Wang Mang 王莽 (C. 45 b.c.e .–23 c.e .) and Classical Learning as Path to Supreme Power
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 20380449 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Béatrice L'Haridon, Béatrice L’Haridon (0000-0001-9140-530X, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2022 |
| Volume | 45 |
| Pages | 51-72 |
| Publication date | 2022-09-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Early China (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0362-5028 • E-ISSN: 2325-2324 |
| Publisher | Cambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1017/eac.2022.11 |
| OpenAlex | W4306406058 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 10 |
This article inquires into the ideological circumstances behind Wang Mang's 王莽 seizure of power, to examine how he built legitimacy at every stage of his career, by establishing a political and symbolic continuum between the role of the minister and that of the sovereign, rather than suddenly wresting power from the Liu clan. His classical learning in general and his references to Zhougong 周公 in particular were fundamental to the success of the process, which took place in three important stages: first, the offering of a white pheasant to the court; second, the bestowal of “Nine Conferrals” 九錫, and third, the composition of “Wang Mang's declaration” 莽誥. However, although the Classics constituted common references for Wang Mang and the scholars supporting him, the Classics were also used by some opponents objecting to the concentration of power in the hands of Wang Mang
Art · Clan · Humanities · Ideology · Legitimacy · Political science · Politics · Sociology · Supreme court · Symbolic power · Chinese history and philosophy · Eurasian Exchange Networks · Indian and Buddhist Studies · Law
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |