24 Hours in Ancient China: A Day in the Life of the People Who Lived There

by Yijie Zhuang

Overview

Travel back to AD 17, during the fourth year of the reign of Wang Mang of the Han dynasty, a vibrant and innovative era full of conflicts and contradictions. But as different as the Han culture might have been to other great ancient civilizations, the inhabitants of ancient China faced the same problems as people have for time immemorial: earning enough money, coping with workplace dramas and keeping your home in order . . . although the equivalent in this era was more about bribing inspectors, avoiding bullying from abusive watchmen and trying to keep your house from being looted by Huns. In each chapter we meet one of 24 citizens of this ancient culture, from the midwife to the soldier, the priest to the performer and the blacksmith to the tomb looter, and see what an average day in ancient China was really like.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781789291216
Publisher:	Michael O'Mara Books
Publication date:	10/01/2020
Series:	24 Hours in Ancient History
Pages:	272
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 7.90(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Yijie Zhuang obtained his PhD from the Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge. He is now a senior lecturer in Chinese archaeology at the UCL Institute of Archaeology. He edited 30 Second Ancient China.

Table of Contents

Introduction 10

Seventh Hour of the Night (00.00-01.00)

The Doctor Dispenses a Prescription 15

Eighth Hour of the Night (01.00-02.00)

The Tomb Robber Strikes Out 24

Ninth Hour of the Night (02.00-03.00)

The Midwife Delivers her Grandchild 34

Tenth Hour of the Night (03.00-04.00)

The Stablehand Prepares to Complain 44

Eleventh Hour of the Night (04.00-05.00)

The Housewife at the Flour Mill 55

Twelfth Hour of the Night (05.00-06.00)

The Bronze Worker Consults a Colleague 64

First Hour of the Day (06.00-07.00)

The Canal Worker is Nostalgic 76

Second Hour of the Day (07.00-08.00)

The Teacher Starts his Class 85

Third Hour of the Day (08.00-09.00)

The Textile Worker Picks Mulberry Leaves 94

Fourth Hour of the Day (09.00-10.00)

The Tomb Sculptor Trains his Apprentices 105

Fifth Hour of the Day (10.00-11.00)

The Salt Worker Harvests Brine 115

Sixth Hour of the Day (11.00-12.00)

The Priest Argues with a Friend 125

Seventh Hour of the Day (12.00-13.00)

The Warden of the Beacon Tower Collects Hay 135

Eighth Hour of the Day (13.00-14.00)

The Granary Keeper is Inspected 145

$$ Ninth Hour of the Day (14.00-15.00)

The Courier Approaches his Destination 156

Tenth Hour of the Day (15.00-16.00)

The Farmer Takes a Break 167

Eleventh Hour of the Day (16.00-17.00)

The Convict Arrives at his Destination 175

Twelfth Hour of the Day (17.00-18.00)

The Kiln Worker Feels Hounded 185

First Hour of the Night (18.00-19.00)

The Chef Prepares a Banquet 195

Second Hour of the Night (19.00-20.00)

The Consort's Maid is Distressed 205

Third Hour of the Night (20.00-21.00)

The Scribe Comes to a Decision 216

Fourth Hour of the Night (21.00-22.00)

The Performer Finishes her Act 227

Fifth Hour of the Night (22.00-23.00)

The Royal Maid Prepares a Bath 239

Sixth Hour of the Night (23.00-00.00)

The Soldier Fights for his Life 248

Conclusion 257

Acknowledgements 259

Bibliography 260

List of Illustrations 262

Index 264