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宋徽宗
本书看点】
★ 以现代史家之眼，还原宋徽宗的真实生命历程——抛开中国传统史学符号化的道德指责，伊沛霞教授以“了解之同情”的现代学术立场与现代政治观点，从宋徽宗自己的视角出发，再现了北宋末期的历史与时代风貌。
★ 北宋末期，中国的艺术水平究竟取得了多高的成就？——作为历史上屈指可数天赋极高的艺术家皇帝，在书法、绘画、诗词、茶道、建筑等多个领域，宋徽宗在位年间，有何种影响。 他和同时代艺术家，如何往来。以绘画为例，作者选取五幅名作，进行了细致的分析。
★北宋的灭亡是偶然还是必然？在位二十余年，宋徽宗犯过哪些错误？在走向盛世的时刻，宋徽宗在面对外交、战争、党争、经济方面的棘手问题时，出于何种目的，做出了哪些决策，使得情势急转直下，乃至最后沦为亡国之君？
【内容简介】
宋徽宗在位期间，中国几乎是世界上最先进的国家。在位二十多年间，这位极富艺术天赋的皇帝引领宋朝达到了文化上的鼎盛。不过，因为被女真人俘虏，最终死于异国他乡，宋徽宗更多的被后世认为是一个失败的皇帝，道德教育的反面教材。
伊沛霞教授积数十年之力撰成《宋徽宗》，成为英文世界为这位皇帝撰写的首部完整传记，力图矫正大众对徽宗“腐化、昏庸”的偏见。伊沛霞重塑了宋徽宗的形象，将其放回历史语境中，还原一个繁荣国度的君主不断追求卓越荣耀的雄心——尽管这份雄心以悲剧收场。
徽宗在即位早期竭力超越朝廷党争，随后将精力转到自己擅长的领域。他大大拓展了朝廷的慈善事业，建立官学、医院、孤儿院、乞丐墓地。作为艺术家，他身边围绕着杰出的诗人、画家、音乐家，他还修筑了壮丽的宫殿、寺观和庭园，后世几乎难以超越。他对道士青眼有加，为道经作注，还让臣民也接受并践行这种信仰，不过他对道教的虔诚最终偏离了儒学主流，削弱了他的治国能力。
【推荐】
就史籍解读与史学反思而言，宋徽宗是很好的个案。在习见的历史叙述中，徽宗无疑是反面形象。本书作者强调徽宗既是皇帝，也是“人”，希望避开以往的评价框架，以不同类型的材料和多种细节，拼织出形象丰富的宋徽宗。作者力图从徽宗的角度去观察他的世界，以求对其活动有所理解；并且尝试在世界君主制度的范畴内，用比较的视角来看中国的皇帝，以一种“前所未有的方式”来讲述徽宗的故事。
——邓小南（北京大学历史系教授、北京大学人文社会科学研究院院长）
伊沛霞教授将个人和政治、政策和人性结合在了一起，努力追索到底是什么推动着宋徽宗一步步追求文化复兴和政治改革，为我们理解统治者仍在灌输的激情提供了一个新的面向——不管这种激情是积极的还是消极的。
——戴仁柱 （Richard L. Davis，岭南大学教授）
自黄仁宇的《万历十五年》以来，还没有大学者为普通读者写一部中国皇帝的传记。伊沛霞广泛征引各类原始材料，按照主题和时间重新梳理，用全新的视角加以处理，修正了徽宗长久以来的负面形象。她没有从“不可避免地走向失败”这个角度来解读宋徽宗，而是努力从徽宗的视野来看他的世界，并时刻意识到徽宗在做决定时究竟掌握哪些信息。伊沛霞对宋徽宗生平的解读是人文主义的，并带有心理学上的说明，她试图重新想象皇帝威严的外表下隐藏的脾气秉性、真情实感和个人思想。
——李瑞（Ari Daniel Levine，乔治亚大学教授）
★ 以现代史家之眼，还原宋徽宗的真实生命历程——抛开中国传统史学符号化的道德指责，伊沛霞教授以“了解之同情”的现代学术立场与现代政治观点，从宋徽宗自己的视角出发，再现了北宋末期的历史与时代风貌。
★ 北宋末期，中国的艺术水平究竟取得了多高的成就？——作为历史上屈指可数天赋极高的艺术家皇帝，在书法、绘画、诗词、茶道、建筑等多个领域，宋徽宗在位年间，有何种影响。 他和同时代艺术家，如何往来。以绘画为例，作者选取五幅名作，进行了细致的分析。
★北宋的灭亡是偶然还是必然？在位二十余年，宋徽宗犯过哪些错误？在走向盛世的时刻，宋徽宗在面对外交、战争、党争、经济方面的棘手问题时，出于何种目的，做出了哪些决策，使得情势急转直下，乃至最后沦为亡国之君？
【内容简介】
宋徽宗在位期间，中国几乎是世界上最先进的国家。在位二十多年间，这位极富艺术天赋的皇帝引领宋朝达到了文化上的鼎盛。不过，因为被女真人俘虏，最终死于异国他乡，宋徽宗更多的被后世认为是一个失败的皇帝，道德教育的反面教材。
伊沛霞教授积数十年之力撰成《宋徽宗》，成为英文世界为这位皇帝撰写的首部完整传记，力图矫正大众对徽宗“腐化、昏庸”的偏见。伊沛霞重塑了宋徽宗的形象，将其放回历史语境中，还原一个繁荣国度的君主不断追求卓越荣耀的雄心——尽管这份雄心以悲剧收场。
徽宗在即位早期竭力超越朝廷党争，随后将精力转到自己擅长的领域。他大大拓展了朝廷的慈善事业，建立官学、医院、孤儿院、乞丐墓地。作为艺术家，他身边围绕着杰出的诗人、画家、音乐家，他还修筑了壮丽的宫殿、寺观和庭园，后世几乎难以超越。他对道士青眼有加，为道经作注，还让臣民也接受并践行这种信仰，不过他对道教的虔诚最终偏离了儒学主流，削弱了他的治国能力。
【推荐】
就史籍解读与史学反思而言，宋徽宗是很好的个案。在习见的历史叙述中，徽宗无疑是反面形象。本书作者强调徽宗既是皇帝，也是“人”，希望避开以往的评价框架，以不同类型的材料和多种细节，拼织出形象丰富的宋徽宗。作者力图从徽宗的角度去观察他的世界，以求对其活动有所理解；并且尝试在世界君主制度的范畴内，用比较的视角来看中国的皇帝，以一种“前所未有的方式”来讲述徽宗的故事。
——邓小南（北京大学历史系教授、北京大学人文社会科学研究院院长）
伊沛霞教授将个人和政治、政策和人性结合在了一起，努力追索到底是什么推动着宋徽宗一步步追求文化复兴和政治改革，为我们理解统治者仍在灌输的激情提供了一个新的面向——不管这种激情是积极的还是消极的。
——戴仁柱 （Richard L. Davis，岭南大学教授）
自黄仁宇的《万历十五年》以来，还没有大学者为普通读者写一部中国皇帝的传记。伊沛霞广泛征引各类原始材料，按照主题和时间重新梳理，用全新的视角加以处理，修正了徽宗长久以来的负面形象。她没有从“不可避免地走向失败”这个角度来解读宋徽宗，而是努力从徽宗的视野来看他的世界，并时刻意识到徽宗在做决定时究竟掌握哪些信息。伊沛霞对宋徽宗生平的解读是人文主义的，并带有心理学上的说明，她试图重新想象皇帝威严的外表下隐藏的脾气秉性、真情实感和个人思想。
——李瑞（Ari Daniel Levine，乔治亚大学教授）
618 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 6, 2014
20 people are currently reading
222 people want to read
About the author
Patricia Buckley Ebrey
185 books24 followersPatricia Buckley Ebrey is an American historian specializing in cultural and gender issues during the Chinese Song Dynasty. Ebrey obtained her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Chicago in 1968 and her Masters and PhD from Columbia University in 1970 and 1975, respectively. Upon receiving her PhD, Ebrey was hired as visiting assistant professor at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She became an associate professor in 1982 and a full professor three years later. She is now a professor at the University of Washington.
Ebrey has received a number of awards for her work, including fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, the Woodrow Wilson Foundation, and the Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation. Ebery's The Inner Quarters: Marriage and the Lives of Chinese Women in the Sung Period received the 1995 Levenson Prize from the Association for Asian Studies. Her 2008 work, Accumulating Culture: The Collections of Emperor Huizong, received the Smithsonian Institution's 2010 Shimada Prize for Outstanding Work of East Asian Art History.
(from Wikipedia)
