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,