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Ancient China and its Enemies: The Rise of Nomadic Power in East Asian History, by Nicola Di Cosmo
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Relations between Inner Asian nomads and Chinese are a continuous theme throughout Chinese history. By investigating the formation of nomadic cultures, by analyzing the evolution of patterns of interaction along China's frontiers, and by exploring how this interaction was recorded in historiography, this looks at the origins of the cultural and political tensions between these two civilizations through the first millennium BC. The main purpose of the book is to analyze ethnic, cultural, and political frontiers between nomads and Chinese in the historical contexts that led to their formation, and to look at cultural perceptions of 'others' as a function of the same historical process. Based on both archaeological and textual sources, this 2002 book also introduces a new methodological approach to Chinese frontier history, which combines extensive factual data with a careful scrutiny of the motives, methods, and general conception of history that informed the Chinese historian Ssu-ma Ch'ien.
- Sales Rank: #818101 in eBooks
- Published on: 2002-02-25
- Released on: 2002-02-25
- Format: Kindle eBook
Review
"Throughout the second century B.C., the world of East Asia was divided between two great superpowers, the Han Chinese and the Hsiung-nu, facing off against each other sometimes peaceably and sometimes antagonistically. In Ancient China and Its Enemies, Nicola Di Cosmo provides a magisterial survey of the rise of the lesser known of these two powers, the nomadic Hsiung-nu. This book is invaluable not only for understanding the relations between ancient China and its major enemy, but also for understanding either of the powers individually." Edward Shaughnessy, University of Chicago
"...the author deserves praise and gratitude for producing and invaluable piece of work. This book is a masterpiece of scholarship. It will rank as an indispensable tool for anyone studying foreign relationships in ancient China and beyond for years to come." Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies
"...I am certain that anthropologists, political scientists, and others will find much here of interest. Di Cosmo writes well and offers fascinating anecdotes at just the right times." History
"...a carefully researched and superbly presented history of the northern frontier of China from 900 to 100 B.C...a fascinating, detailed, scholarly, and very strongly recommended historical survery and analysis." Library Bookwatch
"This outstanding work of scholarship demonstrates a magisterial command of the sources, asks important questions, and provides measured, finely nuanced answers."
Peter B. Golden, The International History Review
About the Author
Nicola Di Cosmo is Senior Lecturer in Chinese History at the University of Canterbury (Christchurch, New Zealand).
Most helpful customer reviews
20 of 22 people found the following review helpful.
Solid scholarship
By Stage 3
This is not a book for the casual reader nor somebody seeking a shallow introduction into the field. However, if this is your area of interest then this tome should satisfy you. It is very well researched and the hypotheses are very well argued.
The book is divided into four parts that are roughly chronological. The first part is primarily based on archeology. It was a bit of a chore to read as the author listed items to explain how the different designs showed different cultural aspects. Unfortunately, it was like walking blind through a museum with a very knowledgeable guide telling you what you saw. This approach was essential as it set up the evidence for the early part of the book. Di Cosmo posits that the nomadic tribes might not have been behind settled tribes along the developmental spectrum, indeed nomadic tribes may have been capable of evolving into nomadic peoples becausee they had undergone a sedentary period in their development.
One of di Cosmo's most interesting theories is his view that the original walls of 'The Great Wall' were not marks of a defensive posture against aggressive nomads but rather the bases for the Chinese to exercise hegemonic authority over the tribes along the frontier. The wall was not borne of fear but of a desire for conquest. This is not necessarily controversial as the Romans appreciated that walls could designate a border and also allow Roman influence to cross into barbarian lands from a firm base.
If you are looking for arguments connecting the Huns to the Hsiung-Nu, you will be disappointed because di Cosmo understandably avoids that debate as not being connected with his central hypotheses. He does, however, devote many pages to discussing the Hsiung-Nu's emergence and their rocky relationship with China.
