I. Cultural Icons of Hunan
4 Introduction
6 The Mausoleum of the Yan Emperor: Ancestor of Agriculture
10 The Mausoleum of the Shun Emperor: The Emperor and His Virtues
14 Yuelu Mountain: Where Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism Met
17 The Liye Qin Slips: Archives of the Qin
21 Mawangdui: Han Dynasty Tombs Sleeping for over Two Millennia
25 The Wuxi Cliffside Inscriptions: A Paean to the TangDynasty’s Revival
28 Laosicheng in Yongshun County: An Ancient Capital Hidden in the Mountains
31 Jiangyong Nüshu: Women’s Secret Script
34 Anhua Dark Tea: The Tea of Time
37 Zhangjiajie: The Debut of the “Wuling Beauty”
II. Customs of Hunan
42 Introduction
44 Worshiping the Lake God: The Story of Liu Yi Delivering the Letter
47 Pilgrimage to Mount Heng: A Thousand Miles of Song and Dance
50 Attending the Temple Fair: Stinky Tofu and Sister Dumplings
54 Crying Marriage: The Tujia Ethnic Minority’s Unique Ceremony
57 Chili Peppers in Hunan: More Than Just a Dish
III. Unique Arts of Hunan
62 Introduction
63 Xiang Embroidery: Using Needles to Create Artworks
66 Liuyang Chrysanthemum Stone Carving: Flowers That Never Wither
69 The Art of Palm Leaf Weaving: Endless Silent Wonders
72 Huagu Opera: The Story of Liu Hai
75 Lingling Yugu Drum: Grassroots Art That Sings
78 The Tongguan Kiln: The Birthplace of Underglaze Color
81 Eight Views of Xiaoxiang: The Beauty of Hunan in Poetic Scrolls
IV. Outstanding Figures of Hunan
86 Introduction
87 Du Fu: The Poetic Master of the Riverside
90 Zhou Dunyi: The Gentle Philosophical Guide
93 HuAnguo and Hu Hong: Founders of the Huxiang School
96 Wei Yuan: Gazing upon the World
99 Zeng Guofan: Pioneer of the Self-Strengthening Movement
102 Zuo Zongtang: The Recovery of Xinjiang
105 Guo Songtao: Tea Party at the Chinese Embassy
108 Huang Xing: Humble Champion
111 Cai E: The Hero Who Restored the Republic
114 Qi Baishi: Friendship Through Painting
118 Tian Han: The New Great Wall
121 Shen Congwen: A Great Small-Town Writer
V. Accomplishments and Inventions of Hunan
126 Introduction
128 Liuyang Fireworks: The Magical Light and Sound Show of the Ancients
131 The Art of Papermaking: The Story of Cai Lun’s Invention
135 Treatise on Cold Pathogenic and Miscellaneous Diseases: Zhang Zhongjing’s Medical Masterpiece
138 Yuelu Academy: Zhu-Zhang’s Academic Debates
142 Xiangya Hospital: Centennial Legend of a Hospital
145 Hybrid Rice: The Story of a Single Grain
148 TheYinhe Supercomputer: ANational Treasure
151 Malanshan: The Center of the Cultural Industry
VI. Spirit of Hunan
156 Introduction
157 Caring for the Country and Loving the People: Qu Yuan and Encountering Sorrow
161 Diligent Study and Hard Work: Che Yin’s Reading by the Light of Fireflies
164 Worry for the World: Fan Zhongyan and Yueyang Tower
168 Being Realistic and Pragmatic: History, Practice, and Progress
172 The Pioneering and Self-Sacrificial Patriotic Spirit: Self-Sacrifice for a Righteous Cause
175 From Ordinary to Extraordinary: The Spirit of Lei Feng
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Preface
With this book, the reader will delve into the fascinating world of China’s Hunan province, exploring its breathtaking scenery, rich customs, captivating art, prominent figures, impressive achievements, and enduring spirit. This preface furnishes some background to help the reader experience an immersive journey into this enchanting region.
I. The Dramatic Development of Hunan over the Past Centuries
Hunan (“Lake-South”) earned its name due to its location south of the renowned Dongting Lake. Hunan’s some 210,000 square kilometers is home to nearly seventy million people. The subtropical monsoon climate is ideal for agriculture, especially its primary crop of rice, which has been cultivated for about 7,000 years. Blessed with lakes and rivers, fishing in Hunan has flourished, earning it since ancient times the moniker “Land of Fish and Rice.” To this day, people say, “Hunan’s bounty satisfies the whole China. ”
In the wake of the reform and opening-up era, Hunan has like much of Southern China experienced remarkable growth. The province is now a leader in China and has a global foothold in such emerging industries as supercomputers, hybrid rice, engineering machinery, and cultural tourism. Hunan is also a “Cradle of Talent,” with highly developed education, academic, and science and technology sectors.
Rapid urbanization and vast improvements in urban and rural infrastructure have transformed the region and made the provincial capital, Changsha, a thriving modern city. The driving force behind Hunan’s transformation is not just reform and opening-up policies but also the inherent power of the traditional Hunanese spirit, thought, and character.
In modern times, some have said, “China is now Greece, and Hunan is Sparta; China will become Germany, and Hunan will be Prussia... If the Chinese nation were to perish, it would be over the dead bodies of the Hunanese.” This speaks to the Hunanese patriotism and spirit of sacrifice. In modern China’s fight for survival and radical reform, heroic Hunanese such as Wei Yuan, Zeng Guofan, Zuo Zongtang, Guo Songtao, Tan Sitong, Huang Xing, Cai E, Song Jiaoren, and Mao Zedong, have led groups of Hunanese to the front lines and made significant contributions to the independence of the Chinese nation and the liberation of its people.
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This approach embodies the cultural ethos of the Hunan people . The wars, migrations, exiles, and religious cultures in Hunan history have had a profound influence on the personality of its people. The Hunan School of Neo-Confucianism has an independent, inclusive, innovative, and pragmatic academic character that embodies the concern for the world, the courage to be a pioneer, and the pursuit of practicality.
In modern Chinese history, the actions of the people of Hunan prove that Hunan’s Neo-Confucianism is a powerful ideological tool—tenacious and innovative. Zeng Guofan and the Xiang Army ascended to the historical stage and played an important role in modern Chinese history. They initiated the Self-Strengthening Movement and promoted China’s “learning from the West so as to be strong enough to deal actively with their challenges,” which laid a foundation for modern industry and China’s opening up to the outside world—just the first of many crucial historical moments in which the Hunan people would play a leading role.
■ ZHENG Jiaming