The Cultural History of the South China Sea
Author: SiTu Shangji
ISBN: 978-1-84464-540-4
Ebook ISBN: 978-1-84464-541-1
Hardback-550 Pages
March 2019
English
£80 €100 $130
Description:
As the cradle of the ancient Maritime Silk Road, the South China Sea plays an important role in the history of Chinese civilization as well as the world’s civilization. Since the South China Sea opened to the outside world as a commercial port in 111 BC, it has experienced ups and downs for more than 2,000 years. With dynasties changing over time, the Chinese South China Sea has undergone dramatic changes and experienced rises and falls along with the economic and cultural development of the Maritime Silk Road. Up till now, the South China Sea is still one of the most active and dynamic regions across China and even the whole world. This book reviews the history and analyzes the current situation and bright future of the South China Sea. In this book the social, economic and cultural synthesis in the South China Sea is examined as well as Trade and Cultural Communications. The scope of the book centres around economic, trade and cultural development which is the starting point and main theme.
Content:
Chapter 1: Basic Theories on Maritime Culture Section 1 Definition of Maritime Culture Section 2 Connotation of Maritime Culture Section 3 Characteristics of Marine Culture Section 4 Chinese Research in Maritime Culture: History and Current Status Chapter 2: Geographical Environment of South China Sea Maritime Culture Section 1 The Natural Geographical Environment of the South China Sea Section 2 The Human Social Environment Section 3 The Great Role of Overseas Chinese People and the Influence of Guangzhou, Hong Kong and Macao on South China Sea Maritime Culture Section 4 The Relationship Between the Maritime Era and South China Sea Maritime Culture Chapter 3: Birth of South China Sea Maritime Culture in Prehistoric Times Section 1 Cultural Exchange in The South China Sea Region and Its Archaeological Evidence Section 2 Origin of South China Seamaritime Culture in Totemistic and Prehistoric Times Chapter 4: Initial Development of South China Sea Maritime Culture in The Pre-Qin Period Section 1 Maritime Activities of Ancestors in The South China Sea Recorded in the Classic of Mountains and Seas and Other Pre-Qin Ancient Books and Records Section 2 The Beginning of Maritime Agricultural Culture - South China Sea Regarding the Ocean as The Farming Field Section 3 Views of The Sea on The Relation Between Heaven and Earth Under the Contention of a Hundred Schools of Thought Chapter 5: Development of South China Sea Maritime Culture in The Qin Dynasty (221-206 Bc), Han Dynasty (202 Bc-Ad 220) And Northern and Southern Dynasties (Ad 420-589) Section 1 Maritime Activities and Cultural Exchange as Embodied by the Bronze Drums of Ancient Yue State Section 2 Exploration of The Maritime Silk Road in The Western Han Period Section 3 Maritime Activities in Exploration of the Environmental Resources of the South China Sea Chapter 6: Prosperity of Maritime Culture in The South China Sea During The Sui, Tang and Southern Han Dynasties (Ad 581-618, 618-907 And 917-971 Respectively) Section 1 The Chinese Government’s Sovereignty Management and Administrative Construction in China’s South China Sea Area Section 2 The Opening of The ‘Maritime Passage from Guangzhou to Foreign Countries’ and The Rise of Guangzhou’s Status as a World Port Section 3 Maritime Cultural Exchange and Communication Between China and Foreign Countries Section 4 The Rise of Nanhai God Worship and sacrifice Section 5 The Appearance of Sea-Related Literary Works Chapter 7: The Opening-Up Policy and Blossoming of South China Sea Maritime Culture in The Song Dynasty (Ad 960-1234) And Yuan Dynasty (Ad 1271-1368) Section 1 China’s Exercise of Sovereignty Over the South China Sea in the Song and Yuan Dynasties Section 2 Favorable Policies of the Song and Yuan Dynasties on maritime Commerce Section 3 Enclosure and Cultivation of Tideland Section 4 Technological Advancements in Ship Building and Maritime Navigation Section 5 Maritime Culture as Embodied in Nanhai One, A Merchant Ship Sunk in The Southern Song Period Section 6 Introduction of Foreign Crops and The First Revolution in Crop Production Section 7 Worship and Cultural Styles of Goddess Mazu and Other Deities Section 8 Maritime Cultural Works Chapter 8: The Peak of Maritime Culture Development in South China Sea in the Ming Dynasty Section 1 South China Sea Enjoying Exclusive Maritime Trade Interests Under the Ban on Maritime Trade Section 2 Zheng He’s Voyages and The International Spread of China’s Maritime Culture Section 3 The Introduction and Benefits of New Overseas Crop Varieties.232 Section 4 The Prosperity of Maritime Agriculture Culture with the Seas as the Fields Section 5 The Forming of Macao as the Center of Cultural Exchanges Between China and the West Section 6 Matteo Ricci into Guangdong Section 7 The Revival of the Pirate Culture Section 8 The Culture in Coastal Areas Section 9 The Splendor of sea Literature and Art Chapter 9: Ups and Downs of South China Sea Maritime Culture in The Early Qing Dynasty (Ad 1644-1911) Section 1 Isolationist Policy and Declining Maritime Commerce in The Early Qing Dynasty Section 2 The Maritime Silk Road and the New Global Structure in the Middle Qing Dynasty Section 3 The Birth of Commercial Groups and Their Characteristics Reflected in Maritime Activities Section 4 Determining the Traditional Territory of the South China Sea Section 5 The Second Renaissance of Pirate Culture Chapter 10: Transformation and Revitalisation of the Maritime Culture of the South China Sea in the Modern Times Section 1 Vanishing of The Maritime Silk Route after the Opium War Section 2 New Structure of Sino-Western Cultural Exchanges Section 3 Political, Ideological, And Cultural Achievements Enabled by Sino-West Cultural Exchanges Section 4 The Formation of Overseas Chinese Culture and Its Contribution to The Culture at Home and Abroad Section 5 The Boom of Sea-Related Literature and Art Chapter 11: Zigzags of The Maritime Cultures of the South China Sea in the Modern Times Section 1 Struggle of The Chinese Government and The Chinese People for the Sovereignty over the South China Sea and the Islands in the Area Section 2 Values of The South China Sea as Perceived in the Modern Times Section 3 Loss and Resumption of Sovereignty Over Hong Kong and Macau Section 4 Mariculture in The Modern Times Section 5 Rapid Rising of Maritime Commercial Culture in the Modern Times Section 6 Sino-West Cultural Exchanges Since China’s Reform and Opening-Up Section 7 Blossoming of Maritime Technology, Humanities Research, and Literary and Artistic Works Afterword
About Author:
SiTu Shangji, professor and doctoral superviser, director of Society for Research on Pearl Liver Culture, is a specialist in the field of historical geography and cultural geography who has taken charged of several national natural scientific projects. He wrote about 35 books on the study of the above-saying subjects,such as Research on Development of land in Hainan Island, Cultural Geography of Guangdong, Cultural History of Pearl River, etc.