By analyzing two similar but different prophecies respectively preserved in
Marco Polo’s travelog... more By analyzing two similar but different prophecies respectively preserved in Marco Polo’s travelogue and Chinese writings, this article seeks to shed light on the mechanism of information circulation and preservation in Mongol Eurasia. It shows that the prophecy in Marco Polo’s book was compatible with European imagination of the Mongols during the thirteenth century while the prophecy in Chinese sources was consistent with Chinese understanding of the Mongols in this time. It argues that during the Mongol period historical information compatible with authors’ repertoires of knowledge and with target audiences’ understanding were more likely preserved in written texts.
Different interpretations exist regarding Khubilai’s 1280 edict prohibiting the
Muslim method of ... more Different interpretations exist regarding Khubilai’s 1280 edict prohibiting the Muslim method of slaughtering sheep and the practice of circumcision. By analyzing primary sources in the Chinese and Persian languages this article provides a new translation of the original text of the edict, showing that the Yuan established as a guiding principle that each subject group should follow its own customs. This article argues that the Yuan government prohibited the two Muslim practices because Mongol rulers believed that Muslims violated the guiding principle by forcing other peoples to follow the two practices. This article further argues that the Yuan court insisted on each group following its own customs because the power structure and legal system of the Mongol-Yuan Empire largely rested on differences and boundaries.
According to recent research, after the Song dynasty, there was a transformation of the political... more According to recent research, after the Song dynasty, there was a transformation of the political culture in imperial China according to which Confucian elites and dynastic rulers ceased to construct political legitimacy by interpreting prophecies. By examining the process of how Zhu Yuanzhang, the founder of the Ming dynasty, utilized a popular prophecy and how he concealed his utilization of this prophecy after enthronement, this article offers a more nuanced narrative of the transformation. It shows that during the Yuan-Ming transition, rulers sought to employ prophecies to construct their image as sovereigns favoured by Heaven, but, ironically, in official writings rulers tended to hide their utilization of prophecies so as to highlight their virtues which deserved the Mandate of Heaven. This article argues that after the Song, the role of prophecies changed in the political arena-not from important to unimportant, but from officially recognized to officially concealed.
According to the Persian source Jami al-Tawarikh, Prince Ananda, a grandson of
Qubilai Khan, conv... more According to the Persian source Jami al-Tawarikh, Prince Ananda, a grandson of Qubilai Khan, converted to Islam and persecuted other religions in his domains. By analysing Chinese, Korean and Tibetan sources, this article shows that Ananda patronised Buddhism and Daoism. While these non-Persian sources do not dismiss Ananda’s Muslim identity, they call into questions the narrative that he persecuted non-Islamic beliefs. This article argues that Ananda’s Muslim identity did not prevent him from protecting the different religions in his domains. Furthermore, this article shows that Ananda was respectively represented as a pious Muslim, a devoted Buddhist, and a virtuous ruler in Muslim, Buddhist, and Chinese sources. It argues that the different representations of Ananda resulted from two inter-related factors, the rulership adopted by Mongol rulers to exert influence in the different cultures of their subjects and the inclination shared by the Islamic, Buddhist and Chinese historiographical traditions to identify the Mongol rulers with their respective cultures. (Because of copyright, the uploaded file only includes the table of contents of the newest issue of CAJ and brief introductions of each articles. For a full-length version of this article, please follow the doi link and download it from Jstor).
Images of the Mongols, Muslims and Han Chinese in Yuan Prophecies: An Interpretation of the Case ... more Images of the Mongols, Muslims and Han Chinese in Yuan Prophecies: An Interpretation of the Case of ‘Falsely Accusing Innocent People of Rebelling’ in the Yuandianzhang
Heresy in Pre-Modern China
中國古代的異端
9:00am-5:30pm, March 26 2018 Location: Arch 108 @UPenn
Spon... more Heresy in Pre-Modern China
中國古代的異端
9:00am-5:30pm, March 26 2018 Location: Arch 108 @UPenn
Sponsor: Department of EALC, UPenn Taihe Foundation
By analyzing two similar but different prophecies respectively preserved in
Marco Polo’s travelog... more By analyzing two similar but different prophecies respectively preserved in Marco Polo’s travelogue and Chinese writings, this article seeks to shed light on the mechanism of information circulation and preservation in Mongol Eurasia. It shows that the prophecy in Marco Polo’s book was compatible with European imagination of the Mongols during the thirteenth century while the prophecy in Chinese sources was consistent with Chinese understanding of the Mongols in this time. It argues that during the Mongol period historical information compatible with authors’ repertoires of knowledge and with target audiences’ understanding were more likely preserved in written texts.