Ebrey has received a number of awards for her work, including fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, the Woodrow Wilson Foundation, and the Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation. Ebery's The Inner Quarters: Marriage and the Lives of Chinese Women in the Sung Period received the 1995 Levenson Prize from the Association for Asian Studies. Her 2008 work, Accumulating Culture: The Collections of Emperor Huizong, received the Smithsonian Institution's 2010 Shimada Prize for Outstanding Work of East Asian Art History.
(from Wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
March 16, 2020
A very impressive and detailed look at Chinese history, to say rich in details would not do this book justice, I really enjoyed it, and actually read it twice so that I could absord the story line more deeply. It is along time since I was this impressed by a book, the authors reading style made the history lesson given by this book a joy to read, the structure of the book is well planned out from start to finshed, you never get lost in the storyline, easy to follow, I have placed this book in my favourite individual books list, Well worth reading if you are interested in Chinese history. I like the book cover, did not see any editorial issues, (I include not spoilers about the storyline), this book main customer market will be people interested in China/Asia, Chinese/Asian History, History Students at College or University.
October 16, 2021
A book for those interested in the Song Dynasty, the fall of the 'Northern' Song, and the emperor who reigned from 1100-1126, Huizong. Meticulous in detail--albeit not always as captivating or entertaining as one had hoped for--and a much-needed work on both Huizong and the Song in part because this was a game-changing period in Chinese history and in part because of the many stories that are known about Huizong. Historians have been more fascinated with the more marshal personalities of China's history--the First Emperor Qin Shihuangdi, Genghis and Khubilai Khan, Kangxi and Qianlong--than its more pacifist emperors. Yet we do know quite a bit about Huizong--his expertise in the arts, his great collections, the building of one of the most famous gardens in history, his fascination with (and belief in?) Daoism, and his final years in exile as a hostage of the northern Jin. Now we know even more, a lot more, thanks to the 600+ pages of this volume.
Emperor Huizong is a dense book and slow-going. I pondered at several points giving in to the temptation to skim ahead, but dutifully read every page. There are pages and pages of facts surrounding the man's life but only rarely does one get a glimpse into what he may have been like. For example, he had a lot of children-- did he really enjoy the pleasures of his many wives and consorts and palace women or did he feel it was his duty to produce as many descendants as possible, or did he just feel sorry for all those lonely women waiting for their one opportunity to rise in status by fathering an imperial child? Did he raise his inked brush with a heavy or light heart? Did he really collect and collect passionately, or just accumulate? Chinese history never records such personal details, only the meetings, the communications, the transactions, the petitions...yet such (impossible) insights are the very details that would have given breath to the sturdy bones of this solid work.
Emperor Huizong is a dense book and slow-going. I pondered at several points giving in to the temptation to skim ahead, but dutifully read every page. There are pages and pages of facts surrounding the man's life but only rarely does one get a glimpse into what he may have been like. For example, he had a lot of children-- did he really enjoy the pleasures of his many wives and consorts and palace women or did he feel it was his duty to produce as many descendants as possible, or did he just feel sorry for all those lonely women waiting for their one opportunity to rise in status by fathering an imperial child? Did he raise his inked brush with a heavy or light heart? Did he really collect and collect passionately, or just accumulate? Chinese history never records such personal details, only the meetings, the communications, the transactions, the petitions...yet such (impossible) insights are the very details that would have given breath to the sturdy bones of this solid work.
