Reacting to Epidemics:The Innovative Imperial Public Health System during the Late Northern Song Dynasty

Song China was a period in which China experienced a great increase in its population.Concurrently,the Song dynasty also experienced a rise in the frequency of epidemics and two major wars with the Western Xia and Liao dynasties during the 1000s and 1040s.The consequences of these changes were exacerbated by the increased geographical mobility of certain social groups such as traders and examinees attending civil service examinations.Thus,casualties of wars,epidemics,or disease,especially of people whose families were far away and could not care for them were left without care and“their corpses often lay bare along the roads.”This new social environment created a need for general relief.The Northern Song government(960-1127 CE),especially during the reign of Emperor Huizong,established an innovative public health system to address this issue.The public health system included poorhouses,public hospitals,and pauper’s cemeteries.The first were more of charity organizations,whereas the latter two promoted public health by providing medical services for the poor and burial for those that nobody cared for.In terms of rationale behind these institutions,on the one hand,they constituted an attempt to get the poor and homeless off the streets while providing them relief or burial.On the other hand,it seems that Huizong’s deep concern with medicine propelled him to design and implement a comprehensive public health system oriented to prevent contagion and outbreak of epidemics.This article depicts the background,the organization,and the functions of the system.The article also discusses the conditions and reasons that gave rise to such a unique undertaking by the Northern Song government.

Looking up Prescriptions to Treat Infectious Disease:Anti-epidemic Books of Medical Formularies and Epidemic Prevention and Control in the Qing Dynasty

Copying,compiling,publishing,disseminating,and referencing anti-epidemic books of medical formularies were common activities during the outbreak of epidemics in the Qing dynasty.Its emergence,motivated by epidemic disease again and again,was important component parts of epidemic prevention and control.They played a unique role as media on affairs such as treating patients suffering from infectious diseases,mobilizing peoples to make contributions to anti-epidemic activities,integrating and popularizing knowledge of epidemic prevention.Anti-epidemic books of medical formularies were important to link peoples,things,and substances related with epidemic prevention and control,and were a kind of motivation to actively deal with the infectious disease,control the epidemic,and maintain health.Compared to other common measures,anti-epidemic books of medical formularies participated in many prevention and control practices deeply,which actually built a low cost,spontaneous,dispersed and non-institutional system to respond to epidemic,and the system had characteristics of stronger conductibility,bigger coverage area,and better external benefits.

Functions of Karez to Xinjiang Agriculture in the Qing Dynasty from the Perspective of Historical Documents

Desertification is increasingly serious in Xinjiang,and the construction of water conservancy is a precondition for the development of agriculture.The main project for the development of agriculture and water conservancy in Xinjiang is to build Karez,which played a vital role in the development of Xinjiang agriculture in the Qing Dynasty.It has been recorded many times in historical documents of the Qing Dynasty,such as Lin Zexu s Diary,Tao Baolian s Diary,Xinjiang Atlas and Zuo Zongtang s Memorial to the Emperor,etc.,which recorded the situation and historical origin of Karez.Karez made a significant contribution to the development of agriculture in the Qing Dynasty.It increased the cultivated land in Xinjiang at that time,and increased the types and yields of crops.It is conducive to the stability and development of Xinjiang s economy.Until today,Karez is still an important water source for agricultural irrigation in Xinjiang.

Identification of 13th-14th Century Chinese Handmade Paper Fibers Collected in Yuan Dynasty Paper Currencies

The earliest paper currencies in existence in China were handcrafted during the Yuan dynasty.These currencies were scientifically excavated from different ruins or tombs,whereas scientific analyses of the papers are rare.This study used optical and scanning electron microscopy to examine the fibers collected in Yuan dynasty paper currencies in conjunction with the Herzberg staining method.Despite differences in circulation period,paper fibers in both Zhi Yuan Tong Xing Bao Chao(two Guan)and Zhong Tong Yuan Bao Jiao Chao(one Guan and 500 Wen,issued in Zhi Zheng period)were identified as similar papermaking materials,bast fibers of mulberry bark.The results indicate that mulberry bark,a durable papermaking material used since ancient times,was mainly utilized as a raw material in these Yuan dynasty paper currency.This fiber identification work solved the critical problem of papermaking material in the Yuan dynasty paper currency and provided important information for conserving these precious cultural relics.

A New Inquiry Into the Contents of the Late Qing Dynasty Pictorial News Publication-The Core of “Entertainment Life” in Dianshizhai Pictorial

After the opening of ports in the late Qing Dynasty,Western culture was introduced into China.The local entertainment life presented the phenomenon of the coexistence of the East and the West.A large number of folk entertainment activities were recorded in the Dianshizhai Pictorial which have the function of cultural choice and value dissemination as well as current affairs.This research attempts to use literary analysis and case study to collate the entertainment life in the Dianshizhai Pictorial,combing the characteristics of the late Qing dynasty,and summarizing the value of entertainment in Dianshizhai Pictorial publishing.

Contribution and Modern Public Debt:On the Nature of Patriotic Public Debt in the Late Qing Dynasty and the Early Republic of China

There are different opinions about the first modern domestic debt in China.The theorists judge whether a certain public debt has modernity according to whether it has modern public debt form,ignoring the inconsistency between form and content,institutional provisions and actual implementation.The modern nature of public debt must have both the form and content of modern public debt.Based on the analysis of the issuing background,system design,collection and repayment of patriotic bonds in the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China,it is considered that the part of patriotic bonds subscribed by the Qing royal family is still the nature of donation and return,while the part subscribed by ordinary businessmen and people in the early Republic of China has a modern nature.The dual nature of patriotic bonds is closely related to the social background when the bonds are issued.

Artistic Features of Gardens in Southern Song Dynasty

Based on the discussion of gardens in song dynasty,the artistic characteristics of gardens in southern song dynasty are analyzed from the four perspectives of poetry and painting style,stone piling and water designing,architectural form and plant cultivation.The gardens of southern song dynasty embody the regional and cultural characteristics of Jiangnan.The aesthetic appreciation of gardens infl uenced by the style of poetry and painting highlights the artistic characteristics of false or true complement,soft and elegant,and tends to be popularized.Mountain stones are stacked into peaks and waters are designed according to local conditions.The architectural forms are strewn at random,exquisite and elegant.Landscape plants present varying sceneries with changing view-points,and naming echo with scenes to enhance the artistic value of landscape.It is hoped that the status of garden art of southern song dynasty in the history of Chinese classical gardens can be evaluated more scientifi cally and objectively through the research,and some reliable theoretical basis can be provided for modern garden design.

The Military Force of Toungoo Dynasty in the 16th Century During the Burmese-Siamese War

Toungoo Dynasty was a powerful feudal regime in the history of Burma.Upon the rise of Toungoo Dynasty,it sought to extend territory by arms,starting to have wars with the Empire Ming(China),Ayutthaya Dynasty(Siam/Thailand)and Lan Xang(Laos).The war between Burma and Siam lasted for more than two centuries,from 1548 to 1810.However,from strategy view,the whole Burmese-Siamese War was the game between China(Ming and Qing Dynasties)and Burma(Toungoo and Konbaung Dynasties).In the whole process,most of the fierce battles took place in the 16th century,the inception phase of the war.So,the 16th century was a very important period for us if we want to have a research on the military force of Toungoo Dynasty.

Remnants of an Powerful Ancient “Dynasty”:Material Cycle and Biomineralization in Modern Seafloor Hydrothermal System

The origin of ancient banded iron formation （BIF） has remained unclear for a long time. How the precipitation process occurred and what the environmental condition was have been widely discussed among scientists, because the period when the major BIFs deposited （-2.8 to 1.8Ga） is the same time when biosphere and atmosphere significantly changed. Based on the discovery of modern seafloor hydrothermal vents, it is possible that reductive environment controlled by vent system is related to the environment where BIF was deposited. According to matter source.

