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1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows

1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows
1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows

Ai Weiwei (author)

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In his widely anticipated memoir, Ai Weiwei – one of the world's most famous artists and activists – tells a century-long epic tale of China through the story of his own extraordinary life and the legacy of his father, Ai Qing, the nation's most celebrated poet.

Hailed as 'the most important artist working today' by the Financial Times and as 'an eloquent and unsilenceable voice of freedom' by the New York Times, Ai Weiwei has written a sweeping memoir that presents a remarkable history of China over the last 100 years while illuminating his artistic process.

Once an intimate of Mao Zedong, Ai Weiwei's father was branded a rightist during the Cultural Revolution, and he and his family were banished to a desolate place known as 'Little Siberia', where Ai Qing was sentenced to hard labour cleaning public toilets. Ai Weiwei recounts his childhood in exile, and his difficult decision to leave his family to study art in America, where he befriended Allen Ginsberg and was inspired by Andy Warhol. With candour and wit, he details his return to China and his rise from artistic unknown to art world superstar and international human rights activist – and how his work has been shaped by living under a totalitarian regime.

Ai Weiwei's sculptures and installations have been viewed by millions around the globe, and his architectural achievements include helping to design the iconic Bird's Nest Olympic Stadium in Beijing. His political activism has long made him a target of the Chinese authorities, which culminated in months of secret detention without charge in 2011. Here, for the first time, Ai Weiwei explores the origins of his exceptional creativity and passionate political beliefs through his own life story and that of his father, whose own creativity was stifled.

At once ambitious and intimate, 1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows offers a deep understanding of the myriad forces that have shaped modern China, and serves as a timely reminder of the urgent need to protect freedom of expression.

Ai Weiwei (author)

Summary

Chapter 1: The Dawn of a Dynasty (400-630 CE)

* Introduction of the Northern Wei Dynasty and its founding by Emperor Taiwu.
* The dynasty's expansion and military achievements under Emperors Taiwu and Wencheng.
* Example: The Battle of Zhongduan (496 CE), where the Northern Wei defeated the rival Southern Qi Dynasty.

Chapter 2: Splendor and Decline (630-730 CE)

* The reign of Emperor Taizong, known as the "Wen Emperor," and his cultural and administrative reforms.
* The dynasty's decline due to internal strife and external invasions from the Göktürks.
* Example: The Xuanwu Gate Incident (626 CE), a political coup that led to the rise of Emperor Taizong.

Chapter 3: The Golden Age (730-945 CE)

* The rise of the Tang Dynasty and its transformation into a global empire under Emperor Gaozu.
* The reign of Emperor Xuanzong, known as the "Li Emperor," and the dynasty's peak of prosperity and culture.
* Example: The Tang-Arab War (751 CE), where the Tang forces defeated the Umayyad Caliphate in Central Asia.

Chapter 4: The Twilight of the Empire (945-1127 CE)

* The gradual decline of the Tang Dynasty due to political instability, peasant uprisings, and foreign invasions.
* The rise of regional warlords and the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period (907-979 CE).
* Example: The Yellow River flood of 944 CE, which devastated vast areas of China and contributed to the dynasty's collapse.

Chapter 5: The Song Dynasty (960-1279 CE)

* The reunification of China under Emperor Taizu and the establishment of the Song Dynasty.
* The dynasty's economic and cultural achievements, including the invention of printing and advances in science.
* Example: The development of movable type printing in the 11th century, revolutionizing book production in China.

Chapter 6: The Mongol Invasion (1211-1368 CE)

* The rise of the Mongol Empire and its invasion of China under Genghis Khan.
* The establishment of the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368 CE) and the assimilation of Mongol culture into Chinese society.
* Example: The Battle of Ain Jalut (1260 CE), where the Mamluks defeated the Mongols and halted their advance into Egypt.

Chapter 7: The Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 CE)

* The overthrow of the Yuan Dynasty and the establishment of the Ming Dynasty under Emperor Hongwu.
* The dynasty's exploration of the world with the voyages of Zheng He.
* Example: The construction of the Forbidden City in Beijing in the 15th century, the palace complex for the Ming emperors.

Chapter 8: The Qing Dynasty (1644-1912 CE)

* The conquest of China by the Manchus and the establishment of the Qing Dynasty.
* The dynasty's economic growth, population explosion, and expansion of territory.
* Example: The Kangxi Emperor's reign (1661-1722), a period of great stability and prosperity.

Chapter 9: The End of the Empire (1912-present)

* The Xinhai Revolution and the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty.
* The establishment of the Republic of China and the rise of the Communist Party of China.
* Example: The Chinese Civil War (1945-1949), which led to the victory of the Communists and the establishment of the People's Republic of China.