Different interpretations exist regarding Khubilai’s 1280 edict prohibiting the
Muslim method of ... more Different interpretations exist regarding Khubilai’s 1280 edict prohibiting the Muslim method of slaughtering sheep and the practice of circumcision. By analyzing primary sources in the Chinese and Persian languages this article provides a new translation of the original text of the edict, showing that the Yuan established as a guiding principle that each subject group should follow its own customs. This article argues that the Yuan government prohibited the two Muslim practices because Mongol rulers believed that Muslims violated the guiding principle by forcing other peoples to follow the two practices. This article further argues that the Yuan court insisted on each group following its own customs because the power structure and legal system of the Mongol-Yuan Empire largely rested on differences and boundaries.
According to recent research, after the Song dynasty, there was a transformation of the political... more According to recent research, after the Song dynasty, there was a transformation of the political culture in imperial China according to which Confucian elites and dynastic rulers ceased to construct political legitimacy by interpreting prophecies. By examining the process of how Zhu Yuanzhang, the founder of the Ming dynasty, utilized a popular prophecy and how he concealed his utilization of this prophecy after enthronement, this article offers a more nuanced narrative of the transformation. It shows that during the Yuan-Ming transition, rulers sought to employ prophecies to construct their image as sovereigns favoured by Heaven, but, ironically, in official writings rulers tended to hide their utilization of prophecies so as to highlight their virtues which deserved the Mandate of Heaven. This article argues that after the Song, the role of prophecies changed in the political arena-not from important to unimportant, but from officially recognized to officially concealed.
According to the Persian source Jami al-Tawarikh, Prince Ananda, a grandson of
Qubilai Khan, conv... more According to the Persian source Jami al-Tawarikh, Prince Ananda, a grandson of Qubilai Khan, converted to Islam and persecuted other religions in his domains. By analysing Chinese, Korean and Tibetan sources, this article shows that Ananda patronised Buddhism and Daoism. While these non-Persian sources do not dismiss Ananda’s Muslim identity, they call into questions the narrative that he persecuted non-Islamic beliefs. This article argues that Ananda’s Muslim identity did not prevent him from protecting the different religions in his domains. Furthermore, this article shows that Ananda was respectively represented as a pious Muslim, a devoted Buddhist, and a virtuous ruler in Muslim, Buddhist, and Chinese sources. It argues that the different representations of Ananda resulted from two inter-related factors, the rulership adopted by Mongol rulers to exert influence in the different cultures of their subjects and the inclination shared by the Islamic, Buddhist and Chinese historiographical traditions to identify the Mongol rulers with their respective cultures. (Because of copyright, the uploaded file only includes the table of contents of the newest issue of CAJ and brief introductions of each articles. For a full-length version of this article, please follow the doi link and download it from Jstor).
Images of the Mongols, Muslims and Han Chinese in Yuan Prophecies: An Interpretation of the Case ... more Images of the Mongols, Muslims and Han Chinese in Yuan Prophecies: An Interpretation of the Case of ‘Falsely Accusing Innocent People of Rebelling’ in the Yuandianzhang
Heresy in Pre-Modern China
中國古代的異端
9:00am-5:30pm, March 26 2018 Location: Arch 108 @UPenn
Spon... more Heresy in Pre-Modern China
中國古代的異端
9:00am-5:30pm, March 26 2018 Location: Arch 108 @UPenn
Sponsor: Department of EALC, UPenn Taihe Foundation
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Papers by Haiwei Liu
Marco Polo’s travelogue and Chinese writings, this article seeks to shed light on the mechanism of information circulation and preservation in Mongol Eurasia. It shows that the prophecy in Marco Polo’s book was compatible with European imagination of the Mongols during the thirteenth century while the prophecy in Chinese sources was consistent with Chinese understanding of the Mongols in this time. It argues that during the Mongol period historical information compatible with authors’ repertoires of knowledge and with target audiences’ understanding were more likely preserved in written texts.
