The single most influential work in Chinese history is Lunyu, the Confucian Analects. Its influence on the Chinese people is comparable to that of the bible on the Western world. It is neither a tract of prosaic moralism contained in the fortune cookies in Chinese restaurants nor a manual of political administration that prescribes do's and don't's for new initiates. A book claiming a readership of billions of people throughout the history in China and East Asia and now even in the Western world must be one that has struck a chord in the readers, one which appears to arise from the existential concerns that Confucius shared: How can one overcome the egoistic tendency that plagues life? How does one see the value of communal existence? What should be one's ultimate concern in life?These questions call for a line of inquiry on the Analects that is explicitly existential. An existential reading of the Analects differs from other lines of inquiry in that it not only attempts to reveal how the text spoke to the original audience but also to us today. It is not only a pure academic exercise that appeals to the scholarly minded but also an engagement with all who feel poignantly about existential predicaments.In this existential reading of the Analects, the author takes Paul Tillich as an omnipresent dialogical partner because his existential theology was at one time very influential in the West and currently very popular in Chinese academia. His analysis of ontological structure of man can be applied to the Analects. This conceptual analysis reveals that that this foundational text has three organically connected levels of thought, proceeding from personal cultivation through the mediation of the community to the metaphysical level of Ultimate Reality. Few scholarly attempts like this one have been made to reveal systematically the interconnectedness of these three levels of thought and to the prominence to their theological underpinnings.This existential reading of the Analects carries with it a theological implication. If one follows the traditional division of a systematic theology, one will find that the Analects has anthropological, ethical, and theological dimensions, which correspond to the three levels of thoughts mentioned. If one understands soteriology more broadly, one will find the Analects also has a soteriological dimension. The Analects points to the goal of complete harmony in which a harmony within oneself, with the society and cosmos are ensured.If one is to construct a theology of the Analects, the existential reading enables the drawing of certain contrasts with Paul Tillich's existential theology. The Confucian idea of straying from the Way differs from the symbol of fall. The Confucian reality of social entanglement differs from the reality of estrangement. The Confucian paradoxical nature of Heaven differs from trinitarian construction of God. The most important contribution of this study is that it reveals the religious or theological dimension of the Confucian Analects.This is an important book for those engaged in the study of the Confucian Analects, including those in Chinese studies as well as comparative theology and religion.

Here is a blueprint for a new interdisciplinary approach that decompartmentalizes disciplines for the study of this district of the Achaemenid Empire including Syria, Phoenicia, Palestine and Cyprus. Remarkable cultural evolutions and changes in this area need closer study: the introduction of coinage and the coin economy, the sources of tension over problems of power and identity, the emergence of city-states similar to the Greek city type, the development of mercenary armies, the opening up of the Western fringe of the Persian Empire to the Greek world. Completely new research initiatives can extensively modify the vision that classical and oriental specialists have traditionally formed of the history of the Persian Empire.>

A valuable addition to ABC-CLIO's Global Studies series, this resource covers Japan in two main sections-a narrative history and an extensive general reference section. Japan: A Global Studies Handbook offers a friendly introduction to this vital, ancient country. In a series of practical, readable essays, this title explores Japan's island geography and its influence on the nation's history. Japan traces the "economic miracle" that was born in the ashes of World War II and grew into an economy seven times the size of China's-but at considerable social cost. It examines Japan's vibrant cultural traditions-from the 11th century's The Tale of Genji to karaoke, sushi, and the "salary man." Japan entices readers to continue their exploration by offering an inviting collection of jumping-off points: a timeline of Japanese history; a mini-encyclopedia of significant people, places, and events; and an annotated bibliography covering all aspects of Japanese society. A detailed timeline charts landmarks in Japanese history, from the rise of the Jomon culture in 11,000 B.C.E. to the bursting of the economic bubble in the 1990s A compendium of practical information describes Japanese customs, from gift-giving to bathing etiquette

When the American Jewish philanthropist Judah Touro died in 1854 he entrusted $50,000 to the Englishman Sir Moses Montefiore, requesting that it be used for the poor of Jerusalem. This engrossing book, the result of twelve years of research, tells the story of the plot of land purchased by Montefiore in 1855--its changes in population, land use, and social structure. This book is no bland history, it is an argumentative presentation that convincingly presents an important point of view about urban renewal whose general applicability merits serious consideration. "Judaica Book NewS"

When the American Jewish philanthropist Judah Touro died in 1854 he entrusted $50,000 to the Englishman Sir Moses Montefiore, requesting that it be used for the poor of Jerusalem. This engrossing book, the result of twelve years of research, tells the story of the plot of land purchased by Montefiore in 1855--its changes in population, land use, and social structure that existed in this neighborhood from its earliest days to the present time. Special attention is given to the rehabilitation of the neighborhood after the Six-Day War, the legal methods used to remove slum dwellers, and the final gentrification of the area with a totally different socio-economic class of residents. The lessons to be learned from this case study have relevance for other neighborhoods around the world.

"Connecting" and "distancing" have been two prominent themes permeating the writings on the historical and contemporary developments of the relationship between Southeast Asia and China. As neighbours, the nation-states in Southeast Asia and the giant political entity in the north communicated with each other through a variety of diplomatic overtures, political agitations, and cultural nuances. In the last two decades with the rise of China as an economic powerhouse in the region, Southeast Asia's need to connect with China has become more urgent and necessary as it attempts to reap the benefit from the successful economic modernization in China. At the same time, however, there were feelings of ambivalence, hesitation and even suspicions on the part of the Southeast Asian states vis--vis the rise of a political power which is so less understood or misunderstood. The contributors of this volume are authors of various disciplinary backgrounds: history, political science, economics and sociology. They provide a spectrum of perspectives by which the readers can view Sino-Southeast Asia relations.

In the first centuries AD, although much of the Near East was ruled by Rome, the main local language was Aramaic, and the people who lived inside or on the fringes of the area controlled by the Romans frequently wrote their inscriptions and legal documents in their own local dialects of this language. This book introduces these fascinating early texts to a wider audience, by presenting a representative sample, comprising eighty inscriptions and documents in the following dialects: Nabataean, Jewish, Palmyrene, Syriac, and Hatran. Detailed commentaries on the texts are preceded by chapters on history and culture and on epigraphy and language. The linguistic commentaries will help readers who have a knowledge of Hebrew or Arabic or one of the Aramaic dialects to understand the difficulties involved in interpreting such materials. The translations and more general comments will be of great interest to classicists and ancient historians.

It has often been argued that Zerubbabel, the Jewish governor of Yehud at the time of the rebuilding of the temple (late 6th century BCE), was viewed by the prophets Haggai and Zechariah as the new king in the line of David. In this new study, Rose offers a contrary proposal for the interpretation of the oracles in Haggai 2 and Zechariah 3 and 6. He traces their background in the pre-exilic prophets, pays special attention to often neglected details of semantics and metaphor, and concludes that neither Haggai nor Zechariah designated Zerubbabel as the new king in Jerusalem. Instead, the oracles in Zechariah 3 and 6 should be seen as fully messianic.>

This study uncovers the traditions behind the formative Classic Shangshu (Venerated Documents). It is the first to establish these traditions-"Shu" (Documents)-as a historically evolving practice of thought-production. By focusing on the literary form of the argument, it interprets the "Shu" as fluid text material that embodies the ever-changing cultural capital of projected conceptual communities. By showing how these communities actualised the "Shu" according to their changing visions of history and evolving group interests, the study establishes that by the Warring States period (ca. 453-221 BC) the "Shu" had become a literary genre employed by diverse groups to legitimize their own arguments. Through forms of textual performance, the "Shu" gave even peripheral communities the means to participate in political discourse by conferring their ideas with ancient authority. Analysing this dynamic environment of socio-political and philosophical change, this study speaks to the Early China field, as well as to those interested in meaning production and foundational text formation more widely.

Hailed by leading South Korean academics as the most significant research on the history of Korean Catholicism to date, Professor Jai-Keun Choi of Yonsei University in Korea explores the origin of the Roman Catholic Church in the Korean peninsula. Professor Choi raises important historical questions as: What were the historical forces that allowed Roman Catholicism to take root in the 19th century Choson Korea despite official governmental efforts to stamp out Catholicism through systematic persecution? What was the Korean populist reaction to Roman Catholic missions? What was the role that native Korean converts played in the spread of Catholicism throughout Korea? With a keen eye to the delicacies of conflicting historical forces, Professor Choi adroitly explains the complexities of the clash of civilizations in the experience of Choson Korea, where Korean Confucianism responded with greatest hostility to Roman Catholicism from the West. This book makes a significant scholarly contribution not only in the study of Korean history but also in such academic disciplines as sociology of religion, anthropology, political science, and international relations.

Out of the ashes of its defeat in World War II, Japan arose to become the foremost economic power in the East Asia and a major player on the world economic stage. How did it do this? This work provides a concise summary and analysis of Japan's emergence as a global economic power. This guide discusses the growth of Japan as an unconventional global power based on the strength of its economy and the softening of its economy in the 1990s. Six topical essays are supported by a timeline of events in postwar Japan, biographical profiles of key players, the text of important primary documents, a glossary of terms, and an annotated bibliography.

Topical essays cover the reprise of the Rising Sun, Japan as a Cold War client, the evolution of Japan as an economic giant, contending with the Communists, pursuing partners in Asia, and Japan as a reactive global power. Biographical sketches of 15 key Japanese political and business leaders, the text of 15 primary documents, a timeline of events, a glossary of terms, and an annotated bibliography suitable for student research provide valuable reference material. Students will benefit from this cogent and readable examination of one of the key developments in the postwar world.