Sun Simiao,super physician of the Tang Dynasty

Sun Simiao(58e682 AD)was a celebrated physician of the Tang Dynasty,whose hometown was Huayuan,Jingzhao(today’s Yao county,Shaanxi province).Known as the most long-lived physician in the Chinese medical history,he died in 682 AD at the age of 102 according to precise record.He went through three dynasties,i.e.the Northern Zhou Dynasty(557e581),the Sui Dynasty(581e618)and the Tang Dynasty(618e917).He was worthy of longevity in terms of today’s perspective.When he was young,he devoted himself to the study of Taoism and many other schools of thought instead of accepting government offers to be an official in the Sui and Tang dynasties.Sun worked as a physician for the general public in his whole life.He was also the teacher of Song Zhiwen,Meng Shen and Lu Zhaolin,who were renowned scholars in the early Tang Dynasty.

“Commercial Revolution” in the Song Dynasty

The Song Dynasty has been known in history for its great commercial success due to a series of events in the dynasty.In order to explain the reasons for economic success,this paper attempts to use factors such as political stability,discovery of new rice species in the South,the introduction of paper money by merchants from Sichuan in the South of China,and the increase in iron production especially in the North.Specialisation of products is also discussed separately but into details.A further mention of characteristics of the internal and international trade is also highlighted in this paper.An introduction of how the Song dynasty was founded and its distinct political,social and cultural characteristics,are delved into.Also the separation of northern Song Dynasty from the southern Song dynasty will be discussed.The paper concludes with combined interpretations from the famous“Qing Ming Shag He Tu”painting.This painting gives a somewhat illustrated evidence of the vibrancy of the Song Dynasty’s commercialisation recorded in history.

Aesthetic Research of Xu-style Gardens in Han Dynasty

From the aesthetic point of view,this paper summarized the artistic style of Xu-style gardens in Han Dynasty,and through the analysis of the historical and cultural background of Xuzhou in this period,explained the formation of the style of Xu-style gardens in Han Dynasty and its cultural origin.Through the interpretation of landscape,architecture,plants and other garden elements and typical examples,the connotation of the garden art style of Xu-style was analyzed.Clarifying humble beauty of Xu-style gardens would help to better apply local artistic style in future garden construction and promote the development of regional gardens.

Glimpse of the Han Dynasty from Han Stone Relief——Take the Han stone relief in Tengzhou For Example

Han stone relief is a kind of unique burial art in China and has a far-reaching influence in the whole history of art.Han stone relief is discovered in quite a few districts in China.Tengzhou is one of the districts that discovers Han stone relief at the earliest and has relatively abundant remains.The article takes Han stone relief that is in Tengzhou Shandong as an example,analyzes the subjects and contents of it,as well as its values,and explores the mainstream ideology which is reflected by these stone portraits at that time.

Simulated Spatiotemporal Characteristics of Climate Change in China during the Han Dynasty(1–200 A.D.)

In this study,a 2000-year simulation forced by transient,external forcings is carried out with the Community Earth System Model.The authors investigate the spatiotemporal features of climate change in the Han Dynasty(1–200 A.D.)using the empirical orthogonal function(EOF)method.The leading EOF mode of the annua mean temperature anomalies shows a uniform variation of temperature over the whole of China,while the second EOF mode indicates opposite variations of temperature between western and eastern China.For the annual mean precipitation anomalies,the first EOF mode indicates a meridional dipole pattern over eastern China,with increased(decreased)precipitation to the south of the Yangtze River and decreased(increased)precipitation to the north.The leading mode of the 850 h Pa winds and sea level pressure in summer exhibits a southwesterly(northeasterly)anomaly over South China,which is associated with a strengthened(reduced)meridional sea level pressure gradient.Compared to reconstructions,the model can capture the majority of features of climate changes in the Han Dynasty,though it underestimates the magnitude.

Overview of the plague in the late Ming Dynasty and its prevention and control measures

The plague of the late Ming Dynasty(15511644 C.E.)was long lasting,affected a wide range of the population,and had serious consequences.The purpose of this study is to review the medical system in place at the time and the measures instituted to prevent and control the plague during the late Ming Dynasty.Information on the history of the Ming Dynasty(13681644 C.E.),local chronicles,and related research literature were consulted and analyzed in terms of duration,geographical area,and other dimensions of the epidemic.Because of the abnormal climate,wide range of natural disasters,and the impact of war,the epidemic spread over a wide area during the late Ming Dynasty.The government’s epidemic prevention measures were affected by war and other factors,resulting in poor control of the outbreak.However,in terms of the medical system in place during the Ming Dynasty,some of the thinking and methods of prevention and control of the plague were historical and progressive.Some outstanding physicians such as Wu Youke(15821652 C.E.)appeared during this period.His theory of plague prevention and control had a profound influence on the formation and development of pestilence deterrence in later generations.In the late Ming Dynasty,rich experiences and measures of prevention and control were accumulated in the struggle against the plague.These methods and experiences also have a significant,positive guiding influence on the prevention and control of plague in the present day.

