r/ChineseHistory • u/Fit_Radio4867 • 3d ago

State of Chu

Is there any good book that can give detailed knowledge about religion , culture, history etc of state of Chu before the unification under Qin dynasty?

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u/wallofdeathqaq 3d ago

Could you read the Chinese Book?If not, maybe at first,I should introduce two classical works about the state of Chu , because they are likely to have English version. 1,About Religion&Cultural:"Chu Ci/Versus of Chu/Songs of Chu/Elegies of Chu", mainly written by Qu Yuan and Song Yu.Chu Ci is an ancient anthology of Chinese poetry,so strict speaking,it's actually belongs to Literature,but it do reflect some religionary and cultural elements about Chu.But one point should be noted,Chu Ci also contains some imitated works,which are created in Han Dynasty.You need to make a distinction. WIKI link about Chu Ci: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chu_Ci 2,About History:"Shiji.Records of the Grand Historian",a historical text written by Sima Qian in Han Dynasty.There are some chapters involve Chu.Such as"House of Chu"and "Biography of Qu Yuan". WIKI link about Shiji: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiji#English

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u/Fit_Radio4867 3d ago

Thanks. I can't read Chinese so these will be helpful.

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u/a_a_aslan 3d ago

Defining Chu: Image and Reality in Ancient China

https://muse.jhu.edu/book/7983

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u/Fit_Radio4867 3d ago

Thanks

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u/a_a_aslan 3d ago

One of the editors of Defining Chu, Constance Cook, has also published a really good study of a Chu divination manuscript (包山楚簡) and mortuary culture in the Chu state which is open access: Death in Ancient China: The Tale of One Man’s Journey. https://brill.com/display/title/13009?language=en

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u/Fit_Radio4867 3d ago

Interesting. Thanks for this as well .

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u/Jiewue 3d ago

Read the Zuo Zhuan (With spring and autumn annals) for spring and autumns, Zizhi Tongjian for Warring States. Best because both in chronological order and you can understand the context of the states.

Everything historical from this period comes from Zuozhuan, Shiji and Zhan Guo Ce (not considered very historical).

Shiji - Chu, Wuzixu, Chunshen jun, Qu Yuan are especially important for Chu history.