The Golden Peaches of Samarkand
Author | : Edward H. Schafer |
Publisher | : Univ of California Press |
Total Pages | : 440 |
Release | : 1963 |
ISBN-10 | : |
ISBN-13 | : |
Rating | : 4/5 ( Downloads) |
Download or read book The Golden Peaches of Samarkand written by Edward H. Schafer and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 1963 with total page 440 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the seventh century the kingdom of Samarkand sent formal gifts of fancy yellow peaches, large as goose eggs and with a color like gold, to the Chinese court at Ch'ang-an. What kind of fruit these golden peaches really were cannot now be guessed, but they have the glamour of mystery, and they symbolize all the exotic things longed for, and unknown things hoped for, by the people of the T'ang Empire. This book examines the exotics imported into China during the T'ang Dynasty, and depicts their influence on Chinese life. This book is not a statistical record of commercial imports and medieval trade, but rather a 'humanistic essay, however material its subject matter.'