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The
Eagle and the Dragon symbolize the Western and Eastern styles in exercising
power and maintaining order, developed in ancient Rome and ancient China and
increasingly important in today’s global stage where the United State as a
New Rome faces the rise of New China. The
Dragon and the Eagle covers the formative stages of
the two imperial styles in the rise-and-fall cycles of the early Chinese (771
BCE – 316 CE) and Roman (509 BCE – 476 CE) empires. From conditions as far
apart as that between the East and West in the nineteenth century, the two
ancient realms converged in four centuries to powerful empires. After long
and glorious careers, the empires, each the superpower in its world, fell to
measly enemies originated form beyond their respective northern frontier.
Their ability to withstand external inflection was sapped by internal
corruption. Although
the two great empires were strikingly similar, their disparate early
experiences left indelible marks on their characters. By delving into
ideological, political, military, socioeconomic, and ethno-demographic
forces, the book uncovers the historical roots for the Eagle’s penchant for
militarism and wealth domination, and the Dragon’s proclivity for bureaucracy
and ideological indoctrination. In-depth comparison and mutual questioning,
based on extensive English and Chinese language sources, forge a kind of
dialogue between the two political cultures. The perspective from another
culture challenges many received views in each history and suggests new
possibilities for explaining historical puzzles such as why the Roman Empire
or Qin Dynasty fell. Written for general readers unfamiliar with either Chinese or Roman history, the book puts intelligibility first and provides ample explanations. Lively historical narratives that provide background information alternate with thematic analyses that reveal the relative strengths and weakness of the Dragon and the Eagle. Many of their characteristics formed in ancient times are still recognizable today. The Dragon and the Eagle offers not only a fresh perspective on ancient history but also a timely “mirror from the past” for deeper understanding of the twenty-first century rivalry between the East and the West. |
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