Daily Life in China on the Eve of the Mongol Invasion, 1250-1276 9781503620742

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DAILY LIFE IN CHINA

Other books in the Daily Life series published by Stanford University Press

Daily Life in Rembrandt's Holland, by Paul Zumthor Daily Life in Russia under the Last Tsar, by Henri Troyat Daily Life in Spam in the Golden Age, by Marcelin Defourneaux Daily Life cif the Aztecs on the Eve cif the Spanish Conquest, by Jacques Soustelle

DAILY LIFE IN

CHINA ON THE EVE OF THE MONGOL INVASION

1250-1276

Jacques Gernet TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH BY

.7£. utr. "Wright

STANFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS STANFORD, CALIFORNIA

Originally published as

La vie quotidimne tn Chine aIa veille de /'invasion mongole, Ilf0-1276 (Paris: Hachette, 1959) Stanford University Press Stanford, California English translation© 1962 by George Allen & Unwin Ltd Originating publisher: George Allen & Unwin Ltd, London First published in the United States by The Macmillan Company, 1962 Paperback edition first published in 1970 by Stanford University Press Printed in the United States of America ISBN 8047-0720-0

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This book is printed on acid-free paper.

CONTENTS page 13

INTRODUCTION THE CITY

The choice of Hangchow as capital- Overpopulation and scarcity of accom-modationOutbreaks of ~re and ~re-~ghting- Comm.unications and supplies - Am.enities of town life II

III

SOCIETY

A world in

process of transformation - The upper classes- The merchants- The lower classes in urban surroundings-The peasants HOUSING, CLOTHING, COOKING

Housing Cooking

Personal toilet -

22

59

113

Clothing -

IV THE LIFE CYCLE

144

The family circle-Birth-Upbringing and education - Marriage and the position of women - Illness - Death

v

THE SEASONS AND THE UNIVERSE

The seasons and days of the year - Festivals -Religion VI

LEISURE HOURS

Effects of urban life - Amusements- Arts and letters VII FINAL PORTRAIT INDEX

179

219

244 250

MAPS The Empire of Southern Sung (u27-1279)

9

Sung China at the beginning of the twelfth century

20

Plan of Hangchow in 1274 after the reconstruction by A. C. Moule

24

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