Herbert Franke – författare

This volume deals with four non-Chinese regimes: the Khitan dynasty of Liao; the Tangut state of Hsi Hsia; the Jurchen empire of Chin; and the Mongolian Yuan dynasty that eventually engulfed the whole of China. It investigates the historical background from which these regimes emerged and shows how each in its own way set up viable institutions for the control of a multi-racial, multi-lingual, and multi-cultural population. It discusses these problems not just as a long negative episode in China's history, but shows the ingenuity and adaptability of these states, and their success in achieving political and social stability. The volume presents the fullest chronological account of the period, in which political, institutional, social, and economic changes are integrated as far as possible, and sees the period against a broad background of international relations in Northern and Central Asia.

From c. 1215 to 1368 China was part of the world empire of the Mongols, and during this period underwent many changes as the country was opened up to external influences - demographic, linguistic, religious, socio-economic. The studies by Herbert Franke collected here examine different aspects of this process, dealing with the polyethnicity of China under a dynasty of conquest and the cultural and political roles of non-Chinese, as well as the Chinese reaction, and antagonism to the situation. Of the articles, the first focus on source material, then on the position of the Mongol rulers, tracing their transformation from tribal chieftains into universal emperors, and gods. The following pieces look at cultural contacts, including the author's well-known survey of Sino-Western encounters, while the final ones use biographical studies to illuminate different aspects of Yüan China.

The studies collected here derive in large part from the collaborative Chin history project, to which Professors Chan and Franke have made a massive contributuion. The Jurchens lived in northeastern Manchuria as hunters, fishers and farmers, until 1115 when they founded a dynastic state called Chin and went on to conquer northern China. Some of the studies here deal with the way of life of the pre-dynastic Jurchens, others with the law and institutions of the Chin state, and the treaties by which they sought to regulate their conflict with the Sung dynasty to the south. Taken together, these studies depict the varying mixture of Chinese and native traditions and customs that were adopted, presenting a detailed analysis of this multinational regime in medieval China.

The studies collected here derive in large part from the collaborative Chin history project, to which Professors Chan and Franke have made a massive contributuion. The Jurchens lived in northeastern Manchuria as hunters, fishers and farmers, until 1115 when they founded a dynastic state called Chin and went on to conquer northern China. Some of the studies here deal with the way of life of the pre-dynastic Jurchens, others with the law and institutions of the Chin state, and the treaties by which they sought to regulate their conflict with the Sung dynasty to the south. Taken together, these studies depict the varying mixture of Chinese and native traditions and customs that were adopted, presenting a detailed analysis of this multinational regime in medieval China.

From c. 1215 to 1368 China was part of the world empire of the Mongols, and during this period underwent many changes as the country was opened up to external influences - demographic, linguistic, religious, socio-economic. The studies by Herbert Franke collected here examine different aspects of this process, dealing with the polyethnicity of China under a dynasty of conquest and the cultural and political roles of non-Chinese, as well as the Chinese reaction, and antagonism to the situation. Of the articles, the first focus on source material, then on the position of the Mongol rulers, tracing their transformation from tribal chieftains into universal emperors, and gods. The following pieces look at cultural contacts, including the author''s well-known survey of Sino-Western encounters, while the final ones use biographical studies to illuminate different aspects of Yüan China.

Das unbewegte Bild als Mittel zur Illustration mathematischer Zusammenhänge ist altbekannt, doch mit dem Einsatz von filmischen Abläufen anstelle formelhafter Beschreibung kann Wissen auf eine visuell viel intensivere und faszinierende Art vermittelt werden. Das Buch führt detailliert in die Programmierung von Animationen mit "Mathematica" ein und erschließt dem Leser so die im System steckenden filmischen Möglichkeiten. Da mathematische Visualisierungen in freier Gestaltung auch in künstlerischen Anwendungen eine bedeutende Rolle spielen, werden die verschiedenen Möglichkeiten, zu einer ästhetisch befriedigenden Darstellung von Objekten zu kommen, ausführlich behandelt. Die beigefügte CD enhält eindrucksvolle Animationen, die in den Gesamtext eingebunden sind, so daß der Leser ein ideales Contextverständnis erhält. Viele Animationen sind zyklisch und somit gut für Dauervorführungen z.B. auf Messen geeignet.