Contents and Abstracts
[Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations]
Title: The Romance of Cyrus the Great and Oral History………………………………………………………/2
Author: Wang Yixin, Professor, School of History, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China.
Abstract: The sources about Cyrus the Great, the founder of the Persian Empire, are mainly derived from the
Greek historians records, incredible in details and full of legendary elements and moral teachings. This
paper applies motif analysis on the Cyrus romances in Herodotus and shows in them the rich elements of
myth and folktale, both oriental and Greek. Furthermore, this paper looks into issues such as what sources
the Greek historians acquired, how they screened and colored these sources and by what standard they
measured the historical truths. Finally, by summarizing the features of oral history, this study indicates
that Herodotus and his contemporary historians have the features of oral historians. The oriental sources
they collected are oral materials, not the archived documents.
Key words: Cyrus; Herodotus; motifs; oral history
Title: A Chinese Translation and Commentary of the Laws about Homosexual Behavior in Against Timarchus/14
Author: Guo Zilong, M. A. Student, Institute for the History of Ancient Civilizations, Northeast Normal University,
Jilin, Changchun, 130024, China; Zhang Qiang, Professor, Institute for the History of Ancient Civilizations,
Northeast Normal University, Jilin, Changchun, 130024, China.
Abstract: Against Timarchus is a legal speech written by ancient Greek orator Aeschines. It includes the laws
about homosexuality which give a comprehensive description of classical Greek attitudes to homosexual
behavior and their backgrounds of legal and constitutional system. By analyzing the texts, we may
conclude that homosexual behavior was not prohibited among Greek people. Nevertheless, Athenians who
have participated in prostitution were excluded from political activities, and some were severely punished
by disfranchisement.
Key words: Against Timarchus; homosexual behavior; law
Title: On the Contribution of the Praetor Peregrinus to the Law of Ancient Rome……………………………/26
Author: Wu Shoudong, Ph. D. Candidate, School of Law, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, 130012, China.
Abstract: During the expansion period of Ancient Rome, on the practical needs of handling peregrines law
disputes, Ancient Rome establishes Praetor Peregrinus in 242 B.C.. The Praetor Peregrinus made
contributions to the development of Roman Laws in the following two aspects: in the substantive law, it
creates Jus Gentium with the edict of Praetor Peregrinus as its main body; in the procedure law, it creates
the Processo Per Formulas.
Key words: Roman Law; Praetor Peregrinus; Jus Gentium; Processo Per Formulas
[Byzantine and the European Middle Ages]
Title: Review of the Studies on Byzantine Music…………………………………………………………………/32
Author: Gao Zhimin, Associate Professor at the School of Music and Ph.D. Candidate at the School of History and
Culture, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, Jilin, 130024, China.
Abstract: The Byzantine Empire played an important role in world history. While succeeded the classical culture
of ancient Greece and Rome, Byzantine culture was also a major factor to make the Renaissance happen in
Europe. Music as one of the most important aspects of Byzantine culture has attracted more and more
scholarly researches in contemporary China. Nevertheless, in terms of academic standard, the Chinese
scholars have not reach the same level as that of the western scholars.
Key words: Byzantine Empire; music; history of music
[Specially Invited Column]
Title: Three Essays on the Study of Ming Political Culture…………………………………………………/39
Author: Zhao Yifeng, Professor, Faculty for the Study of Asian Civilizations, Northeast Normal University,
Changchun, Jilin, 130024, China; Wang Jian, Professor, History Department, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin,
130012; Wu Yanhong, Professor, History Department, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China.