Muslim method of slaughtering sheep and the practice of circumcision. By analyzing
primary sources in the Chinese and Persian languages this article provides a
new translation of the original text of the edict, showing that the Yuan established
as a guiding principle that each subject group should follow its own customs.
This article argues that the Yuan government prohibited the two Muslim practices
because Mongol rulers believed that Muslims violated the guiding principle by
forcing other peoples to follow the two practices. This article further argues that
the Yuan court insisted on each group following its own customs because the
power structure and legal system of the Mongol-Yuan Empire largely rested on
differences and boundaries.
Qubilai Khan, converted to Islam and persecuted other religions in his domains. By
analysing Chinese, Korean and Tibetan sources, this article shows that Ananda patronised Buddhism and Daoism. While these non-Persian sources do not dismiss
Ananda’s Muslim identity, they call into questions the narrative that he persecuted
non-Islamic beliefs. This article argues that Ananda’s Muslim identity did not prevent him from protecting the different religions in his domains. Furthermore, this
article shows that Ananda was respectively represented as a pious Muslim, a devoted
Buddhist, and a virtuous ruler in Muslim, Buddhist, and Chinese sources. It argues
that the different representations of Ananda resulted from two inter-related factors,
the rulership adopted by Mongol rulers to exert influence in the different cultures of
their subjects and the inclination shared by the Islamic, Buddhist and Chinese historiographical traditions to identify the Mongol rulers with their respective cultures. (Because of copyright, the uploaded file only includes the table of contents of the newest issue of CAJ and brief introductions of each articles. For a full-length version of this article, please follow the doi link and download it from Jstor).
中國古代的異端
9:00am-5:30pm, March 26 2018 Location: Arch 108 @UPenn
Sponsor: Department of EALC, UPenn Taihe Foundation
Marco Polo’s travelogue and Chinese writings, this article seeks to shed light on the mechanism of information circulation and preservation in Mongol Eurasia. It shows that the prophecy in Marco Polo’s book was compatible with European imagination of the Mongols during the thirteenth century while the prophecy in Chinese sources was consistent with Chinese understanding of the Mongols in this time. It argues that during the Mongol period historical information compatible with authors’ repertoires of knowledge and with target audiences’ understanding were more likely preserved in written texts.
Muslim method of slaughtering sheep and the practice of circumcision. By analyzing
primary sources in the Chinese and Persian languages this article provides a
new translation of the original text of the edict, showing that the Yuan established
as a guiding principle that each subject group should follow its own customs.
This article argues that the Yuan government prohibited the two Muslim practices
because Mongol rulers believed that Muslims violated the guiding principle by
forcing other peoples to follow the two practices. This article further argues that
the Yuan court insisted on each group following its own customs because the
power structure and legal system of the Mongol-Yuan Empire largely rested on
differences and boundaries.
Qubilai Khan, converted to Islam and persecuted other religions in his domains. By
analysing Chinese, Korean and Tibetan sources, this article shows that Ananda patronised Buddhism and Daoism. While these non-Persian sources do not dismiss
Ananda’s Muslim identity, they call into questions the narrative that he persecuted
non-Islamic beliefs. This article argues that Ananda’s Muslim identity did not prevent him from protecting the different religions in his domains. Furthermore, this
article shows that Ananda was respectively represented as a pious Muslim, a devoted
Buddhist, and a virtuous ruler in Muslim, Buddhist, and Chinese sources. It argues
that the different representations of Ananda resulted from two inter-related factors,
the rulership adopted by Mongol rulers to exert influence in the different cultures of
their subjects and the inclination shared by the Islamic, Buddhist and Chinese historiographical traditions to identify the Mongol rulers with their respective cultures. (Because of copyright, the uploaded file only includes the table of contents of the newest issue of CAJ and brief introductions of each articles. For a full-length version of this article, please follow the doi link and download it from Jstor).
中國古代的異端
9:00am-5:30pm, March 26 2018 Location: Arch 108 @UPenn
Sponsor: Department of EALC, UPenn Taihe Foundation