Recommended books by Professor Hou Xudong of Tsinghua University History Department: Five books on traditional culture worth reading.

■ Introduction of recommender: Hou Xudong, professor of Tsinghua University History Department, whose main research fields are Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, Qin and Han Dynasties. He has been engaged in the economic history of the Eastern Jin and Southern Dynasties, the Buddhist beliefs of the people in the Northern Dynasties, and the rural society research in the Northern Dynasties. The research on the latter two aspects is rich in materials and novel in perspective, which has a wide influence in academic circles at home and abroad.

First, SangGuGou: I read the Analects of Confucius (revised edition).

Li Ling, Shanxi People's Publishing House

Recommended reason: not deified, not protected, the real Confucius in the eyes of linguists.

Content abstract: Confucius is not a saint, but a man, a man of humble origin based on ancient nobles (true gentlemen); A studious person, tirelessly studies, tirelessly teaches people, transmits ancient culture, and teaches people to read classics; A person with moral knowledge but no power or influence, who dares to criticize the contemporary dignitaries; A person who lobbies around, worries about the rulers and tries to persuade them to turn over a new leaf; A warm-hearted man dreams of restoring the rule of the Duke of Zhou and stabilizing the people of the world.

Look at his books, neither take nor throw them away. Properly speaking, he is Don Quixote. One advantage of The Analects is that it lacks the hypocrisy of later generations. The characters in the book, whether they are masters or ten philosophers, are ordinary people, laughing and cursing, and making no secret of it. Who said that a great teacher must get Gao Daquan, and the disciples of the Holy Gate must wear all the clothes? Their teacher and students are together, the students are top teachers, and the teachers scold the students, all of which are recorded.

When I read The Analects, I read the original. What Confucius thinks depends on the original work. All my conclusions are in Confucius' own words-not to be caring and attentive to intellectuals, nor to flatter the people. As the ancients said, "You can know honor and disgrace with food and clothing". In fact, having enough to eat and wear warm clothes is not necessarily ignorant of honor and disgrace. There are two hardest things to learn in The Analects. One is that "the three armed forces can win the handsome position, but ordinary people can't win the ambition", and the other is "unjust letting wealth and fame drift by like clouds". Those who are crying to learn the Analects of Confucius now can't bear to learn these two articles first. Give it a try!

Second, "China ancient material culture"

Ji Sun Zhonghua Book Company.

Recommended reason: everyone's words are simple, illustrated and illustrated, and a roll is in hand, wandering in the life world of the ancients.

Abstract: China's ancient material and cultural achievements are an important part of our glorious history of 5,000 years, which is a basic national condition, and should have become common sense and a household name. In this book, Mr. Ji systematically presents the basic knowledge of ancient material culture in China with profound knowledge and fluent writing.

Third, "Why China: Central Plains in 2000 BC"

Xu, Life Reading Xinzhi Sanlian Bookstore

Highlight: In the critical period of China's ancient history, archaeologists saw through things and wrote masterpieces without literature and writing.

Content abstract: The year 2000 BC is an easy-to-remember number calculated from the handed down literature in the early years of Xia Dynasty. In 2000 BC, on the eve of the so-called Xia Dynasty, there was no "dynastic atmosphere" corresponding to the handed down articles in archaeological discoveries.

In 2000 BC, a series of events began to occur in the Central Plains, which laid the foundation for the subsequent leap of the Central Plains wide-area kingship country headed by Erlitou. 2000 BC-an important turning point in the history of China civilization.

Hong Xu's Why China (Scenery of the Central Plains in 2000 BC) starts with archaeological materials, interprets the process from myth to history from the perspective of archaeologists, and tells the story of early China.

4. Rivers through the ages: the turning point and development of China's history and culture

Xu Zhuoyun, Shanghai Literature and Art Publishing House.

Highlight: The space is thousands of miles, the vision is broad, and the essence of China's history is grasped.

Content abstract: In the fierce tide of the existence and change of world civilization, how does China deal with and treat its own history and culture? Where did China come from, where did China culture come from, and where did it go?

The book Long River is not only a famous historian Mr. Xu Zhuoyun's answer to China culture, but also a biography written for the history of China people and the growth and development of China culture.

Around a series of themes, such as national system and characteristics of the times, ideological and religious changes, agriculture, handicrafts and economic networks, national cultural integration and interaction, China people's daily life, lifestyle and living resources, civil society and belief world, cultural progress and transformation, science and technology, and comparative interaction between foreign relations and other civilizations, Mr. Xu told a colorful and vivid growth story of China culture and China people.

Fifth, the relationship between the power of attorney in Chong and the historical development of the Western Han Dynasty.

Hou Xudong, Beijing Normal University Press

Highlight: This is a specific historical study with reference to sociology and anthropology, which will take you back to the historical scene and reorganize the history of the Western Han Dynasty.

Brief introduction: Taking the Western Han Dynasty as an example, this paper describes in detail the process of establishing, maintaining, abolishing and rebuilding this relationship during the reign of every emperor, and explains the background, motivation, source and foundation of this relationship, and how the words and deeds inspired by this relationship led the history of the Western Han Dynasty.

This paper attempts to focus on the relationship between monarch and minister in daily interaction, return to the historical scene, capture people's different feelings at that time, and reorganize the history of the Western Han Dynasty. This paper attempts to add a new way to understand the history of China from the perspective of "relationship process" and "relationship", and provide a possible way out for transcending the fragmented empirical research and abstract structural analysis in historiography and the alienation and opposition between them.