Abstract: Following the conference held in July 2013 on Ming and Qing political culture, three well-known
scholars in this area were invited to contribute their thoughts about further studies of Ming political culture
aiming at clarifying certain related issues of methodology. Zhao Yifengs paper entitled “The Horizon of
Ming Political Culture Studies”, points out four dimensions of political cultural, namely, political system,
value, thought, and environment, and discusses the possible issues in Ming political culture for deeper
examination. Taken political culture as the crossing point of political science and political history, Wang
Jian, in his paper entitled “Political Culture:A New Frontier of Traditional Political History”, suggests to
further apply theory, paradigm, and key concepts of political science in the study of Chinese political
history. Wu Yanhong, on the other hand, in her paper entitled “On the Political Cultural Construction of the
Ming Dynasty”, argues that political culture should be considered not only as an existing situation, or a
given tradition, but also as an area to be constructed. Two cases of Ming judicial officials are particularly
referred to in her discussion.
Key words: Ming Dynasty; political history; political culture; methodology
[Imperial China]
Title: On the Suburb Sacrificial Rite of the Western and Eastern Jin Dynasties……………………………/48
Author: Zhang Hequan, Professor, Institute for the Study of Ancient Books, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin,
130012, China.
Abstract: Including sacrificial ceremonies in both the southern and northern suburbs, the suburb rite was the
highest levled official rite during the Western Jin and Eastern Jin dynasties. The rite in southern suburb was
for the Heaven, while the rite in the Northern suburb was for the Earth. The rites in this era were with
systmatical ceremonies but rarely making use of music and dance, which constituted a major difference
from the traditional suburb rites of the earlier times. The roles of the attendants to play in these rites
reflected these peoples real political postion.
Key words: Western and Eastern Jin; Suburb Sacrificial Rite; religion; politics
Title: A Study of the Yuan Adherents with Han Ethnic Background in Early Ming Period………………/58
Author: Zhang Jia, Assistant Professor, National Institute for Advanced Humanistic Studies, Fudan University,
Shanghai, 200433, China.
Abstract: The transition from Yuan to Ming resulted in a large number of Yuan adherents with a background of
Han ethnic group. The existence of these Yuan adherents made the newly established Ming government
to face serious legitimacy problem. This paper attempts to summarize the characteristics of these adherents
by analyzing scattered historical documents. In addition, the relevance of this social group with other
aspects of the early Ming politics is also examined in this study.
Key words: Yuan to Ming transition; Yuan adherents; early Ming; political legitimacy
Title: On the Fiscal Function of the Local Reserved Revenue Incomes and the Formation of the Miscellaneous
Expenditure Silver in Zhejiang of the Ming Dynasty……………………………………………………/68
Author: Ding Liang, Ph. D. Candidate, School of History and Culture, Northeast Normal University, Changchun,
Jilin, 130024, China.
Abstract: Different from the commonly agreed points of view, this paper holds that the reserved revenue
incomes of Zhejiang area during the Ming dynasty were mainly used to meet the expenses of the garrisons,
in addition to pay the salaries of the local officials, educational subsidies, and the needs of the posts. They
were not used to cover the local governments administrative expenditure. Accordingly, the local reserved
revenue could be used to make up the deficit of the garrisons and it might not result in the financial
insufficiency of the local governments. The real reason of the local governmental financial insufficiency is
actually the inflation of the paper currency issued by the Ming central government. Along with the
increase of the local financial expense, by Zhengde period, the system of Miscellaneous Expenditure Silver
was established.
Key words: Governmental expenditure; miscellaneous expenditure silver; local reserved revenue incomes
[Eastern Asian History and Culture]
Title: The Debate on Confucianism and Buddhism among the Gozan Buddhist Monks of Japan and Their
Internal Differentiation…….……………………………………………………………………….……/78
Author: Wang Mingbing, Associate Professor, School of History and Culture, Northeast Normal University,
Changchun, Jilin, 130024, China.
