City of Marvel and Transformation:
Chang’an and Narratives of Experience in Tang Dynasty China
Available from University of Hawaii Press (2015)
Also available on Kindle
Description
During China’s Tang dynasty (618–907 CE), the capital city of Chang’an (present-day Xi’an) was a megalopolis, career launch pad, and most importantly, cultural paradigm. As such, it captured the imaginations of Tang writers, shaped their future aspirations, and left significant traces in the literature of this period.
Both a cultural history of urban life and a literary study, City of Marvel and Transformation brings to life this cityscape, by considering some of the powerful shaping forces on the collective imagination during imperial China’s “golden age.”
Testimonials
“This elegant book brings the Tang dynasty capital of Chang’an to life. A pleasure to read, it is a welcome addition to the growing body of scholarship on cities and city life, so essential to our understanding of literature and culture, both ancient and modern.”
—Paula Varsano, University of California, Berkeley
“Feng’s book… offers a wonderful view of the city as skyline, theater, labyrinth, and more. It’s a wonderfully interdisciplinary contribution to history and literary study of cities, space, and China.”
—Carla Nappi, New Books in East Asian Studies Podcast
Table of Contents
Introduction
- Narrating Liminality and Transformation
- The Lure of Chang’an
- Navigating the City Interior
- Staging Talent in Urban Arenas
- Negotiating the Pleasure Quarters
