The construction of Zi zhi tong jian's imperial vision : Sima Guang on the Southern and Northern Dynasties
The great drama of China has been the repeated attempts to bring under single control and preserve the unity of its vast territories, so varied ethnically, socially, and geographically. Han Chinese confidence in the integrity of their own identity has been lastingly unsettled by long periods of fragmentation into regional states, and even in times of political unity the heart-searching has continued: what went wrong? What lessons could be learned for the future? The Southern and Northern Dynastiesâ era (317-589 AD) was the longest period of political fragmentation in the imperial era. Its political and social confusion gave rise to differences in later accounts of it. In the eleventh century, scholar-officials intensively debated the issue of imperial rule during this period. At stake was the integrity of the Han Chinese state. On one side were historians who accorded legitimacy to the barbarian dynasties of the north; on the other were those who favoured the southern Han Chinese-ruled dynasties. By the time Songâs power base transferred south in 1127, a strong sense of a Han Chinese identity had developed and pro-Southern opinion predominated. This study approaches the Southern and Northern Dynastiesâs  Zi zhi tong jian èłæČ"éé â the main focus of this study. That text has played a central role in shaping later understanding of imperial Chinaâs political traditions and, as a corollary, has contributed to the formation of a Han Chinese self-identity. Yet Sima Guangâs representation of Chinaâs past, though well-researched and written, was inevitably coloured by personal political and social experiences, and by his current commitments â by spin, in fact. This study will argue that at the heart of Sima Guangâs representation of the Southern and Northern Dynasties was a concern for the political survival of the eleventh-century state under which he served. He needed to understand and explicate the political and moral lessons of the earlier period in order to present an imperial vision that would avoid its frailties. This study therefore investigates and demonstrates the previously unexplored extent to which contemporary political concerns informed Sima Guangâs account. By developing a reading of Zi zhi tong jian as an ideological and textual construct, and more than just a simple account of the past, this study affords insights into the composition of historical writing in imperial China,
Strange, Mark
History of Asia & Far East ; Intellectual History ; Literatures of other languages ; Sima Guang ; Zizhi tongjian ; historiography
The construction of Zi zhi tong jian's imperial vision : Sima Guang on the Southern and Northern Dynasties. The great drama of China has been the repeated attempts to bring under single control and preserve the unity of its vast territories, so varied ethnically, socially, and geographically. Han Chinese confidence in the integrity of their own identity has been lastingly unsettled by long periods of fragmentation into regional states, and even in times of political unity the heart-searching has continued: what went wrong? What lessons could be learned for the future? The Southern and Northern Dynastiesâ era (317-589 AD) was the longest period of political fragmentation in the imperial era. Its political and social confusion gave rise to differences in later accounts of it. In the eleventh century, scholar-officials intensively debated the issue of imperial rule during this period. At stake was the integrity of the Han Chinese state. On one side were historians who accorded legitimacy to the barbarian dynasties of the north; on the other were those who favoured the southern Han Chinese-ruled dynasties. By the time Songâs power base transferred south in 1127, a strong sense of a Han Chinese identity had developed and pro-Southern opinion predominated. This study approaches the Southern and Northern Dynastiesâs  Zi zhi tong jian èłæČ"éé â the main focus of this study. That text has played a central role in shaping later understanding of imperial Chinaâs political traditions and, as a corollary, has contributed to the formation of a Han Chinese self-identity. Yet Sima Guangâs representation of Chinaâs past, though well-researched and written, was inevitably coloured by personal political and social experiences, and by his current commitments â by spin, in fact. This study will argue that at the heart of Sima Guangâs representation of the Southern and Northern Dynasties was a concern for the political survival of the eleventh-century state under which he served. He needed to understand and explicate the political and moral lessons of the earlier period in order to present an imperial vision that would avoid its frailties. This study therefore investigates and demonstrates the previously unexplored extent to which contemporary political concerns informed Sima Guangâs account. By developing a reading of Zi zhi tong jian as an ideological and textual construct, and more than just a simple account of the past, this study affords insights into the composition of historical writing in imperial China,
construction imperial vision southern northern dynasties great drama china repeat attempt_bring single control preserve unity vast territory vary ethnically socially geographically han_chinese confidence integrity identity unsettle long_period fragmentation regional state even time political unity heart continued wrong lesson could learn future southern northern dynasties era long_period political fragmentation imperial era political_social confusion give_rise difference later account scholar intensively issue imperial rule period stake integrity han_chinese state one_side historians accord legitimacy barbarian dynasty north favour southern han_chinese dynasty time song power base transfer south strong_sense han_chinese identity develop pro southern opinion predominate study approach southern northern dynasties main_focus study text play_central_role shaping later imperial_china political tradition corollary contribute_formation han_chinese self identity yet representation china past though well researched write inevitably colour personal political_social experience current commitment spin fact study argue heart representation southern northern dynasties concern political survival eleventh_century state serve need explicate political moral lesson earlier_period order present imperial vision would avoid study_therefore investigate demonstrate previously unexplored extent contemporary political concern inform account develop read ideological textual construct simple account past study affords insight composition historical write imperial_china