December 22, 2015
Pat Ebrey was my first Chinese history professor many years ago now. She's always been one of my favourtie Chinese historians. This book I bought awhile ago and left on the shelf as I'm not very fond of biographies, or court history. But this book had so much more. There were wonderful bits of social history in this. There was a lot about women, and Taoism, and how the attitudes developed and changed during this period. It was a wonderful detailed look at a few decades in Chinese history and one I'd very highly recommend!
October 27, 2015
The Emperor Huizong presided over the collapse of one of world's most culturally brilliant and economically dynamic polities at the time, the Song, dying a captive with his son and heir in a northern fortress, his capital city ransacked and his population brutalized, the ladies of his palace and his clansmen enslaved by the thousands, and half of his empire's territory commandeered by northern invaders. It is difficult to find equivalents in Western history to this kind of of brusque, cataclysmic transition, which in the longue durée of Chinese history is by no means unique. The fall of Rome was comparable in terms of causes and scale, but took centuries to unfold, and lacked the drama of that pivotal moment when sovereignty evaporates before a ruler's eyes, and one man experiences what Huizong himself tearfully called 'the abandonment of Heaven.' Hitler's bunker in the weeks before the fall of Berlin is perhaps the closest that Western history has come since the fall of Rome to the experience of complete collapse of a civilization, and the flight of near-absolute power from the hands of a single person as encircling armies approach.
Given the devastation of such an event so distant from us in time, it is a marvel that historians such as Ebrey are able to reconstruct the flow of events and the texture of daily life in fairly rich detail. At the level of high politics, the history of this period is well-documented. We are able to closely follow the back and forth of diplomatic missions between the opportunistic Song and their upstart Jurchen neighbors to the north, and follow the turn of the worm as Song's gamble to shift allies and regain former Tang territory turns against it, and the Jurchen rise from obscurity to besiege the richest empire on earth. Ebrey's primary challenge here, methodologically, is not how to fill in the gaps between sources, but how to sort out those sources that are reliable from those that are later embroideries. The result is a readable biographical portrait of an inadvertent emperor (a younger brother who only took power on the occasion of his older brother's premature death) who in imperial Chinese historiography has come to symbolize both the peculiarly Confucian ideal of power combined with the highest levels of culture, and the dangers to the state of an Emperor who is too fond of the latter.
One can't help but be sympathetic to Huizong, the greatest patron of the arts in Chinese dynastic history, and himself a highly talented painter and calligrapher. By most accounts he was more humane than most men of his rank, and initiated a raft of progressive social policies that for their time were revolutionary. Unlike so many of the polities that arose in the West after Rome, the Song was founded on the premise of civilian control of the military, and it was this prominence of a state bureaucracy that allowed for the organizational feats of a great agricultural and increasingly commercial civilization, but also made it vulnerable to the menace posed by societies organized around more strictly military lines. One is continually astounded to hear of the size of the armies fielded by the civilian Chinese states of this period: hundreds of thousands of men mobilized for any given battle are typical. And yet, these massive forces were frequently insufficient defense against better trained and more determined adversaries.
Despite the capacity for mobilizing great amounts of men and material, in the end smaller nations proved repeatedly capable of overwhelming their rich and sprawling southern neighbor. In part, as Ebrey suggests but does not attempt to demonstrate, this was due to the extractive nature of the imperial system, which tended to take ever more from the peasantry without itself greatly improving rural productivity. The Song might have held off the Jurchen invasion, for example, if it had not had to contend with the sudden and violent Fang La insurrection in its own southern heartland.
For those familiar with the later fall of the Ming, the combination of domestic revolt and northern invasion recounted in Ebrey's book displays an uncanny symmetry with later dynastic downfalls. One might argue that the later incursions of the West during the Qing were not only viewed by the Chinese as the latest round of such barbarian invasions, but reinforced on one final occasion the vulnerability of a largely non-militaristic, agricultural state dominated by a civilian bureaucracy to determined antagonists with military superiority.
Given the devastation of such an event so distant from us in time, it is a marvel that historians such as Ebrey are able to reconstruct the flow of events and the texture of daily life in fairly rich detail. At the level of high politics, the history of this period is well-documented. We are able to closely follow the back and forth of diplomatic missions between the opportunistic Song and their upstart Jurchen neighbors to the north, and follow the turn of the worm as Song's gamble to shift allies and regain former Tang territory turns against it, and the Jurchen rise from obscurity to besiege the richest empire on earth. Ebrey's primary challenge here, methodologically, is not how to fill in the gaps between sources, but how to sort out those sources that are reliable from those that are later embroideries. The result is a readable biographical portrait of an inadvertent emperor (a younger brother who only took power on the occasion of his older brother's premature death) who in imperial Chinese historiography has come to symbolize both the peculiarly Confucian ideal of power combined with the highest levels of culture, and the dangers to the state of an Emperor who is too fond of the latter.
One can't help but be sympathetic to Huizong, the greatest patron of the arts in Chinese dynastic history, and himself a highly talented painter and calligrapher. By most accounts he was more humane than most men of his rank, and initiated a raft of progressive social policies that for their time were revolutionary. Unlike so many of the polities that arose in the West after Rome, the Song was founded on the premise of civilian control of the military, and it was this prominence of a state bureaucracy that allowed for the organizational feats of a great agricultural and increasingly commercial civilization, but also made it vulnerable to the menace posed by societies organized around more strictly military lines. One is continually astounded to hear of the size of the armies fielded by the civilian Chinese states of this period: hundreds of thousands of men mobilized for any given battle are typical. And yet, these massive forces were frequently insufficient defense against better trained and more determined adversaries.
Despite the capacity for mobilizing great amounts of men and material, in the end smaller nations proved repeatedly capable of overwhelming their rich and sprawling southern neighbor. In part, as Ebrey suggests but does not attempt to demonstrate, this was due to the extractive nature of the imperial system, which tended to take ever more from the peasantry without itself greatly improving rural productivity. The Song might have held off the Jurchen invasion, for example, if it had not had to contend with the sudden and violent Fang La insurrection in its own southern heartland.
