Jing Liu - Foundations of Chinese Civilization: The Yellow Emperor to the Han Dynasty (2697 BCE - 220 CE)

Foundations of Chinese Civilization Foundations of Chinese Civilization The Yellow Emperor to the Han Dynasty (2697 BCE - CE) Jing Liu a graphic novel history from stone bridge press Berkeley CA CHINA understanding through comics Volume Published by Stone Bridge Press P.O. Box 8208 Berkeley, California 94707 tel 510-524-8732 sbp@stonebridge.com www.stonebridge.com Text and illustrations 2016 Jing Liu. First edition, 2016. Book design and layout by Linda Ronan. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher.

Printed in the United States of America. library of congress cataloging-in-publication data Names: Liu, Jing (Author of graphic novels), author, illustrator. Title: Foundations of Chinese civilization / Jing Liu. Description: First edition. | Berkeley : Stone Bridge Press, 2016. | Series: Understanding China through comics | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2016009755 (print) | LCCN 2016012382 (ebook) | ISBN 9781611720273 (alk. paper) | ISBN 9781611729184 (ebook) Subjects: LCSH: ChinaHistoryComic books, strips, etc. | Graphic novels. Classification: LCC DS735 .L576 2016 (print) | LCC DS735 (ebook) | DDC 931dc23 LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2016009755 Contents Introduction Discussion about China tends to center on its economic growth and for good reason. In just three decades China has gone from third world country to the worlds second largest economy and in doing it so has lifted over million people from poverty. But while this astronomical growth has attracted widespread attention, it is only one story of many and for the curious reader may raise even more questions about China than it answers.

Most im- portantly. . . . Who exactly are the Chinese? While theres no easy answer to that question, I would suggest that looking toward Chinas history, its collective past, is an excellent place to start. The Understanding China Through Com- ics series is a work of history that paints a rich and thorough portrait of the Chi- nese people.

Figures both legendary and real, famous battles, and political mach- inations all feature in its pages, as do nomad invasions, the plight of peasant farmers, and the occasional love story. One issue with recounting so much his- tory is how to convey it meaningfully. Books in this series draw on disciplines like geography, economics, and philos- ophy to help contextualize individu- als and their actions, as well as identify themes seen again and again through- out Chinese history. This is especially true for Foundations of Chinese Civilization , the first book in this series and the one you hold in your hands now. While thousands of years have seen China change in many ways, much has re- mained constant. So. So.

Who are the Chinese? While a sin- gle answer to that question will never suffice, I hope that by exploring Chinas history readers will begin to understand the complex accumulation of ideas that make the Chinese people who they are today. Use this book to open up further avenues of exploration and inquiry. After all, the power to pursue knowledge rests with you the reader. J.L. 2697 BCE Reign of Yellow Emperor begins* 2070 BCE Emperor Yu establishes Xia dynasty* 1600 BCE Shang dynasty overthrows Xia dynasty * c. 1200 BCE Oracle bone script first appears 1046 BCE King Wu defeats Shang dynasty and establishes Zhou dynasty Western Zhou dynasty period begins BCE Leading nobles exile King Li and begin Gong He Regency BCE King Xuan restores Zhou dynasty BCE Zhou capital moves east to Luoyang Spring and Autumn period of Eastern Zhou dynasty begins BCE Confucius is born BCE Warring States period of Eastern Zhou dynasty begins BCE Qin state captures Zhou capital, ending Zhou dynasty BCE First emperor unifies China and founds Qin dynasty BCE First emperor of the Qin dies BCE Xiang Yu defeats Qin army and Liu Bang attacks Qin capital BCE Qin dynasty falls BCE Liu Bang defeats Xiang Yu and founds Han dynasty Western Han dynasty period begins BCE Liu Bang dies after sustaining wounds while fighting rebels BCE Emperor Wu begins war against Xiongnu nomads BCE Sima Qian, author of Records of the Grand Historian , dies CE Wang Mang formally establishes Xin dynasty CE Liu Xiu defeats Xin army CE Liu Xiu reestablishes Han dynasty Eastern Han dynasty period begins CE Cai Lun, inventor of paper, dies amid palace intrigue CE Han dynasty falls *veracity debated by scholars Timeline