eBook

The Golden Peaches of Samarkand

Edward H. Schafer

2023

Overview

In the seventh century the kingdom of Samarkand sent formal gifts of fancy yellow peaches, large as goose eggs and with a color like gold, to the Chinese court at Ch'ang-an. What kind of fruit these golden peaches really were cannot now be guessed, but they have the glamour of mystery, and they symbolize all the exotic things longed for, and unknown things hoped for, by the people of the T'ang empire. This book examines the exotics imported into China during the T'ang Dynasty (A.D. 618-907), and depicts their influence on Chinese life. Into the land during the three centuries of T'ang came the natives of almost every nation of Asia, all bringing exotic wares either as gifts or as goods to be sold. Ivory, rare woods, drugs, diamonds, magicians, dancing girls—the author covers all classes of unusual imports, their places of origin, their lore, their effort on costume, dwellings, diet, and on painting, sculpture, music, and poetry. This book is not a statistical record of commercial imports and medieval trade, but rather a \"humanistic essay, however material its subject matter.\"

• Publisher: University of California Press
• Subject: 600 ad / 7th century / ancient chinese history / ancient history / archaeology / asia trade route / asian history / Asian Studies / china / chinese court / chinese lore / commercial imports / dancing girls / diamonds / drugs / exotic ware / famous fruit / formal gifts / historical biography / humanistic essay / imported exotics / influence on chinese life / ivory / Language & Literature / LITERARY CRITICISM / LITERARY CRITICISM / Asian / General / medieval trade / rare wood / silk road / social history / tang dynasty
• ISBN: 9780520054622, 0520054628, 0520341147, 9780520341142