Abstract: The debate about Confucianism and Buddhism among the Gozan Buddhist monks of Japan in the
Middle Ages had a very close connection with the fact that a large number of Buddhist monks studied in
China and Zhu Xi's theory was spread to Japan. In terms of internal logic and occurring sequences, the
process went through the following stages. In the first stage, Confucianism including Zhu Xi's theory was
rejected. In the second stage, Confucianism and Buddhism were reconciled. In the third stage,
Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism were unified. In the fourth stage, Confucianism was repelled again
while Buddhism was accepted. In terms of practices, it went through a process of giving up Buddhism for
secular life. Fujiwaraseika bred up in Sokoku Temple and Hayasirazan bred up in Kennin Temple
established the school of Kyousisyusigakuha after giving up Buddhism. This was not only the turning
point of the internal differentiation among Gozan Buddhist monks, but also a significant sign of the rising
of The Zhu Xi School in Japan. Since this process also reflected the transition of the political consciousness
and academic thought from Buddhist culture to Confucianism in the early days of Japan, it was also a
process of Confucianism's being reconciled with the Japanese culture.
Key words: Gozan Buddhist monks; giving up Buddhism for secular life; Fujiwaraseika; Hayasirazan ;
Zhu Xi School
[Study of Traditional Chinese Scholarship]
Title: The Miraculous Prophecies in Zuozhuan and Their Impacts to Traditional Chinese Historiography/85
Author: Chen Hongchao, Ph.D. Student, History Department, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
Abstract: There are a large number of miraculous prophecies in the narratives of Zuozhuan(《左传》). This
way of historical writing combined with both superstitious and reasonable thinking reflects the mental
complex of people in that times. In Zuozhuan, miraculous predictions become a factor to express causal
explanations and historical moral teaching. Influenced by Zuozhuan in certain degree, religious belief
and historical illustration, as well as moral judgment combined more deeply in later historical writings,
which become one of the most important features of traditional Chinese historiography.
Key words: Zhuozhuan; miraculous prophecy; Religious thinking; Historical narrative; Moral judgment
Title: A New Study of the Completion Time of Shishuo Xinyu Zhu…………………………………………/92
Author: Wei Yunliang, Ph.D. Candidate, College of Liberal Arts, Central China Normal University, Wuhan,
Hubei, 430079, China.
Abstract: This article places Liu Xiaobiao(刘孝标)s action of making notes for Shishuo Xinyu (《世说新语》)
in the background of the reconstruction of ritual system and re-writing history of the Liang dynasty. It is
held that Liu Xiaobiao took that action because of the order from Emperor Wudi. By a textual examination,
it is confirmed that Liu Xiaobiao started his work in the first year of Tianjian(天监,502-519) and finished
in the seventh year of Tianjian(508).
Key words: Shishuo Xinyu ; Liu Xiaobiao; Completion Time
Title: Tartar Pipe and Its Role in the Performance of Song Lyrics…………………………………………/98
Author: Dong Xiping, Associate Professor, School of Literature, Communication University of China, Beijing,
100024, China.
Abstract: The trill pipe introduced into China during the Qin and Han Dynasties became popular in the Southern
and Northern Dynasties. It was known as Bili(觱篥, Tartar Pipe) and became the major musical instrument
in the Tang official ceremonial functions. As a tuning instrument, it was commonly used to record music
tunes. In Song Dynasty, because its timbre fits the Lyrics, Tartar pile became a major musical instrument
in performance of Lysics. When Song Lyrics became less popular and was replaced by opera, bamboo flute
gradually took over the role of the Tartar pile.
Key words: Tartar Pipe; leading Musical Instrument; Song Lyrics; system of performance
[Newsletters]
Review of “The Conference for the Study of Forbidden City and the Political Culture of the Ming and Qing
Dynasties………………………………………………………………………………Chang Wenxiang/108
Manuscripts, Reminiscence, Locations and Interpretation: New Perspectives on Chinese-Western Cultural
Exchange and Christianity in Northeast China (Early Qing to Republic) is Published……………………/91
English Contents and Abstracts………….……………………………………………………………………/112
Editors Notes…………………….…….……………….…………………….….….………………/cover page 2
Call for Papers…………….…………..….……………………………………….…..……….……/cover page 3