Abu Sa'id 'Abd al-Hayy Gardizi was an author and historian living in the mid-eleventh century at the height of the Turkish Ghazvanid dynasty. His only known work, "The Ornament of Histories" ("Zayn al-akhbir"), is a hugely ambitious history of the Eastern Islamic lands AD 650-1041, spanning what is now Eastern Iran, Afghanistan and parts of the Central Asian Republics and Indo-Pakistan subcontinent. Gardizi's text is an extremely rare source of primary information about the rise of Islamic faith, culture and military dominance in these regions, and represents a significant contribution to our understanding of the early Islamic world. This is the first English translation of the original Persian text, and is accompanied by an introduction and commentary which details the historical, geographical and cultural context.

This book presents selected academic papers addressing five key research areas - archaeology, history, language, culture and arts - related to the Malay Civilisation. It outlines new findings, interpretations, policies, methodologies and theories that were presented at the International Seminar on Archaeology, History, and Language in the Malay Civilisation (ASBAM5) in 2016. Further, it provides new perspectives and serves as a vital point of reference for all researchers, students, policymakers and legislators who have an interest in the Malay Civilisation.

Twenty-four contributions on matters dealing with Byzantine and Oriental lands, people, and cultures through different perspectives, including history, maritime trade, documents, travelers, and art. These essays trace the history of the relations between the Greeks and the peoples of the Middle East from Late Antiquity up to the seventeenth century.

The Muslim world is not commonly associated with science fiction. Religion and repression have often been blamed for a perceived lack of creativity, imagination and future-oriented thought. However, even the most authoritarian Muslim-majority countries have produced highly imaginative accounts on one of the frontiers of knowledge: astrobiology, or the study of life in the universe. This book argues that the Islamic tradition has been generally supportive of conceptions of extra-terrestrial life, and in this engaging account, Joerg Matthias Determann provides a survey of Arabic, Bengali, Malay, Persian, Turkish, and Urdu texts and films, to show how scientists and artists in and from Muslim-majority countries have been at the forefront of the exciting search. Determann takes us to little-known dimensions of Muslim culture and religion, such as wildly popular adaptations of Star Wars and mysterious movements centred on UFOs. Repression is shown to have helped science fiction more than hurt it, with censorship encouraging authors to disguise criticism of contemporary politics by setting plots in future times and on distant planets. The book will be insightful for anyone looking to explore the science, culture and politics of the Muslim world and asks what the discovery of extra-terrestrial life would mean for one of the greatest faiths.

"the standard history" "excellent account" "detailed analysis" "casts light on many neglected subjects" "particularly interesting" "successful application of Joseph Kostiner's concept of the evolution of the tribal chieftaincy" "based his book on a careful and systematic use of the appropriate sources" "outstanding study"
-- William Ochsenwald in "Middle East Journal"

"Teitelbaum's thoroughly researched and lucidly presented study" "Teitelbaum provides the (surprisingly) first account of this state's existence whose importance has become apparent only in retrospect. He does it so well that one wishes the book were longer."
-- Daniel Pipes in "Middle East Quarterly"

"Josh Teitelbaum uses the concept of the tribal chieftaincy to describe the short-lived 'state' of Sharif Husain and thereby fills an important void in the research."
-- Guido Steinberg in "Orient"

"This studya]fills a significant gap in the history of the 20th century Middle East" "Well-researched" "[suitable for] graduate students and faculty"
-- J.W. Walt in "Choice: Current Reviews for Academic Libraries"

"Teitelbaum recreates the political, economic, military and social history of the Hijazi kingdom" "successfully recreates the structure of the rising state" "recommended" "enriches our understanding"
-- Madawi Al Rasheed in "Middle Eastern Studies"

"A comprehensive history" "he has done us a great service" "the first scholarly work" "the book clearly shows" "useful comparison" "coherent picture" "mastered the British archives" "he has indeed exhausted the available sources"
-- Yoav Alon in "Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society "(lead review)

"the first full-length study" "Eventhough the book is the product of research at an Israeli academic institution, it remains an essential read due its in-depth analysis and the fact that it the first complete study of the Hashimite Kingdom of the Hijaz based on French, British, and Arab documentation."
-- Ibrahim Darwish in the London daily "al-Quds al-Arabi"

The Hashemite Kingdom of the Hijaz in Arabia, played a crucial role in modern Middle Eastern history from its founding in 1916 until its demise in 1925. It was the first Arab country to gain independence from the Ottoman Empire, and it's rulers led the Arab Revolt of "Lawrence of Arabia" fame. The holy cities of Mecca and Medina flourished under its control and it was praised as a model of justice and a beacon of hope for the Muslim world. Yet for all its significance, the Kingdom has received little attention from historians.

In The Rise and Fall of the Hashemite Kingdom we learn how the Hijaz wrested its independence from the Ottoman Empire in the storied "Revolt in the Desert" and was celebrated by journalists and world leaders alike. But Teitlebaum is most concerned with the state's ultimate failure Using original sources, he shows how the kingdom was plagued by civil conflict between the Hashemite rulers (the ancestors of the current king of Jordan) and the influential Saudi family, and subject to the whims of Britain and the great powers of Europe.

In engaging prose, Teitelbaum tells a story of revolt, civil war, colonialism, political Islam, and revolutionary misrule that mirrors conflicts in the Middle East of today.