For those familiar with the later fall of the Ming, the combination of domestic revolt and northern invasion recounted in Ebrey's book displays an uncanny symmetry with later dynastic downfalls. One might argue that the later incursions of the West during the Qing were not only viewed by the Chinese as the latest round of such barbarian invasions, but reinforced on one final occasion the vulnerability of a largely non-militaristic, agricultural state dominated by a civilian bureaucracy to determined antagonists with military superiority.
March 12, 2020
雖然有一點點要幫徽宗翻案的意思（包括他的社會救濟措施以及文藝天才），但實在是洗不白啊（好好一個局弄到兵敗如山倒）……最後寫成了落落長的綜觀大全，有點瑣碎，但從高度都市化的文明生活到亡國奴慘遭凌辱，也不免讓讀者為北宋斲喪一掬同情淚。
一點筆記：
p.21一、最近哲宗被炒紅，人皆曰其畫像為歷代帝王最帥（其實是因為他還沒開始發福白髮就死了，又及，個人覺得他長得有像劉德華）。
二、p.121「四川菜館」《東京夢華錄》卷四「川飯店」
三、《夢華錄》中東京所有景物我最喜歡金明池。
p.30 孟皇后巫術案，強烈推薦給覺得宋哲宗好帥的朋友看……
p.37 比較歐洲與宋代宮廷的異同
p.62 第二章=新舊黨爭，這章一直強調宋朝皇子短壽和皇帝的繼位問題，我才想起來宋高宗那個老戲精是大宋三百年活最久的皇帝……不過說實話從秦始皇稱帝到滿清滅亡也沒幾個皇帝活到八十的。
p.87蔡京本人的文集沒有留下來，因此宋史沿用其對手的說法。
p.90蔡京就任於杭州、明州後建立市舶司，擴大鹽專賣地區，並恢復東南地區的茶專賣。
p.92福利事業＝保障最低生活品質 試圖洗白徽宗
p.100元祐黨人黑名單並非一直不變。
p.103禁燬蘇黨著作，但目前徽宗重用之大臣的文集佚失，反倒被禁作品流傳下來。
p.105建造「辟雍」的建築師是李誡，即《營造法式》作者。
p.64 這章引用的史料以續資治通鑑長編為主。
p.70 景靈宮的彩塑不知是否比太原晉母祠的仕女精緻？可惜沒有留下來。
p.84 伊佩霞認為陳瓘等保守派（舊黨）缺乏人際交往技巧，無法說服徽宗。
p.105 1102年擴充學校：「不僅在各州，各縣也均須……」「還在京城南郊營建太學之外學，賜名辟雍，得名於古籍記載的周天子所建的學校的名稱。」「建築師是……李誡」（營造法式作者）「辟雍的整組建築共有四個教室，一百間學舍，每間學舍可以容納三十名學生」（以下記述1104年每縣學生名額及補助內容。）
p.165 「（1150年）九月，新月在宮廷宴會上首次登場。據《宋史》記載，一群鶴從北方飛來，載演奏音樂的黃庭上空盤旋不去……」難道這是《瑞鶴圖》的由來？
（其餘筆記書於活頁紙上，在此不贅。）
一點筆記：
p.21一、最近哲宗被炒紅，人皆曰其畫像為歷代帝王最帥（其實是因為他還沒開始發福白髮就死了，又及，個人覺得他長得有像劉德華）。
二、p.121「四川菜館」《東京夢華錄》卷四「川飯店」
三、《夢華錄》中東京所有景物我最喜歡金明池。
p.30 孟皇后巫術案，強烈推薦給覺得宋哲宗好帥的朋友看……
p.37 比較歐洲與宋代宮廷的異同
p.62 第二章=新舊黨爭，這章一直強調宋朝皇子短壽和皇帝的繼位問題，我才想起來宋高宗那個老戲精是大宋三百年活最久的皇帝……不過說實話從秦始皇稱帝到滿清滅亡也沒幾個皇帝活到八十的。
p.87蔡京本人的文集沒有留下來，因此宋史沿用其對手的說法。
p.90蔡京就任於杭州、明州後建立市舶司，擴大鹽專賣地區，並恢復東南地區的茶專賣。
p.92福利事業＝保障最低生活品質 試圖洗白徽宗
p.100元祐黨人黑名單並非一直不變。
p.103禁燬蘇黨著作，但目前徽宗重用之大臣的文集佚失，反倒被禁作品流傳下來。
p.105建造「辟雍」的建築師是李誡，即《營造法式》作者。
p.64 這章引用的史料以續資治通鑑長編為主。
p.70 景靈宮的彩塑不知是否比太原晉母祠的仕女精緻？可惜沒有留下來。
p.84 伊佩霞認為陳瓘等保守派（舊黨）缺乏人際交往技巧，無法說服徽宗。
p.105 1102年擴充學校：「不僅在各州，各縣也均須……」「還在京城南郊營建太學之外學，賜名辟雍，得名於古籍記載的周天子所建的學校的名稱。」「建築師是……李誡」（營造法式作者）「辟雍的整組建築共有四個教室，一百間學舍，每間學舍可以容納三十名學生」（以下記述1104年每縣學生名額及補助內容。）
p.165 「（1150年）九月，新月在宮廷宴會上首次登場。據《宋史》記載，一群鶴從北方飛來，載演奏音樂的黃庭上空盤旋不去……」難道這是《瑞鶴圖》的由來？
（其餘筆記書於活頁紙上，在此不贅。）
June 1, 2019
閱讀時間跨距太長
宋史不太熟又分心去看別的書
所以記不太起來內容Orz
當初是在亞馬遜推薦看到
文案說媲美萬曆十五年讓我被精準投放了
買來看看覺得根本不是那一回事啊~
不是說內容不好，而是風格有差
本書平鋪直述，作者提出自己的看法時用得是第三方視角
不像黃仁宇總是說"我們的帝國"如何如何
跟本書比起來萬曆十五年充滿了激情
而且本書確實只為帝王作傳，只寫徽宗一朝和徽欽二宗北狩
跟萬曆十五年以明神宗帶出整個明朝
走向大不相同
PS
快看完了才發現這本有X-ray功能
這好像是我買的第一本有X-ray的中亞電子書
不過實際用起來，感覺X-ray功能也沒像亞瑪遜吹噓的那麼厲害啊
宋史不太熟又分心去看別的書
所以記不太起來內容Orz
當初是在亞馬遜推薦看到
文案說媲美萬曆十五年讓我被精準投放了
買來看看覺得根本不是那一回事啊~
不是說內容不好，而是風格有差
本書平鋪直述，作者提出自己的看法時用得是第三方視角
不像黃仁宇總是說"我們的帝國"如何如何
跟本書比起來萬曆十五年充滿了激情
而且本書確實只為帝王作傳，只寫徽宗一朝和徽欽二宗北狩
跟萬曆十五年以明神宗帶出整個明朝
走向大不相同
PS
快看完了才發現這本有X-ray功能
這好像是我買的第一本有X-ray的中亞電子書
不過實際用起來，感覺X-ray功能也沒像亞瑪遜吹噓的那麼厲害啊
March 1, 2020
虽然中文翻译很多不太通顺的或不符合中文习惯的地方，但作者对于史实材料的甄选，让我从另一面了解了徽宗和他的朝廷。呜呼哀哉。
May 9, 2016
A sweeping portrait of an emperor traditionally viewed as a dilettante who threw the dynasty away by sheer negligence, this biography sets the record straight by offering a balanced, yet sympathetic depiction.
Huizong (reign 1100-1127 CE) was, in addition to being the Northern Song dynasty's last ruler, a brilliant painter and calligrapher, as well as a devout Daoist sincerely committed to promoting the faith on a scale rarely matched in China's long history. As a catastrophic unintended consequence of bold moves in the century-long struggle to retake the north from nomadic dynasties, his realm, probably the wealthiest and most advanced in the contemporary world, was overrun by the Jurchen military machine. This ignominious end, more than any of his achievements, has coloured has legacy to the present day.
Rather than take centuries of Confucian critics, with their anti-Daoist and anti-fun bent, at their word, Patricia Ebrey looks at Huizong's rulership as he saw it, from the court. From here, what emerges most strongly are two tendencies.
The first is the bitter factional struggle of opinionated officials, split between reformists and their opponents. This had been ongoing since the mid-1000s, but took on an added ferocity under Huizong's reign. His relative magnanimity and grace in steering a course through these rivalries displays a strength of character not traditionally attributed to him.
The second is Huizong's diligent commitment to a certain concept of rulership, centred on imperial splendour and cosmic harmony, that belies the notion that he was somehow lazy or negligent. He was simply far more committed to the civil than the military side of his work, as all Song emperors before him were. If anything, he was perhaps too willing to listen to the more rash and adventurist advisers when the crucial decisions came that led to his downfall.
His painting and calligraphy have rightly assumed a prominent place in the history of Chinese art, as masterpieces of great originality and vibrancy. What's more, his extensive hands-on sponsorship of the arts and of Daoist religion, as well as the introduction of widespread public schooling and social welfare programmes, displayed his willingness to run the Song in a manner that was far from passive.
Overall, this work succeeds in lending Huizong his due not just as an artist and tragic figure, but as a pathbreaking emperor who made the wrong call at the critical juncture rather than steering the country into ruin with his profligate ways.
Huizong (reign 1100-1127 CE) was, in addition to being the Northern Song dynasty's last ruler, a brilliant painter and calligrapher, as well as a devout Daoist sincerely committed to promoting the faith on a scale rarely matched in China's long history. As a catastrophic unintended consequence of bold moves in the century-long struggle to retake the north from nomadic dynasties, his realm, probably the wealthiest and most advanced in the contemporary world, was overrun by the Jurchen military machine. This ignominious end, more than any of his achievements, has coloured has legacy to the present day.
Rather than take centuries of Confucian critics, with their anti-Daoist and anti-fun bent, at their word, Patricia Ebrey looks at Huizong's rulership as he saw it, from the court. From here, what emerges most strongly are two tendencies.
The first is the bitter factional struggle of opinionated officials, split between reformists and their opponents. This had been ongoing since the mid-1000s, but took on an added ferocity under Huizong's reign. His relative magnanimity and grace in steering a course through these rivalries displays a strength of character not traditionally attributed to him.
The second is Huizong's diligent commitment to a certain concept of rulership, centred on imperial splendour and cosmic harmony, that belies the notion that he was somehow lazy or negligent. He was simply far more committed to the civil than the military side of his work, as all Song emperors before him were. If anything, he was perhaps too willing to listen to the more rash and adventurist advisers when the crucial decisions came that led to his downfall.
His painting and calligraphy have rightly assumed a prominent place in the history of Chinese art, as masterpieces of great originality and vibrancy. What's more, his extensive hands-on sponsorship of the arts and of Daoist religion, as well as the introduction of widespread public schooling and social welfare programmes, displayed his willingness to run the Song in a manner that was far from passive.
Overall, this work succeeds in lending Huizong his due not just as an artist and tragic figure, but as a pathbreaking emperor who made the wrong call at the critical juncture rather than steering the country into ruin with his profligate ways.
September 24, 2019
not bad, but somehow like I was reading a dumbed down (as though for People Magazine) version of a scholarly biography. This is not to say she wasnt thorough; lots of original sources were used. But something seemed too casual. Maybe its just me. But rates giving it a try as good bios of Chinese rulers are few and far between.
On second read was more impressed.
On second read was more impressed.
March 26, 2015
Fabulous bio of an emperor of China and his lifestyle and finally defeat and imprisonment by conquering forces. I found him a likable man but not 'up to the job' that needed to be done. Great read.
June 25, 2023
Patricia Buckley Ebrey’s Emperor Huizhong is a is a very comprehensive look at a Chinese emperor who is not very well known, but whose decisions potentially had an oversized impact on China leading as they did to the loss of Northern China to the Jin. This ensured that there was no unified China to fight the Mongols. But that was far in the future and this book is not about the consequences but looking at the individual, his interests, advisors and policy. Huizhong was interested and engaged across much of Chinese traditional culture. Her choice of subject therefore makes this a very wide-ranging book looking at religion, art and culture, governance and politics in early 12th Century China.
We can also use Huizhong as a lens through which to see the fall of Northern China. The loss many have been in part of his own making, and his suffering is far less than that of many in North China and indeed of his relatives but his loss of power, capture and captivity do reflect his peoples’. Ebrey does not shy away from showing the suffering of Huizhong’s relatives; the rape of wives and daughters, the poor treatment and starvation that results in most of the wider imperial family’s death. If this was the suffering at the top then the mass of the people will have felt it through the impact of war sweeping around and over.
But the vast majority of the book is on more pleasant and pacific subjects. Huizhong is an artistic and literary emperor who seems to dabble in all sorts of things so the scope of the book is correspondingly wide; life in the palace, religion (both buddhism and Taosim), the arts, building, administration and bureaucracy of china, the constraints on the emperor. This is an amazingly wide ranging book as Ebrey uses Huizhong’s life to look into how China was in the 12th Century. Some of these areas of exploration were totally unexpected; I had no idea that growing mushrooms were so auspicious that an Emperor would want to be sent reports of growths from right around the country.
While this is a really big in depth book it is reasonably readable. It is both a narrative and thematic. The variety of thematic chapters keeps it interesting, and also breaks it down into manageable chunks. At the same time the Emperor’s life has a good narrative arc with a lot of change through his reign.
There are perhaps weaknesses to the book from a military history standpoint while we are told about the campaign it is hard to follow or understand the decisions that are made in it - some of them by Huizhong miles away from the front. This matters because defeat leads to Huizhong’s captivity. Huizhong is blamed for the loss but it makes it difficult to determine how much of the blame should be laid at his feet. But the reader does need to remember that Ebrey is not trying to provide an overview of the history but a biography, and avoiding the ins and outs of a campaign is in many ways understandable. Huizhong was not there, and probably did not get the full picture from his advisors.
This is a good and very detailed book given it is written about someone, albeit an emperor, in the middle ages. Reading it not only gives a good idea of Huizhong’s life and the power and constraints of a Song dynasty emperor but his reign is a turning point for the dynasty as it loses in war and is pushed into the south of China. Worth reading for anyone with an interest in Chinese imperial history. Likely to be too detailed for anyone just looking for a general history on China or the Song.
We can also use Huizhong as a lens through which to see the fall of Northern China. The loss many have been in part of his own making, and his suffering is far less than that of many in North China and indeed of his relatives but his loss of power, capture and captivity do reflect his peoples’. Ebrey does not shy away from showing the suffering of Huizhong’s relatives; the rape of wives and daughters, the poor treatment and starvation that results in most of the wider imperial family’s death. If this was the suffering at the top then the mass of the people will have felt it through the impact of war sweeping around and over.
But the vast majority of the book is on more pleasant and pacific subjects. Huizhong is an artistic and literary emperor who seems to dabble in all sorts of things so the scope of the book is correspondingly wide; life in the palace, religion (both buddhism and Taosim), the arts, building, administration and bureaucracy of china, the constraints on the emperor. This is an amazingly wide ranging book as Ebrey uses Huizhong’s life to look into how China was in the 12th Century. Some of these areas of exploration were totally unexpected; I had no idea that growing mushrooms were so auspicious that an Emperor would want to be sent reports of growths from right around the country.
While this is a really big in depth book it is reasonably readable. It is both a narrative and thematic. The variety of thematic chapters keeps it interesting, and also breaks it down into manageable chunks. At the same time the Emperor’s life has a good narrative arc with a lot of change through his reign.
There are perhaps weaknesses to the book from a military history standpoint while we are told about the campaign it is hard to follow or understand the decisions that are made in it - some of them by Huizhong miles away from the front. This matters because defeat leads to Huizhong’s captivity. Huizhong is blamed for the loss but it makes it difficult to determine how much of the blame should be laid at his feet. But the reader does need to remember that Ebrey is not trying to provide an overview of the history but a biography, and avoiding the ins and outs of a campaign is in many ways understandable. Huizhong was not there, and probably did not get the full picture from his advisors.
This is a good and very detailed book given it is written about someone, albeit an emperor, in the middle ages. Reading it not only gives a good idea of Huizhong’s life and the power and constraints of a Song dynasty emperor but his reign is a turning point for the dynasty as it loses in war and is pushed into the south of China. Worth reading for anyone with an interest in Chinese imperial history. Likely to be too detailed for anyone just looking for a general history on China or the Song.
