The Great Imperial Tomb Robbery

EMPEROR Guangxu,nominal ruler of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911),died on November 14,1908,while under house arrest. On that day his aunt, Empress Dowager Cixi,actual ruler of China who had placed him there, decreed three-year-old Aisin-Gioro puyi, son of prince Regent Zaifeng, as Guangxu's successor.Cixi herself died the next day, on November 15.puyi was the last emperor of feudal China. His reign marked the end of the imperial system of rule instituted by Emperor Qinshihuang in 221 BC.     

Artistic Legacy of an Emperor

QIANLONG (1711-1799), the sixth emperor of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), is remembered today not only as the ruler presiding over the country’s flourishing economy during his six-decade reign (1736-1795),but also as a keen collector of works of art. Artistic creation under his patronage reached new heights of excellence. Masterpieces from the Qianlong reign, including items from the emperor’s personal collection, are prominent among the priceless treasures, passed     

Dinner Fit for an Emperor

ALL Chinese adhere to the old maxim: "Eating is paramount" and accordingly approach each meal in a seriousand responsible manner.Historians agree that the most famous and grand of all imperial banquets was that held in celebration of Emperor Qianlong's 80th birthday in 1791. Qian-     

论南宋高宗朝的科举制度

南宋科举制度是北宋科举制度的继续,高宗一朝的科举犹为重要,它起到了承前启后的作用,基本上奠定了整个南宋科举制度的基础。从考试形式来看,主要是设置了类省试和流寓试,并随着形势的变化而对这两种考试形式作了调整。从考试时间上来看,南宋初年由于受战争的影响,3年一开科场的制度被打乱,直到绍兴十二年才重新走上了正轨,发解试、省试和殿试的时间也与北宋稍有不同;从考试内容上来看,最后确定了以经义进士和诗赋进士两科取士,前者以考经义为主,后者以考诗赋为主。但高宗朝科举制度的流弊比北宋更为严重,造成的原因主要有两方面:一是高宗对科举取士的放任自流,缺乏严格的监督机制;二是秦桧擅权,政治黑暗腐朽。     

乾隆年间的科举改革与诗歌繁荣

清代中期,特别是乾隆中期至嘉庆年间,当时诗坛曾出现过一片活跃繁荣的景象,涌现过一大批颇有成就的优秀诗人,且诗论主张甚多,成为清初诗坛以后的又一个高峰。而这一高峰的出现,与乾隆丁丑(1757)年科举考试制度减判增诗的改革措施密切相关。但至今的各种文学史或诗歌史都未提及这一原因。     

Qing Tomb Enigmas

THE Manchurian Qing Dynasty was China's last imperial regime. All nine Qing emperors that ruled from Beijing, other than the last, Aisin-Gioro Puyi, built magnificent tombs for themselves in Zunhua and Yixian counties of Hebei Province. These mausoleums, respectively 50 km east and 50 km west of Beijing, are known as the Eastern and Western Qing Tombs. They are filled with priceless treasures fit to accompany rulers of that bygone age on their last journey. They are also the source of a wealth of folk literature in the oral story telling tradition, engendered by enigmatic gaps in official Qing documentation.     

Emperor Yongle

DURING its long history Beijing has had several names. The current one was ordained on February 4, 1403 by Emperor Yongle, named Zhu Di (1360-1424), of the Ming Dynasty. It was he who decreed that Beiping "where the dragon soars" be renamed Beijing, or Northern Capital.     

科举落第:一个被忽视的研究领域

落第问题是科举制度中的一个重要内容,缺少了对落第者及其相关问题的研究,很难对科举制度做出客观、公允的评价,很难全面阐述科举制度在1300年间的深远影响。此外,关注落第者,研究历代的落第政策,有利于科举制度研究的进一步深入,同时对今天的考试制度的改革有一定的借鉴意义。加强对落第问题的研究,至少应注意以下几个方面的内容:一、落第所引发的社会问题;二、历代对落第士子的政策;三、落第士子的自身选择;四、社会对落第士子的态度;五、科举制度对落第士子所起到的作用。     

Tomb Figures Full of Life

IN the early 20th century when a railway was being built in Luoyang, Henan Province, large quantities of pottery shards were excavated from a number of ancient tombs that had been exposed during the construction work. The fragments were glazed in three colors – yellow, green and white. A few years later, utensils glazed in the same three colors and unmistakably identical style were unearthed in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province.     

