Memory and Agency in Ancient China: Shaping the Life History of Objects

Cover......Page 1
Half-title......Page 3
Title page......Page 5
Copyright information......Page 6
Dedication......Page 7
Table of contents......Page 9
List of Figures......Page 11
List of Contributors......Page 15
Foreword: In Memory of Pochan Chen......Page 19
Introduction: Memory and Agency in Ancient China: Shaping the Life Histories of Objects......Page 23
Foundations......Page 25
The Social Life of Things......Page 29
Recent Studies......Page 31
Studying the Life Histories of Objects: Methodology and Interpretation......Page 32
Object Trajectories: Typology and Boundaries......Page 33
What Changes, and Why......Page 34
Cross-Cultural Comparisons and the Specificity of Trajectories......Page 35
This Volume......Page 36
Contributions and Limitations......Page 38
Life History Approaches and the Study of China......Page 41
Chapter Summaries......Page 42
References......Page 48
One Memory, Amnesia and the Formation of Identity Symbols in China......Page 50
Theoretical Background......Page 51
Theoretical and Methodological Problems with the Current Paradigm......Page 54
A New Theoretical Framework for the Study of Interactions in Time and Space......Page 56
Preliminary Case Study Examples......Page 59
Conclusions......Page 65
References......Page 66
Two The Lives of Shovels, Vessels, and Bells in Early South China: Memory, Ritual, and the Power of Destination......Page 72
The Stone Shovels of Lingnan and Adjacent Areas (Fourth–Third Millennium bce)......Page 74
Stone Shovels and Sites in the Core Area......Page 76
Stone Shovels and Sites outside the Core Area......Page 77
Summary and Discussion......Page 78
Non-Local Bronze Vessels and Bells in Lingnan (1000–200 bce)......Page 79
Aims, Methods, and Limitations......Page 80
Non-Local Bronze Vessels and Bells Found as Stray Finds......Page 83
Non-Local Bronze Vessels and Bells Found as Grave Goods......Page 85
Summary and Discussion......Page 88
Object Trajectories and the Power of Destination......Page 90
References......Page 91
Introduction......Page 94
The Archaeological Contexts......Page 97
The Burial Containers......Page 99
Burial Goods......Page 100
Uses of the Jades and Disposal of the Body......Page 102
Differential Treatment of Objects......Page 105
Complete Pieces......Page 106
Fragmentation and Transformation of Objects......Page 107
Sunjiagang......Page 111
Conclusion......Page 113
References......Page 115
Introduction......Page 119
The Biographic and Genealogical Approach to Things......Page 120
Salt Production, Distribution and Consumption in the Late Neolithic,.........Page 121
First Competitively Inspired Diversion: Eastern Zhou Period......Page 126
The Second Competitively Inspired Diversion: Commodification in the Han Dynasty......Page 130
From Prestige Goods to Commodities – the Social Life of Salt......Page 133
Ancient Texts......Page 135
References......Page 136
The Object and Previous Studies......Page 142
The Life History Approach......Page 144
Emergence of the Sword in the Late Second Millennium bce during the Late Shang Period......Page 146
The Life History of the Sword in the Yu State......Page 149
An Extension of a Person beyond a Lifetime......Page 150
A Symbol of the Cultural Identity of the Yu Lineage......Page 154
A Gender Signifier......Page 155
Willow-Leaf-Shaped Swords beyond the Yu Lineage from ca. Mid-Eleventh Century to ca. Mid-Tenth Century bce......Page 156
Swords from the Zhou Metropolitan Area: Hejiacun, Zhangjiapo, Beiyao, and Linye Xuexiao......Page 158
Swords from Zhou Regional States and the Northwestern Frontier: Baicaopo, Liulihe, Tianma-Qucun, and Yejiashan......Page 160
An Object Primarily Used by High-Ranking Male Elites of Different Cultural Backgrounds......Page 164
Reinterpretation of the Social Role of the Sword......Page 167
References......Page 169
Six Bird-Pillar Basins and Cylindrical Vessels: Object Lineage in Ancient China......Page 174
Pre-Warring States Central-Pillar Basins......Page 177
Middle Warring States Period (ca. 375–ca. 300 BCE)......Page 178
Late Warring States Period (ca. 300–221 BCE)......Page 183
Bronze Bird-Pillar Basins and Cylindrical Vessels: Stylistic Change and Transmission......Page 185
Iconography and Function......Page 189
Discussion......Page 191
References......Page 194
Seven Toiletries and the Production of Social Memory from the Warring States.........Page 198
Items from Daily Life in Mortuary Context......Page 200
Shaping Social Memory......Page 201
Toilet Boxes......Page 204
Personalizing Dimensions of Toilet Boxes......Page 206
Toilet Boxes in Funerary Context......Page 208
Conclusion......Page 213
References......Page 215
Eight A Biographical Approach to the Study of the Mounted Archer Motif during the Han Dynasty......Page 219
Methodology......Page 220
Phase 1 (ca. 221–ca. 100 BCE)......Page 223
Phase 2 (ca. 100 BCE–50 CE)......Page 224
Phase 3 (ca. 50–175 cE)......Page 227
Interpretation......Page 228
Conclusion......Page 233
References......Page 234
Nine Dynamic between Form and Material: The BI Disc in Western Han Noble Burial Ritual......Page 238
Jade Bi Discs Dated before the Han......Page 239
Non-Jade Bi Disc before the Western Han......Page 240
Jade and Non-Jade Bi Discs Found in Western Han tombs......Page 241
The Placement of the Non-Jade Bi Disc in Western Han Elite Tombs......Page 246
As a Token of Wealth: The Form......Page 248
The Power of Immortality: The Material......Page 249
Imagery as Representation: The Separated Form......Page 251
Conclusion......Page 255
References......Page 257
Introduction......Page 262
Object, Museum and Narrative......Page 263
Empire, Objects and Japanese Colonial Discourses (1895–1945)......Page 264
Nation, Borderland and the Anti-Colonial Narrative in Mainland China (1895–1945)......Page 270
The Unsettled Bridge: Interaction between the Mainland and Taiwan (1945–1948)......Page 272
Multi-Ethnic Narrative Construction in Mainland China (1949–80)......Page 274
Cultural History Reconstruction in Taiwan (1949–80)......Page 281
Conclusion......Page 286
References......Page 287
Introduction......Page 293
Conceptualizing the Role of Things......Page 295
Memorializing the Past......Page 298
Exchange and Imitation......Page 300
Conclusion......Page 304
References......Page 305
Index......Page 307