In interpreting the feudal contract between kings and nobles in medieval Western Europe,Western historians have tended to elaborate on its interaction,equivalence,and even equality,with an emphasis on the resulting re...In interpreting the feudal contract between kings and nobles in medieval Western Europe,Western historians have tended to elaborate on its interaction,equivalence,and even equality,with an emphasis on the resulting restrictions on the king's authority.However,this was not the case in England during this period.After the Norman Conquest,“imported feudalism”became a strong support for the English monarchy.On this basis,the feudal contract between kings and nobles evolved from an oral to a textual contract and from“personal commitment”to“collective negotiation,”in a process strongly marked by the coercion and inequality bestowed on such contracts by hierarchical feudal roles.In the course of this process,the English kings ceaselessly consolidated their power by breaking down the feudal customs reflected in agreements between the two sides.Although the Magna Carta,as a text-based feudal contract,made explicit provision for feudal customs,it failed to effectively constrain royal power.History shows that if we seek to elaborate on the reciprocity and even equality of the feudal contract from the perspective of modern social contract theory and thus exaggerate the nobles'right to resist the king,we will inevitably construct a mythical“feudal contract determinism.”展开更多
Foreign-made clocks and watches began to be exported to China in the 17th century. During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), the imperial court imported tens of thousands of clocks and watches. At the Palace Museum in Beij...Foreign-made clocks and watches began to be exported to China in the 17th century. During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), the imperial court imported tens of thousands of clocks and watches. At the Palace Museum in Beijing, about 200 timepieces collected by the imperial court are still on display in the clock and watch exhibition hall. They were made in Britain, France, Switzerland and Japan. Many foreign presidents and展开更多
文摘In interpreting the feudal contract between kings and nobles in medieval Western Europe,Western historians have tended to elaborate on its interaction,equivalence,and even equality,with an emphasis on the resulting restrictions on the king's authority.However,this was not the case in England during this period.After the Norman Conquest,“imported feudalism”became a strong support for the English monarchy.On this basis,the feudal contract between kings and nobles evolved from an oral to a textual contract and from“personal commitment”to“collective negotiation,”in a process strongly marked by the coercion and inequality bestowed on such contracts by hierarchical feudal roles.In the course of this process,the English kings ceaselessly consolidated their power by breaking down the feudal customs reflected in agreements between the two sides.Although the Magna Carta,as a text-based feudal contract,made explicit provision for feudal customs,it failed to effectively constrain royal power.History shows that if we seek to elaborate on the reciprocity and even equality of the feudal contract from the perspective of modern social contract theory and thus exaggerate the nobles'right to resist the king,we will inevitably construct a mythical“feudal contract determinism.”
文摘Foreign-made clocks and watches began to be exported to China in the 17th century. During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), the imperial court imported tens of thousands of clocks and watches. At the Palace Museum in Beijing, about 200 timepieces collected by the imperial court are still on display in the clock and watch exhibition hall. They were made in Britain, France, Switzerland and Japan. Many foreign presidents and