Tomb With a View

正China's famed Terracotta Warriors conquer the Big Apple A600-pound armored general from China has invaded New York City.He has come in peace,along with a few warriors of his army,some livestock,a horse,kitchen supplies and even an acrobat.Nearby,a kneeling archer practices his aim,with a spray of arrows fanning out on the wall ahead.The entourage seems appropriate,since it is the 2,200-year-old general's first     

Imperial Celebrations

正The Palace Museum adopts a dazzling look for the Spring Festival How did ancient emperors celebrate the Spring Festival? An ongoing exhibition at the Forbidden City may provide a clue.The Beijing landmark, which houses the Palace Museum, was the former Chinese imperial palace for the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties.Theexhibition,titledCelebratingthe     

Imperial Tea Connoisseurs

HAVING ruled for 60 years, in 1795 Qing emperor Qianlong decided it was time to abdicate in favor of his son. His ministers tried to dissuade him, saying: "A country cannot manage for a single day without its monarch." The emperor promptly retorted, raising his cup of tea, "A monarch cannot function for a single day without tea." Qianlong had several reasons for abdicating and mentioned tea only as a red her-     

An Imperial Enclave

THE ancient city of Kaifeng sits at the center of the Central Plains, by the Yellow River in Henan Province, where the first light of Chinese civilization shone. Due to its central location, Kaifeng took several turns as national capital and home to seven royal families that ruled either a united or broken Middle Kingdom. Today the deep tincture of its antiquity can still be seen or sensed on a trip to this 2,700-year-old city,     

Imperial Court Cheese

Imperial Court Cheese was one of the desserts served at the imperial court in the Qing Dynasty （1644-1911）. At that time, this tasty delicacy was only available to nobility and imperial court members. Eventually the treat made its way into regular society, where it became popular among the common people. The cheese is nutritious, supple and silky, making it a favorite with people young and old.     

Breaking Imperial Designs

Recently, historical disputes between the Republic of Korea (ROK) and Japan have spilled over into the technology and trade areas. Japan tightened restrictions on the export of three materials used in hi-tech equipment to the ROK, which inflicted great damage on the countiys enterprises.     

《范进中举》中的科举规训

中国古代基本上可以称为科举社会。从国家治理的层面,科举制度实现了王权与士治的结合,使贤人治国的理念深入人心。从读书人的角度,科举制度连接着内圣和外王,不仅关乎"权"、"名"、"利",更直接的就是个人的自我实现程度。科举这种考试权力,是一种规训权力。一方面,通过全景敞视建筑(panopticon)监视,使读书人产生"自我监视",在布衣卿相的路上无止境地奔竞;另一方面,通过对读书人身体苦行僧般的操演,不断从细微处雕琢读书人的身体和灵魂,创造着封建社会需要的主体。所有的人都在此游戏里乐此不疲,似乎对游戏背后的权力规训茫然无知。     

Cao Cao's Tomb Comes to Light

THE ghost of Cao Cao, a figure from the Three Kingdoms Period (220-265), reaches from his grave of 1,800 years to stir up the controversy that has surrounded him     

Imperial City Art Museum

EAST of Tian’anmenRostrum,ten minutes’walk from the ForbiddenCity is a traditionalsiheyuan(quadrangle).Itis site of the newlyopened ImperialCity Art Museum.One of the fourancient cities(outer,inner,     

Ethnic Emperor and Advocate of Sinicization

IN 493, Emperor Xiaowen set out with 300,000 troops, from the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534) capital of Pingcheng (present-day Datong, Shanxi) on a southern expedition.The emperor, called Tuoba Hong,was then 26 years old. In his lifetime he ruled only