SHANGHAI'S FASHION DURING THE LATE QING DYNASTY PERIOD

The goal of this research is to describe and analyse Shanghai’s fashion in Late Qing Dynasty (the 1840’s-1911), with an emphasis on the fashionable clothing worn by adult. Three aspects is discussed: the development of as a fashion center, the men’s fashion in Shanghai and the women’s fashion in Shanghai. In these parts, the style, textiles, colour, decoration and combination of clothing are described. Many costumes from museums and private collections as well as some historical writings, paintings and photographs are elucidated to give a description about Shanghai’s fashion looks during that period.Here are some tentative conclusions. Firstly, Shanghai has always been a fashion center in China since 1860’s. Shimao was the most important characteristic of clothing. Secondly, fashion of traditional clothing was described as highly stylized, gorgeous, exquisite, miscellaneous, detailed and multicolored. Thirdly, the influence of Western clothing was upwards. It was more obvious in Shanghai than in

CHINESE LADY'S DAILY WEAR IN LATE QING DYNASTY AND EARLY REPUBLIC PERIOD

The goal of this research is to describe and analyze women’s wear in the late Qing Dynasty andearly Republic Period(late 19th c.—early 20th c.),with an emphasis on the daily informal orsemi-formal wear,though some formal or ceremonial costumes such as wedding dress will also beincluded.This study will use Chinese costumes and textiles from many museums to fill in theblanks left by previous research and to give a more detailed and accurate description.It will alsouse historical documents to find the original names of these items and to illustrate a general conceptof their usage on different occasions.The different categories of women’s wear will be described in the following order:①robes orcoats;②jackets;③waistcoats or vests;④skirts;⑤pants and leggings;⑥shoes and socks;⑦headdresses;and⑧others.Of every category,the textiles,decoration,cut,form,style,colourand motif will be discussed.The way in which these items were combined will also be discussed.The comparison between women’s wear and men’s wear,women’s and children’s informal andformal dress will be given.Here are some tentative conclusions.First,the Manchu and Han style coexisted and mixedwith each other and were worn by both Manchu and Han women.Second,the basic silhouettesand cuts were relatively stable and conventional,while the decorations and details(openings,fasten-ings,pleats,vents,collars and hemlines)were different.The former represented accepted socialstandards while the latter could be a matter of personal taste.Third,women’s wear in that periodwere highly stylized,miscellaneous,elaborate,detailed,multicolored and multi-thematic.

Analysis of Style of Rockery Building and Stone Stacking Technique in the Royal Garden of the Song Dynasty: A Case Study of Genyue Royal Garden

Rockery building and stone stacking is a technique commonly used in building of classical gardens.Its emergence allows the fairy thought of"one pond and three mountains"to be reflected in different classical gardens.In the Northern Song Dynasty,the style of rockery building and stone stacking in the royal garden was an artistic climax in the history of the garden,and the technique of rockery building and stone stacking in Genyue Royal Garden was considered as the beginning of specialization.Through sorting out the records of the royal gardens in the Song Dynasty,this paper summarized the content of studying the royal gardens of the Song Dynasty,and systematically sorted out the development history of the techniques and styles of the royal gardens of the Song Dynasty and applied them into construction of some gardens.

Image Style of the Tianping Mountain Landscape in the Ming Dynasty

Starting from the Tianping Mountain theme painting in Suzhou in the Ming Dynasty, we explore how did the painters and literati in this period shape the image of the Tianping Mountain through their works, thereby reflecting their understanding on many landscapes on the Tianping Mountain. By exploring a series of paintings and poems, we try to analyze the characteristics and cultural connotation of landscape paintings of the Tianping Mountain in the Ming Dynasty, which is conducive to improving position of the Tianping Mountain natural and humanistic landscape in Suzhou.