May 20, 2025
這本書的簡體版我觀察了一段時間，沒買，但印象中賣得不錯，所以後來出了繁體。
最近想到，從圖書館弄了一本，翻了翻。作者就很標準的漢學家，想寫一個「超脫傳統道德觀之外的宋徽宗傳」。就我過去的閱讀心得，這種書通常會寫的很無聊。
伊沛霞倒也不是想洗白趙佶，不過她的評論總是高高舉起，輕輕放下，說的倒有點「若不是遇到金人太強大，說不定可以當個太平天子安穩過去」。這點也許是事實，不過歷史沒有如果。
再說，做為一個承擔萬民福祉的天子，這般僥倖心態是對的嗎？
之前跟我夫人討論該怎麼評價某某某，他真的擔的起如此評價時，我常說「日久見人心」，有時候可能誰只是沒經過考驗而已。畢竟，澤連斯基如果沒有這場戰爭，他在烏克蘭史上會是個怎樣的總統？至少人家沒變成澤徽宗(喂)。
老實說，看完本書的前言結語，我是真的沒啥興趣細看內容了，雖然我感覺得出來作者是寫的很詳實沒錯。個人反倒覺得一篇本書的書評還評的比較精彩。
作者叫謝二，連結在留言區，以下節錄一段：
如果從這位皇帝人格個性上找原因，那麼，他的輕佻與怯懦恐怕是很要命的毛病。徽宗是一位文人氣很重的皇帝，在重文輕武、文教大興、長期太平的北宋，這有其必然性。一位皇帝，愛好文藝、詩酒風流不是錯，甚至貪圖享樂、親近小人也不足以致命。麻煩的是他輕佻。哲宗去世，皇太后要立其弟趙佶即位，執政章惇堅決反對，理由是“端王輕佻，不可以為君。”這個判斷是很有洞見的。君主最關鍵的是決定軍國大事，雄才大略自然沒問題；資質一般但能聽得進大臣意見，不惹事，不亂政，也可以做守成之主；即使是白癡弱智，靠著執政大臣的扶持，也可以撐住政權。最怕的就是文可以裝飾非，語可以拒諫，大權在握，自以為是，不甘守成，輕於舉事者。……
兵者，國之大事也，死生之地，存亡之道，不可不察。《孫子兵法》開頭的這一警告，趙佶不可能不知道。但他把輕佻當成了雄心，把戰爭當成了遊戲，以巧慧機靈為雄才大略，聯金滅遼，收復燕雲，建立不世功勳，熱血上頭，在熱衷功名的邊臣、宰相們的慫恿攛懟下，不顧自身軍力的軟弱，準備的不足，也不顧滅遼之後要面對更強大的金國的威脅，執意推進。等到金國翻臉，女真鐵騎大舉南下，席捲燕京、河北，攻到東京城下時，又一下子失魂落魄，灰心喪氣了，其個性中輕佻狡詐的一面收起，轉為怯懦，不顧一切地推卸責任，企圖逃亡求生了。宋徽宗風雅是風雅極了，但其政治品質，的確是不堪入目之極。自以為君子的小人，自以為聖君的庸主，都是難以處理的麻煩。位高權重，而有自知之明，起碼明白自己能力的極限與行為的底線，不至於拉著整個國家、億萬人民為自己的輕佻付出代價，這太要緊了。像南宋高宗，人壞透了，自私透了，可他裝的時候清楚自己在裝，無恥的時候明白自己無恥，不也成為了南宋的開國皇帝嗎？比起徽宗，實在是強不知道多少。原因是他能頑強地逃跑，能狡詐無恥地和談，能無節操地卑躬屈膝，能打就打，打不贏就跑，追急了就和談，但自己絕對不喪失對國家疆土、人民、軍隊、財政的實質控制，不做沒把握的冒險。愛好文藝，貪財好色，喜歡享受，兩位沒啥區別，區別在於，長期的擔驚受、顛沛流離的經歷治好了趙構的輕佻；趙佶就只能在黑龍江五國城的冰天雪地裡去悔恨了。
簡單來說，章惇的一句話就是趙佶的最好詮釋：「端王輕佻，不可以君天下」。這不是什麼老生常談，而是一針見血。
最近想到，從圖書館弄了一本，翻了翻。作者就很標準的漢學家，想寫一個「超脫傳統道德觀之外的宋徽宗傳」。就我過去的閱讀心得，這種書通常會寫的很無聊。
伊沛霞倒也不是想洗白趙佶，不過她的評論總是高高舉起，輕輕放下，說的倒有點「若不是遇到金人太強大，說不定可以當個太平天子安穩過去」。這點也許是事實，不過歷史沒有如果。
再說，做為一個承擔萬民福祉的天子，這般僥倖心態是對的嗎？
之前跟我夫人討論該怎麼評價某某某，他真的擔的起如此評價時，我常說「日久見人心」，有時候可能誰只是沒經過考驗而已。畢竟，澤連斯基如果沒有這場戰爭，他在烏克蘭史上會是個怎樣的總統？至少人家沒變成澤徽宗(喂)。
老實說，看完本書的前言結語，我是真的沒啥興趣細看內容了，雖然我感覺得出來作者是寫的很詳實沒錯。個人反倒覺得一篇本書的書評還評的比較精彩。
作者叫謝二，連結在留言區，以下節錄一段：
如果從這位皇帝人格個性上找原因，那麼，他的輕佻與怯懦恐怕是很要命的毛病。徽宗是一位文人氣很重的皇帝，在重文輕武、文教大興、長期太平的北宋，這有其必然性。一位皇帝，愛好文藝、詩酒風流不是錯，甚至貪圖享樂、親近小人也不足以致命。麻煩的是他輕佻。哲宗去世，皇太后要立其弟趙佶即位，執政章惇堅決反對，理由是“端王輕佻，不可以為君。”這個判斷是很有洞見的。君主最關鍵的是決定軍國大事，雄才大略自然沒問題；資質一般但能聽得進大臣意見，不惹事，不亂政，也可以做守成之主；即使是白癡弱智，靠著執政大臣的扶持，也可以撐住政權。最怕的就是文可以裝飾非，語可以拒諫，大權在握，自以為是，不甘守成，輕於舉事者。……
兵者，國之大事也，死生之地，存亡之道，不可不察。《孫子兵法》開頭的這一警告，趙佶不可能不知道。但他把輕佻當成了雄心，把戰爭當成了遊戲，以巧慧機靈為雄才大略，聯金滅遼，收復燕雲，建立不世功勳，熱血上頭，在熱衷功名的邊臣、宰相們的慫恿攛懟下，不顧自身軍力的軟弱，準備的不足，也不顧滅遼之後要面對更強大的金國的威脅，執意推進。等到金國翻臉，女真鐵騎大舉南下，席捲燕京、河北，攻到東京城下時，又一下子失魂落魄，灰心喪氣了，其個性中輕佻狡詐的一面收起，轉為怯懦，不顧一切地推卸責任，企圖逃亡求生了。宋徽宗風雅是風雅極了，但其政治品質，的確是不堪入目之極。自以為君子的小人，自以為聖君的庸主，都是難以處理的麻煩。位高權重，而有自知之明，起碼明白自己能力的極限與行為的底線，不至於拉著整個國家、億萬人民為自己的輕佻付出代價，這太要緊了。像南宋高宗，人壞透了，自私透了，可他裝的時候清楚自己在裝，無恥的時候明白自己無恥，不也成為了南宋的開國皇帝嗎？比起徽宗，實在是強不知道多少。原因是他能頑強地逃跑，能狡詐無恥地和談，能無節操地卑躬屈膝，能打就打，打不贏就跑，追急了就和談，但自己絕對不喪失對國家疆土、人民、軍隊、財政的實質控制，不做沒把握的冒險。愛好文藝，貪財好色，喜歡享受，兩位沒啥區別，區別在於，長期的擔驚受、顛沛流離的經歷治好了趙構的輕佻；趙佶就只能在黑龍江五國城的冰天雪地裡去悔恨了。
簡單來說，章惇的一句話就是趙佶的最好詮釋：「端王輕佻，不可以君天下」。這不是什麼老生常談，而是一針見血。
September 25, 2019
I have mixed feelings with this book. It's a unique and extraordinary read that plunges you (as much as we can with the extant sources) into the reality of Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty. It deepend my understanding of how the Chinese court worked, how much weight antiquity had on the ruling in that time and many other cultural facets that were unknown to me. Buckley did an astonishing work with her research and even more with weaving a coherent narrative that reads like a breeze.
