D.). As China's first book on dynastic history, it constitutes the second volume in Twenty-Four Histories, and sets the style of writing for the rest of the dynastic annals. Han Shu consists of 120 volumes divided in to four parts: Biographies of the 12 Western Han emperors and major events during the reign of each emperor, the "Eight Tables," chronologically listing the names of princes, the emperor's in laws and the leading officials; the "The Registries," dealing with rules and laws and Biographies of 70 outstanding personalities. Of the four parts, the "Eight Tables" was compiled by Ban Zhao.     

Lianyungang：Mystical and Phantasmagoric

IN July 2002 the well pre—served body of a woman,LingHuiping,was unearthed from aHan Dynasty (206 B.C.-A.D.220)tomb in Lianyungang.It hadbeen embalmed,and was in a con—dition equal to the remains of theWestern Han(206 B.C.-24A.D.)female.Xinzhui.unearthed in     

THIS MONTH IN HISTORY FEBRUARY

February 28, 202 B.C.
Liu Bang （256 - 195 B.C.） founded the Western Han Dynasty （202 B.C.- A..D. 9）, choosing Chang＇an （presentday Xi＇an） as its capital. China reached a new peak in economic, political, scientific and cultural development, growing into one of the most powerful empires of the era. The opening of the ＂Silk Road＂ enabled trade between China and regions as far as Rome and/ndia and facilitated the proliferation of Chinese culture in the West. The world＇s earliest records on the existence of sunspots appeared during this period, as well as the development of acupuncture and papermaking.     

Sino-African Relations:A Chronology

Despite the geographical distance that separates them, China and Africa cherish a relationship lasting over 2,000 years. According to historical records, China had contacts with Africa as earty as the third century B.C. In the Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-A.D. 220). Exchanges became frequent In the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and Song Dynasty (960-1279). In the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), Chinese navigator Zheng He traveled to what Is now Somalia and Kenya on the east African     

Xunzi:Self-cultivation by Means of Ritual Propriety

XUNZI(313-238 B.C.)occupies a status in Chinese history similar to that of Aristotle in the West.His time came at the end of the great flowering of philosophical inquiry in the Warring States Period (475-221 B.C.),and his theories mark the final chapter in the evolution of ancient Confucian philosophy.     

Chinese Cosmology in the Han Dynasty

THE main focus of Han Dynasty (206 B.C.- A.D. 220) metaphysics was to interpret the cosmos from different perspectives. In the Han Dynasty, the study of Confucian classics was divided into an Old Text School and a New Text School, which indicate two methods of interpreting The Six Classics (Liujing) - The Book of Songs (Shijing), The Book of Documents (Shujing), The Records of Rites (Liji), The Book of Changes (Yijing), The Records of Music     

Steamed Pork with Mui Choi

Steamed Pork with Mui Choi originated in the Huizhou area of Guangdong Province on China’s southcoast.It is a popular home-cookedmeal among the Hakka of Guangdong and has a venerable place inChina’s food culture.During the Qin(221-207 B.C.)and Han(206 B.C.     

Stamps of New China Eastern Zhou Dynasty Bronzes

The State Postal Bureau's latest set of special stamps for 2003 features Eastern Zhou Dynasty (770-256 B,C.) bronzes. This eight-stamp set is the third to feature this type of relic; a set issued in 1964 depicted bronzes from the Yin Dynasty (14th-11th century}, and one featuring Western Zhou Dynasty (11th century-771 B.C.) bronzes was released in 1982.The Eastern Zhou Dynasty followed the Western, and during this period, bronze vessel casting developed remarkably. Artifacts from this period include sacrificial vessels, musical instruments, utensils, weapons and tools.One of these pieces, a rectangular tray decorated with tortoise and fish patterns, dates back to the late Spring and Autumn Period     

ALL FOR ONE

China has been a unified multiethnic country since ancient times. Historical records show that as far back as 221 B.C., the State of Qin established the first centralized feudal monarchy in the country, extending its rule over parts of the southwestern regions inhabited by various ethnic groups. During the succeeding Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-A.D. 220), 17 administra- tive prefectures were set up in northwest China,     

Performing a Legacy

Every month, Su Zhiyin sets aside four or five days for her favorite hobby— singing nanyin. As a resident of Jinjiang, southeast China's Fujian Province, the 60-year-old retired business woman has been practicing the art for over two decades. Nanyin is a musical performing art that originated during the Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-A.D. 220) and is central to the culture of the people living in the southern part of Fujian, as well as residents on China's southeastern coast and overseas Chinese of south Fujian origin.     

New Recruits

More terracotta warriors were found in a three-year excavation of the first Chinese emperor’s tomb The color of 1,000-plus painted terracotta warriors, sculpted 2,200 years ago in the Qin Dynasty (221-206B.C.),     

Treasure Trove Unveiled

正Ancient royal tomb illuminates emperor’s lifeThe discovery of an ancient tomb in a village near Nanchang,capital of east China’s Jiangxi Province,in 2011 has brought to light the life of its occupant,Liu He,an emperor in the Western Han Dynasty(206B.C.-A.D. 25) who was dethroned just 27 days     

中国祠祀建筑群——晋祠

Jinci was called as the Tem-ple of the Emperor of Shanxi and it was built to memorize Ji Yu, the first emperor of Shanxi in the an-cient time who was the second son of the Emperor Zhou Wu and the brother of the Emperor Zhou Cheng. Ji Yu was the prince in Tang and people called him as the Uncle of the Emperor then the temple was called as Tangshuyu Temple (Shu means uncle). The temple was enlarged during Tian-bao Period of Northern Qi Dynasty (550 A.C.-559 A.C.) and changed the name …     

Tourism Information

Museum of the Qin Terracotta Warriors and Horses Considered "the World's Eighth Wonder" and one of the greatest discoveries in 20th century archaeology, the Museum of the Qin Terracotta Warriors and Horses in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, reproduces the life of the Qin Dynasty (221-206B.C.) by presenting over 8,000 vivid terracotta warriors and horses. The site was placed on UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage list in December 1987     

Zaoqiang The Home of Chinese Date Trees

ZAOQIANG County was established during the early Western Han Dynasty (206 BC - 23 AD), and named for its abundance of Chinese date trees. Its rich historical and cultural resources apart, Zaoqiang County is also a major base for farming, animal husbandry, and industry in Hebei Province.     

Ancient Theories of Pathology （Part I）

The Earliest Knowledge on Causes of Disease Chapter Han Wen Jia of Li Wei (Theological Interpretation of the Book of Rites, written approximately in the late Western Han Dynasty, 206 BC-AD 24) reads     

Panoramic View of Civilization

Visitors view a vessel known as the He zun from the Western Zhou Dynasty(1046-771 B.C.)during an exhibition at the Palace Museum in Beijing on January 25.The piece is the oldest known bronzeware inscribed with the word zhongguo(China).With more than 130 precious cultural relics on display,the exhibition,from January 25 to May 4,sheds light on the origins,development and achievements of Chinese civilization,as well as its major contributions to human advancement.     

Fengdu——Building on Its History

FENGDU County is located in the center of Chongqing Mu- nicipality,a two hours’drive from Chongqing International Airport,on the banks of the Yangtze River.It has a long history,with evidence of human occupation as long as 100,000 years ago.During the Zhou Dynasty(C 1100-256 B.C.)Fengdu was the capital of the mysterious Ba Kingdom,and later     

Armed With History

正Fierce and fashionable, fans of Chinese armor plunge deep into the archives Buried deep in the ruins of the Shang Dynasty(about 1600-1046 B.C.), more specifically in Anyang City of Henan Province, bones of the rhino were found.