Swords Into Plowshares/The Age of Peace 《太平年月》 Tàipíng nián Mini Dictionary
Removing the Fan (却扇礼 - Què shàn lǐ )
The "Removing the Fan" ceremony: When a bride leaves home, she must cover her head and face to conceal her shyness and ward off evil spirits. After the wedding ceremony, the fan is removed, signifying the completion of the marriage. This custom originates from the story of Wen Qiao's marriage in A New Account of the Tales of the World (世说新语 - Shishuo Xinyu by Liu Yiqing). It was prevalent in the Tang Dynasty and is still used in some modern group weddings.
High Ranking Guards in Casual Wear "Wearing loose robes and controlling cranes" (宽衣控鹤 - Kuānyī kòng hè)
Refers to palace guards of high status, dressed in casual clothes. "Controlling cranes" originally refers to the Taoist legend of immortals riding cranes to heaven, originating from the story of Prince Qiao, the crown prince of King Ling of Zhou, who ascended to heaven on a white crane, as recorded in the Biographies of Immortals 《列仙传·王子乔 Liè xiān chuán·wángzǐ qiáo》. Later, it came to symbolize attaining immortality. From the Tang Dynasty onwards, this term was used as the name of imperial attendants or the imperial guard, whose main function was to guard the palace.
To Pacify Without a War (传檄而定 - Chuánxí ér dìng)
It means that without military force, a single written document can subdue the enemy and stabilize the situation. In this sentence, it functions as a predicate, indicating victory without battle. The idiom originates from the Records of the Grand Historian 《史记·淮阴侯列传 Shǐjì·huáiyīn hóu lièzhuàn》, specifically the biography of Marquis of Huaiyin: "Now that Your Majesty has moved east, the Three Qin regions can be pacified with a mere written document."
Messenger Banner (旌节 - Jīng jié)
"Jing" refers to a banner, typically a long pole from which yak tails and colorful bird feathers are hung, used for issuing commands and bestowing rewards. "Jie" is a bamboo pole about two meters long, decorated at the top with a yak tail banner. The "Han Jie" carried by Su Wu of the Han Dynasty is an example of this. It was the core credential representing the emperor and exercising power.
Entrusting the young orphan to another's care (托孤顾命 - Tuōgū gù mìng)
Under the autocratic monarchy of ancient China, this was an unconventional remedial mechanism designed to resolve crises in the transfer of supreme power.
Tuogu : Specifically refers to entrusting a young orphan (crown prince or new emperor) to another person.
Guming : Originating from the Book of Documents (Shangshu), specifically the section on "Guming," 《尚书·周书·顾命 shàngshū·zhōu shū·gù mìng》 it originally meant a dying wish, later specifically referring to the emperor's final instructions and appointments. It profoundly reveals the inherent fragility of the succession of imperial power in ancient times and the absolute dependence on the idealized image of a "loyal minister “忠臣”Zhōngchén”."
Inner Guard Commandery (内牙都监署 - Nèi yá dōu jiān shǔ)
The Inner Court was an important military oversight and inner court secret service of the Wuyue Kingdom during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. It was primarily responsible for supervising the discipline and daily affairs of the Inner Guard (royal personal guard), participating in the mobilization of the imperial guards, and representing the monarch in supervising and checking the commanders of the outer garrisons. It was a key official position for the Wuyue king to consolidate his command of the personal guard and strengthen centralized power.
North Jing Bianliang (东京汴梁 - Dōngjīng biàn liáng)
In present-day Kaifeng, Henan, "Bianliang" can be considered a combined name for "Bianzhou" of the Tang Dynasty and "Daliang," the old capital of the Warring States period. The administrative division "Bianliang Road" only officially appeared during the Yuan Dynasty. The first time it was called "Dongjing" and designated as the capital was in 938 AD (the third year of the Tianfu era of the Later Jin Dynasty), when Emperor Gaozu Shi Jingtang elevated Bianzhou to Kaifeng Prefecture and moved the capital from Luoyang there, marking the beginning of its era as a core capital city. Subsequently, the Later Jin, Later Han, and Later Zhou dynasties of the Five Dynasties period, as well as the Northern Song and late Jin dynasties, all established their capitals there.
The Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun (燕云十六 - Yàn yún shíliù zhōu)
This refers to the sixteen prefectures encompassing present-day Beijing, northern Hebei, and northern Shanxi. In 938, Shi Jingtang of the Later Jin Dynasty ceded this territory to the Khitan in exchange for their support, thus depriving the Central Plains regimes of the northern barrier of the Yanshan-Taihang Mountains. For the next four hundred years, the region was ruled by the Liao, Jin, and Yuan dynasties, leaving the North China Plain wide open and putting the Northern Song Dynasty in a defensive passive position. It wasn't until the Ming Dynasty's northern expedition in 1368 that the region returned to Ming rule.
This is an ancient, euphemistic, derogatory term for soldiers, specifically referring to a group of unruly soldiers in the context of the old society. Its etymology can be traced back to the time when Fu Jian of the Former Qin Dynasty dispatched Murong Chui on an expedition. When the courtier Quan Yi tried to dissuade him but failed, an ambush was planned. Murong Chui dreamt that he encountered eight tombs near Confucius's grave. The dream interpreter explained that the characters for "hill" and "eight" combined form the character for "soldier," foreshadowing an ambush.
"A Dragon Ascends to Heaven" (龙驭上宾 - Lóng yù shàngbīn)
One of the most respectful and typical euphemisms for the death of an emperor in ancient China. Its concept is rooted in the legend of the Yellow Emperor ascending to heaven on a dragon, as seen in the Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji), specifically the section on the Feng and Shan sacrifices 《史记· 封禅书 shǐjì· fēngchán shū》. Later generations used this mythical imagery to describe the death of an emperor, using a solemn and sacred narrative to avoid directly stating "death," thus demonstrating the utmost respect from subjects for their monarch.
The Huang Chao Rebellion (黄巢之乱 - Huángcháo zhī luàn)
(875-884) The largest peasant uprising at the end of the Tang Dynasty. Its leader, Huang Chao, originally a salt smuggler, rose in rebellion due to dissatisfaction with government corruption and social injustice. His army fought across the north and south, briefly capturing Chang'an and establishing the "Great Qi" regime.
Later, he was defeated and killed in a joint counterattack by the Tang army and the Shatuo army. This upheaval severely weakened the foundation of the Tang Dynasty's rule, accelerated the separatist movements of local warlords, and became one of the key turning points in the Tang Dynasty's decline and eventual demise.
"Summer insects are not qualified to discuss ice" (夏虫不足语冰 - Xià chóng bùzú yǔ bīng)
Originating from Zhuangzi: Autumn Floods, the literal meaning is that one cannot discuss ice and snow with insects that only live in summer.
Its philosophical connotation lies in revealing the spatial and temporal limitations of cognition: an individual's experience and knowledge are constrained by their environment and life cycle, making it impossible to understand things outside their experiential scope. Later generations used this to subtly criticize others for their limited understanding and stubbornness, or to humbly acknowledge the limitations of their own cognition.
The Sheep-Lead Ritual (牵羊礼 - Qiān yáng lǐ)
An ancient Chinese surrender ceremony, marked by significant humiliation. The defeated monarch or nobleman, bare-chested, draped in a sheepskin, and with a rope around their neck, was led like a lamb by the victor, symbolizing utter submission. Essentially, it was a ritualistic act by the victor to demonstrate authority and destroy the dignity of the defeated.
The Grace of Control (羈縻之恩 - Jīmí zhī ēn)
Originally referring to horse bridles and ox reins, the term 羁縻" (jimi) came to mean the system by which ancient central dynasties governed border regions inhabited by ethnic minorities. Its core principle was "governing according to local customs," achieving indirect rule through appeasement and control. The primary form was the "縈縻州" (jimi prefecture).
This system was characterized by preserving the original local governance structure. It established a vassal relationship by bestowing official titles upon indigenous leaders, requiring them to fulfill tributary obligations but not interfering in their internal affairs. Its development can be traced back to the "属国制" (shuguo system) of the Qin and Han dynasties. The Tang dynasty formally established the 縈縻州县 (jimi prefecture and county system). The Song and Yuan dynasties added supervisory officials. The Ming and Qing dynasties gradually transitioned to central government control through the "改土归流" (gaitu guiliu) reform. It was abolished during the Republic of China period.
Big army banner (纛旗 - Dào qí)
The dao (纛) was the core banner representing the supreme commander's authority in the ancient Chinese army.
The dao had two meanings: first, it referred to a large flag used by the ancient army or ceremonial guard, such as the military flag mentioned in the Book of Zhou (周书) as "erecting the dao on high ridges near the city"; second, it referred to a dance prop made of feathers or an ornament on the emperor's chariot, such as the "feathered banner" mentioned in the Rites of Zhou (周礼) and the "yellow canopy with the dao" recorded in the Book of Han (汉书).
