Ancient China Simplified | Page 4

to 480 B.C. is the period of change covered by Confucius' history
CHAPTER III
THE NORTHERN POWERS The state of Tsin in Shan Si--In 771 B.C.: its ruler escorts the Emperor to his new capital--Only in 671 B.C. does Confucius mention Tsin--Divided from Ts'in by the Yellow River--Important difference between the sounds Tsin and Ts'in--Importance of the whole Yellow River as a natural boundary--The state of Ts'i also engaged in buffer work against Tartar inroads--Remote origin of Ts'i-Ts'in, Tsin, and Ts'i grow powerful as the Emperor grows weaker--The state of Yen in the Peking plain--The founder of Yen immortalized in song--Complete absence of tradition concerning Yen's origin--Its possible relations with Corea and Japan--Centre of political gravity transferred for ever to the north--Tartar movements in Asia generally 800-600 B.C.--Never was a Tarter empire--Reason for using the loose word "Tartars"--Race divisions then probably very much as now--Attempt to classify the Tartars in definite groups--Ch'wan unknown by any name--Nothing at all was known in China of the north and west: _�� fortiori_ of Central Asia
CHAPTER IV
THE SOUTHERN POWER The collapse of the Emperor led to restlessness in the south too-- The Jungle country south of the River Han--Ancient origin of its kings--Claim to equality--Buffer state to the south--Ruling caste consisted of educated Chinese--Extension of the Ts'u empire-- Annamese connections--Claims repeated 704 B.C.--Capital moved to King-thou Fu near Sha-sh?--First Ts'u conquests of China--Five hundred years of struggle with Ts'in for the possession of all China
CHAPTER V
EVIDENCE OF ECLIPSES How far is history true?--Confucius and eclipses--Evidence notwithstanding the destruction of literature in 213 B.C.-- Retrospective calculations of eclipses and complications of calendars--Eclipse of 776 B.C.--Errors in Confucian history owing to rival calendars
CHAPTER VI
THE ARMY Paraphernalia of warfare--Ten thousand and one thousand chariot states--Use of war-chariots, leather or wood--Chariots allotted according to rank--Seventy-five men to one cart--War-chariots date back to 1800 B.C.--Tartar house-carts--Rivers mostly unnavigable in north--Introduction of canals and boat traffic--Population and armies--Vague descriptions--Early armies never exceeded 75,000 men--The use of flags--Used in hunting as well as in war--Victims sacrificed to drums--A modern instance of this in 1900 A.D.
CHAPTER VII
THE COAST STATES The coast states in possession of the Yang-tsz delta--The state of Wu really of the same origin as the imperial dynasty of Chou-- Comparison with Phoenician colonists--Wu induced by Tsin to attack Ts'a-Ancient name was _Keugu_--Wu falls into the whirl of Chinese politics--Confucius and his contemptuous treatment of barbarians-Lu, in South Shan Tung, the place where Confucius held official posts--Great Britain and Duke Confucius--Five ranks for rulers of vassal states--Sacking of the Ts'u capital by Wu in 506 B.C.--Wu's vassal Y��eh turns against Wu--Uviet the native name of Y��eh--Bloody wars between Wu and Yiieh--Extinction of Wu in 483 B.C.--Y��eh was always a coast power--Reasons for Confucius' endeavours to re-establish the old feudal system
CHAPTER VIII
FIRST PROTECTOR OF CHINA The first Hegemon or Protector of China and his own vassal kingdom of Ts'i--Limits of Ts'i and ancient course of the Yellow River-- Absence of ancient records--Shiftings of capital in the ninth century B.C.--Emperor's collapse of 842 and its effect upon Ts'i-- Aid rendered by Ts'i in suppressing the Tartars--Inconsiderable size of Ts'i--Revenges a judicial murder two centuries old--Rapid rise of Ts'i and services of the statesman--philosopher Kwan-tsz-- The governing caste in China--Declares self Protector of China 679 B.C.--Tartar raids down to the Yellow River in Ho Nan-Chinese durbars and the duties of a Protector--Ts'in and Ts'u too far off or too busy for orthodox durbars--Little is now known of the puppet Emperor's dominions--Effeminate character of all the Central Chinese orthodox stales--Fighting instincts all with semi- Chinese states--Struggle for life becoming keener throughout China
CHAPTER IX
POSITION OF ENVOYS Sanctity of envoys--Rivalry of Tsin north and Ts'u south for influence over orthodox centre--The state of CH��NG (imperial clan)--The state of Sung (Shang dynasty clan)--Family sacrifices-- Instances of envoy treatment--The philosopher Yen-tsz: his irony-- The statesman Tsz-ch'an of CH��NG--Ts'u's barbarous and callous conduct to envoys--Greed for valuables among high officers-- squabble for precedence at Peace Conference--Confucius manipulates history--Yen-& and Confucius together at attempted assassination
CHAPTER X
THE SECOND PROTECTOR Death of First Protector and his henchman Kwan-tsz, 648-643 B.C.-- Ts'i succession and Sung's claim to Protectorate--Tartar influence in Ts'i--Ts'u's claim to the hegemony--Ridiculous orthodox chivalry--Great development of Tsin--A much-married ruler-- Marriage complications--Interesting story of the political wanderings of the Second Protector--Tries to replace Kwan-tsz deceased--Pleasures of Ts'i life--Mean behaviour of orthodox princes to the Wanderer--Frank attitude of Ts'u--Successive Tartar-born rulers of Tsin, and war with T&n--Second Protector gains his own Tsin throne--Puppet Emperor at a durbar--Tsin obtains cession of territory--Triangular war between the Powers-- Description of the political situation--China 2500 years ago beginning to move as she is now doing again
CHAPTER XI
RELIGION I'Jo religion except natural religion--Religion not separate from administrative ritual--The titles of "King" and "Emperor"--Prayer common, but most other of our own religious notions absent--Local religion in barbarous states--Distinction between loss