{"product_id":"the-heir-and-the-sage-sarah-allan-9781438462257","title":"The Heir and the Sage: Dynastic Legend in Early China","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eA comprehensive analysis of the transformations of ancient history in early Chinese texts.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis book presents a comprehensive analysis of the accounts of change of rule in Chinese texts from 600 to 100 BC, including the core philosophical works of the Chinese tradition attributed to Confucius, Mozi, Mencius, Xunzi, Hanfeizi, and Zhuangzi. Drawing from the early structuralism of Claude Lévi-Strauss, Sarah Allan demonstrates that similar motifs repeat in every period, and argues that they serve, like myth, to mediate the inherent social conflict between kinship relations and that of the larger community. This conflict is embodied in the idea of a dynastic cycle, founded by a virtuous sage king and passed down hereditarily until a last evil ruler is again replaced, and played out at regular intervals in legends of kings and ministers, heirs and sages, ministers and recluses, regents and rebels. Each philosophical text transforms the legends in a systematic manner to reflect its own understanding of the patterns of history that inform the present.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn this revised and expanded edition, Allan has added translations and original Chinese texts, as well as a new introduction further analyzing structuralism and discussing how the book remains relevant to ongoing sinological arguments. An earlier article by Allan, with supporting evidence for this book's thesis, is included as an appendix.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Sarah Allan\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 1438462255\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781438462257\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e State University of New York Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 10\/01\/2016\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 218\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 1.00lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.10h x 6.10w x 0.80d","brand":"Sarah Allan","offers":[{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":48088256839935,"sku":"9781438462257","price":99.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_9224e13c-9529-4960-ba5d-8d4e7f81dfad.jpg?v=1769103903","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/the-heir-and-the-sage-sarah-allan-9781438462257","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}