When I was reading “The Heritage of Chinese Civilization,” I was surprised to learn that human sacrifice was a big part of the Shang dynasty (1766-1050 BC), specifically as it relates to servitude. It was said that after a king died, his servants would be killed and buried with him, in order to continue serving him in the afterlife. While these servants probably did not all do so gladly, it was considered a big step in fulfilling their honor. This section immediately brought to mind “The Biography of Yu Jang,” which took place sometime in the Warring States period (475-221 BC). In the short story, Yu Jang repeatedly puts his life in danger in order to avenge his former master. By attempting to kill the Lord, he knew he was going to die, regardless of whether he succeeded or not. Nevertheless, he was convinced this act would bring him honor, and ultimately allow him to face his master in the afterlife. This mindset was very interesting to me, because it reflects how traditional ways of thinking can be carried on through many centuries.
It is easy to be critical of the extreme way in which honor was granted in that time. In the US, we try to honor those who have passed in how we continue to live our lives… but in other areas, how many of our history’s ideals are too ingrained for us to see past the misconstrued reasoning?
One reply on “GHS 208 Blog – 1/23/20”
Dear lghadley, I have read this article. This is worth reading. You write interestingly about “The Biography of Yu Jang”. I am student of literature and I have a natural interest in biography. Can you please tell me how can I read the biography?