I would strongly recommend this book to anybody interested in this field for its solid research. The book has convincingly pushed back the mists of mythology from the physical borderlands of China's historical narrative.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
The construction of walls on China's northern frontier has traditionally ...
By JPC
The construction of walls on China's northern frontier has traditionally been viewed as marking worsening relations with the pastoral nomadic cultures in the north. Contrary to this view, Di Cosmo argues that the walls were actually part of a campaign for territorial expansion by the Chinese states of the Warring States (403-421 B.C.) period. As the central states expanded into the lands of nomadic and semi-nomadic peoples, they built walls to fence of territory from other nomadic populations and secure a strategic military presence. "The walls were part of an overall expansionist strategy by Chinese northern states meant to protect their political and economic penetration into area thus far alien to the Chou world" (155). Chinese expansion into Hsiung-nu territory lead to a series of crises, that led to the increased militarization of Hsiung-nu society, and to political centralization. Di Cosmo argues that this political structure was held together thanks to Chinese tribute, "without which the Hsiung-nu leadership would not have been able to support the impressive court, military apparatus, and tribal loyalty, and which arguably were crucial to the survival and expansion of the Hsiung-nu empire" (205).
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful.
Thoughtful Combination of History and Historiography
By R. Albin
This thoughtful book is an interesting combination of historical analysis and historiography. Di Cosmo's primary objective is to reveal the complexities of the relationships between the early Chinese states and the their northern nomadic neighbors. In particular, Di Cosmo wants to debunk the traditional dualistic opposition between Chinese civilization and predatory Central Asian nomads. Di Cosmo points out that the traditional approach was largely formulated by Confucian oriented Chinese historians, especially the great Han historian Ssu-ma Chi'en (Sima Qian), and adopted more or less uncritically by westerners working in early Chinese history.
Di Cosmo begins with a survey of the archaeology of East Asian steppe regions and the surrounding regions to the north and south. By the middle of the first millenium BC, pastoral nomadic cultures were established leading wholly nomadic lives, with sophisticated metallurgy, powerful bows, and practicing effective cavalry warfare. Di Cosmo points out as well that these cultures interacted with a variety of other cultures, some agro-pastoral, some agricultural, and some hunting based. Northern China, the steppe regions, and surrounding regions are reconstructed as a complex patchwork of interacting societies with different features with pastoral nomads on the steppes and the emerging Chinese states to the south.
In Di Cosmo's historical reconstruction, the growth of the central Chinese states led not only to the Imperial unification of the Chin period but also to considerable expansion of the Chinese states into what is now Northern China, resulting in direct conflict with steppe nomads. Di Cosmo argues that Chinese state expansionism, particularly the aggression of the Chin state, led to social reorganization of at least one steppe nomad people, the Hsiung-Nu. Under the pressure of Chinese expansionism, the Hsiung-Nu developed the first steppe empire with a single charismatic leader, more centralization of authority, and a militarized society quite capable of defeating the Chinese armies in battle. After the collapse of the Chin state and the assumption of power by the Han dynasty, the Chinese state was not powerful enough to defeat the Hsiung-Nu and entered into a tributary relationship with the Hsiung-Nu. The Hsiung-Nu empire, however, required a constant infusion of external resources to maintain its political equilibrium. This led to constant demands for tribute and raiding of Han China. Over time, the Han state underwent internal consolidation and grew in power. With the adoption of effective cavalry and ability to marshal considerable resources, the Han were eventually able to confront the Hsiung-Nu successfully, though only at great expense. Di Cosmo's reconstruction is based on a careful reading of the existing texts, use of archaeological data, and some appeal to ethnographic data. It makes a lot of sense.
Di Cosmo concludes with thoughtful historiographic section on Sima Qian and how this powerful intellect developed the traditional model of Chinese-nomadic opposition.
This book is written well and Di Cosmo's analyses are thought through well. It certainly provides a new perspective on early China and by extension, the role of central Asian nomads.
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