That said, the book is massive and the analysis on Huizong's reign varied, which meant that some chapters were easier to digest than others. For example, the chapter on Huizong's Daoist streak is harsh, packed with names and references that make it hard to read for a long time.
In a nutshell, it's a very well researched book with incredibly useful insights into Song China, but only recommended for China nerds with hardcore attitudes to reading ;)
That said, the book is massive and the analysis on Huizong's reign varied, which meant that some chapters were easier to digest than others. For example, the chapter on Huizong's Daoist streak is harsh, packed with names and references that make it hard to read for a long time.
In a nutshell, it's a very well researched book with incredibly useful insights into Song China, but only recommended for China nerds with hardcore attitudes to reading ;)
November 21, 2024
宋徽宗的登基过程充满了偶然性，注定了在官僚集团面前是一个弱势皇帝，有一次他的一只风筝被人飞出了宫外，他想去调查却被大臣奏请制止，因为帝位初登，哪怕是调查一件小事，也有可能被朝廷各方势力利用，变成了权力倾轧的游戏。因此宋徽宗在他的帝王生涯里，执政的重点转向于诗书画方面的造诣，以及在位期间热衷于对艺术家的赞助和忠诚维护国家祭祀以及对传统的维护，同时在传宗接代子女繁衍数量上做到了冠绝古今。
回到这本书本身，总共十七章，看得出来作者对宋徽宗是偏爱的，本书对史料的讲述多停留在收集，对了解宋徽宗的生平大有裨益。前两章讲宋徽宗登基前的政治活动，第三章开始详细介绍宋徽宗的个人兴趣、艺术修养、宗教修炼，直到十三章才开始进入帝王执政，讲宋金联合灭辽。到了最后两章才讲述北宋的覆灭与徽宗沦为阶下囚的那段历史，可惜从全书所占比例来看，作者对北宋灭亡那段波橘云诡的历史着墨太显平淡。而对于靖康之耻的过程和细节的把握，我更推荐去读郭建龙的《汴京之围》。
全书提到到一段最耐人寻味的情节，原来宋朝立国之本“不杀士大夫”直到徽宗一朝都是历任皇帝之间口耳相授的治国秘籍，而不为外人道也。因此被后世所称颂的宋代“皇帝与士大夫共治天下”的官僚政治体系不过只是一种昭然若揭的帝王之术。毕竟如果“不杀士大夫”作为一项政策被公开，那些在政治斗争中失势的士大夫就不会对皇帝的不杀之恩感恩戴德，而是归功于制度建设
回到这本书本身，总共十七章，看得出来作者对宋徽宗是偏爱的，本书对史料的讲述多停留在收集，对了解宋徽宗的生平大有裨益。前两章讲宋徽宗登基前的政治活动，第三章开始详细介绍宋徽宗的个人兴趣、艺术修养、宗教修炼，直到十三章才开始进入帝王执政，讲宋金联合灭辽。到了最后两章才讲述北宋的覆灭与徽宗沦为阶下囚的那段历史，可惜从全书所占比例来看，作者对北宋灭亡那段波橘云诡的历史着墨太显平淡。而对于靖康之耻的过程和细节的把握，我更推荐去读郭建龙的《汴京之围》。
全书提到到一段最耐人寻味的情节，原来宋朝立国之本“不杀士大夫”直到徽宗一朝都是历任皇帝之间口耳相授的治国秘籍，而不为外人道也。因此被后世所称颂的宋代“皇帝与士大夫共治天下”的官僚政治体系不过只是一种昭然若揭的帝王之术。毕竟如果“不杀士大夫”作为一项政策被公开，那些在政治斗争中失势的士大夫就不会对皇帝的不杀之恩感恩戴德，而是归功于制度建设
December 17, 2022
I read most of this (skipped a bit of the military stuff in the middle-end). It was well-written, carefully researched, and pretty engaging. Also it was super thorough, covering almost every aspect of life, from sacrificial rites to petty disputes between ministers to heavy war-time matters. I'm not a historian or anything but this was great to me.
June 16, 2021
Very informative but there is a great deal of information and you really need to concentrate to take it in. I also felt it relied on the reader knowing quite a lot about the subject already.
March 29, 2024
总体观点是肯定宋徽宗在文化建设方面的成功，避免对北宋覆灭进行事后诸葛亮式的追责。写得比较温吞，好多地方像是论文综述。
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