EACS-2016. Book of Abstracts

Cross-sectional 21st Biennial Conference of the European Association for Chinese Studies 232 medium, transferring contents from household encyclopedia and other printed books to wider audience. By compiling these manuscripts, villagers created their own version of knowledge system according to their local contexts. General knowledge was therefore not only disseminated, but also localized by its readers’ active involvement of textual production. Pang Tatiana (Institute of Oriental Manuscripts, R.A.S.) Ritual Objects of the Qing Court Shamanic Sacrifices Key words: Qianlong, Qing history, Manchu civilisation, ceremonies, shamanism The “Code of Manchu shamanic sacrifices” was compiled by the order of the Qianlong emperor in 1747, and describes in detail the Manchu ceremonies at the Qing court. The 6th fascicle of the Manchu edition contains drawings of the relevant ritual objects, accompanied by their dimensions and explanations. The objects are of Manchu and Chinese origin, and were used by different groups of participants. The study will focus on the multicultural character of Qing shamanic sacrifices. Pines Yuri (Hebrew University of Jerusalem) Diversity and Unity of Narratives: Early Chinese Historiography in Light of the New Chu Manuscripts Key words: anecdotes, Chu, historiography, identity, Warring States, Xinian Our understanding of preimperial Chinese historiographic tradition is shaped by the texts that originated from the northern and eastern parts of the Zhou 周 world, most notably from the states of Qi 齊 , Lu 魯 and Jin 晉 (e. g., the Chunqiu 春秋 and its commentaries, Guoyu 國語 , and the like). Recently, however, we have the chance to overcome this “northeastern bias.” A series of bamboo manuscripts discovered at (or looted from) the tombs of the southwestern state of Chu 楚 , shed a new light on early Chinese history writing. These manuscripts range from single historic anecdotes to systematic Chu-centered histories, to broader historical or quasi-historical texts that chart a generalized history of China from its legendary past to the Zhou era. How much these texts display — if at all — a distinct Chu identity? How is the “south- western” perspective of the Zhou history related to the “northeastern” one? Who were the audience of Chu historical texts? By answering these questions I hope both to revisit the question of Chu’s relations to the Zhou (“Chinese”) world, and to put forward novel understandings of the usage of history writing in preimperial China. Postarnak Maria (State Hermitage Museum) Coins of Yuan Dynasty with Mongol Legends Key words: Yuan dynasty, Phags-pa script, Mongol rule, coinage, symbol of power This paper discusses the link between money and power in Chinese history under the reign of the Yuan dynasty (AD 1271–1368). While claiming for the limitless and worldwide power of the state, Mongolian rulers named their dynasty with a Chinese word — Yuan meant ‘the very beginning, the primary creation’. Nevertheless, the rules had to stress out that the rule would be Mongolian. They faced a serious challenge of gaining the throne in a country having its own culture and writing system which had been completely alien to the Mongols. A new writing system had to be invented, the Mongol square script or Phags-pa script. It was supposed to transcribe not only the Mongolian, but other languages as well. Khubilai khan (AD 1260–1294), first emperor of the Yuan, issued a number of decrees aiming at disseminating the new writing system and a number of actions were undertaken. The reform of script