Legends of the Building of Old Peking
Publisher: The Chinese University Press; University of Washington Press; Chinese University Press
Published: November 1, 2007
Language: eng
Format: Hardcover
Number of pages: 450
ISBN-13: 9789629963132
Subjects: Asian / Middle Eastern history; City & town planning - architectural aspects; Urban & municipal planning; China - History; Folklore; History; History - General History; History: World; China; Asia - China; History / China; Folklore & Mythology
Description: "Legends of the Building of Old Peking examines a series of popular legends surrounding the building and rebuilding of the city that served as the capital of a succession of dynasties, including the Nazha or Nezha City legend of the Yuan (1272-1368) "Great Capital" and the Ming (1368-1644) "Northern Capital", and the Mongolian legend of siting by bowshot to locate the capital city" and its Chinese adaptations. These legends reveal a rich tapestry of religious and cultural traditions surrounding the majority Han and non-Han people's conceptions of the origins of their capital cities - legends that are distinct from imperial ideologies and dynastic traditions, and evolved under changing political and cultural circumstances. The book is a unique study of the historical origins of old Peking (spelled thus to distinguish it from modern Beijing) as well as the genesis and efflorescence of related popular culture in today's capital of China."--BOOK JACKET.