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Index
The Everlasting Empire
The Everlasting Empire THE POLITICAL CULTURE OF ANCIENT CHINA AND ITS IMPERIAL LEGACY
Acknowledgments
The Everlasting Empire
Introduction
GOALS OF THIS BOOK
NOTE ON REFERENCES AND TRANSLATIONS
CHAPTER 1 The Ideal of “Great Unity”
FRAGMENTATION: CHINA AS A MULTISTATE SYSTEM
“STABILITY IS IN UNITY”
SUSTAINING UNITY
FROM DISINTEGRATION TO REUNIFICATION
LIMITS OF ALL-UNDER-HEAVEN
GREAT UNITY UNDER NOMADIC RULE
EPILOGUE: FRAGMENTATION REVISITED
CHAPTER 2 The Monarch
THE EMERGENCE OF MONARCHISM
SAGES, MEDIOCRITIES, AND INACTIVE RULERS
THE FIRST EMPEROR: THE REIGNING SAGE
THE INSTITUTIONAL POWER OF THE MONARCHS
“CHECKS AND BALANCES” AND POWERLESS EMPERORS
FROM KHAN TO EMPEROR: THE CONQUEST DYNASTIES
EPILOGUE: THE PRICE OF IMPOTENT OMNIPOTENCE
CHAPTER 3 The Literati
THE RISE OF THE SHI
SHI IN THE MARKET OF TALENT
UNDER THE IMPERIAL MONOPOLY
IDEOLOGY AND POWER
BETWEEN THE RULER AND THE WAY
EPILOGUE: SCHOLAR-OFFICIALS AND THE EMPIRE’S LONGEVITY
CHAPTER 4 Local Elite
FROM ARISTOCRATIC TO BUREAUCRATIC STATE
THE RISE AND FALL OF THE IMPERIAL ARISTOCRACY
THE SONG DYNASTY: FROM “NEW POLICIES” TO ELITE VOLUNTARISM
TENSE SYMBIOSIS: THE ELITE AND THE STATE IN LATE IMPERIAL CHINA
THE THREE BONDS: IDEOLOGY OF THE STATE-ELITE CONVERGENCE
EPILOGUE: STABILITY AND STAGNATION
CHAPTER 5 The People
“THE PEOPLE AS THE ROOT” AND THE RIGHT TO REBEL
THE QUESTION OF EQUALITY
AGENTS OF DISORDER
TO REBEL IS JUSTIFIED
GOING TO THE EXTREME
REGENERATION OF ORDER
EPILOGUE: REBELLIONS AND THE EMPIRE’S LONGEVITY
CHAPTER 6 Imperial Political Culture in the Modern Age
THE QUEST FOR UNITY
MONARCHISM
INTELLECTUALS
ELITES AND THE “MASSES”
EPILOGUE: STABILITY VERSUS PROGRESS
Notes
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 1 THE IDEAL OF “GREAT UNITY”
CHAPTER 2 THE MONARCH
CHAPTER 3 THE LITERATI
CHAPTER 4 LOCAL ELITE
CHAPTER 5 THE PEOPLE
CHAPTER 6 IMPERIAL POLITICAL CULTURE IN THE MODERN AGE
Bibliography
Index
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