Rafe de Crespigny
Encyclopedia
Dr Rafe de Crespigny is a retired Adjunct Professor with the China and Korea Centre, Australian National University
in Canberra, Australia. He specialises in Chinese history
, geography
and literature
in the Han Dynasty
period and has been acknowledged internationally as a pioneer in the translation
and historiography
of historical material concerning the Three Kingdoms
period.
(B.A. Honours History 1957; M.A. History 1961) and from the Australian National University
(B.A. ANU Honours Chinese 1962; M.A. Oriental Studies Honours 1964; Ph.D. Far Eastern History 1968).
During his early years as a scholar and academic, he benefited from the guidance of such sinologists as Hans Bielenstein
, Patrick Fitzgerald and Hsü Cho-yün, Miyazaki Ichisada and developed an interest in the late Han via the classic Romance of the Three Kingdoms
. His seminal dissertation in 1964 was "The Development of the Chinese Empire in the South; a discussion of the origins of the state of Wu of the Three Kingdoms", which provided the basis for much of his later work, including his most well-known monograph Generals of the South: the Foundation and Early History of the Three Kingdoms State of Wu.
's Zizhi Tongjian. He has also written more than a dozen articles, published in such journals as Papers on Far Eastern History and Journal of the Oriental Society of Australia.
The defining work of Dr. de Crespigny's career would have to be Generals of the South, which narrates the rise of the Sun clan and the formation of the Three Kingdoms tripartite. It builds on the broad range of his translation experience and is telling about his historical interests. Like Northern Frontier, the work focuses on the narrative of strategies, campaigns and personalities. The approach owes a great deal to the narrative tradition of Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Generals of the South discusses the population and development of Southern China from the second century A.D. onwards as well as the military defence of the south via the boundary of the Yangtze River
. It contains the best discussion of the Battle of Red Cliffs
and early Chinese riverine warfare available in English. The work also provides an important prelude to further research into the north-south division which occurred in the fifth century (see Northern and Southern Dynasties) and the cultural divisions which endured long after that.
He is writing a chapter for a forthcoming volume in the Cambridge History of China series.
in 2001 for services to Australian society in Asian studies.
Australian National University
The Australian National University is a teaching and research university located in the Australian capital, Canberra.As of 2009, the ANU employs 3,945 administrative staff who teach approximately 10,000 undergraduates, and 7,500 postgraduate students...
in Canberra, Australia. He specialises in Chinese history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
, geography
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
and literature
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
in the Han Dynasty
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
period and has been acknowledged internationally as a pioneer in the translation
Translation
Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. Whereas interpreting undoubtedly antedates writing, translation began only after the appearance of written literature; there exist partial translations of the Sumerian Epic of...
and historiography
Historiography
Historiography refers either to the study of the history and methodology of history as a discipline, or to a body of historical work on a specialized topic...
of historical material concerning the Three Kingdoms
Three Kingdoms
The Three Kingdoms period was a period in Chinese history, part of an era of disunity called the "Six Dynasties" following immediately the loss of de facto power of the Han Dynasty rulers. In a strict academic sense it refers to the period between the foundation of the state of Wei in 220 and the...
period.
Education
Dr. de Crespigny received his tertiary education at University of CambridgeUniversity of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
(B.A. Honours History 1957; M.A. History 1961) and from the Australian National University
Australian National University
The Australian National University is a teaching and research university located in the Australian capital, Canberra.As of 2009, the ANU employs 3,945 administrative staff who teach approximately 10,000 undergraduates, and 7,500 postgraduate students...
(B.A. ANU Honours Chinese 1962; M.A. Oriental Studies Honours 1964; Ph.D. Far Eastern History 1968).
During his early years as a scholar and academic, he benefited from the guidance of such sinologists as Hans Bielenstein
Hans Bielenstein
Hans Bielenstein is a Swedish sinologist and Professor Emeritus from Columbia University specialising in the history of the Han Dynasty.-Life:...
, Patrick Fitzgerald and Hsü Cho-yün, Miyazaki Ichisada and developed an interest in the late Han via the classic Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Romance of the Three Kingdoms, written by Luo Guanzhong in the 14th century, is a Chinese historical novel based on the events in the turbulent years near the end of the Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history, starting in 169 and ending with the reunification of the land in...
. His seminal dissertation in 1964 was "The Development of the Chinese Empire in the South; a discussion of the origins of the state of Wu of the Three Kingdoms", which provided the basis for much of his later work, including his most well-known monograph Generals of the South: the Foundation and Early History of the Three Kingdoms State of Wu.
Publications
Some of Dr. de Crespigny's other publications include China: The Land and its People (Melbourne, 1971); China This Century ( Melbourne 1975; 2nd Edition Hong Kong 1992), both discussions of modern Chinese history. But undoubtedly his most significant works are those in relation to late Han Dynasty politics. Among these are Northern Frontier: The Policies and Strategy of the Later Han Empire (Canberra, 1984); and, To Establish Peace (Canberra, 1996), a partial translation of Sima GuangSima Guang
Sīmǎ Guāng was a Chinese historian, scholar, and high chancellor of the Song Dynasty, jinshi 1038.-Life, profession, and works:...
's Zizhi Tongjian. He has also written more than a dozen articles, published in such journals as Papers on Far Eastern History and Journal of the Oriental Society of Australia.
The defining work of Dr. de Crespigny's career would have to be Generals of the South, which narrates the rise of the Sun clan and the formation of the Three Kingdoms tripartite. It builds on the broad range of his translation experience and is telling about his historical interests. Like Northern Frontier, the work focuses on the narrative of strategies, campaigns and personalities. The approach owes a great deal to the narrative tradition of Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Generals of the South discusses the population and development of Southern China from the second century A.D. onwards as well as the military defence of the south via the boundary of the Yangtze River
Yangtze River
The Yangtze, Yangzi or Cháng Jiāng is the longest river in Asia, and the third-longest in the world. It flows for from the glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau in Qinghai eastward across southwest, central and eastern China before emptying into the East China Sea at Shanghai. It is also one of the...
. It contains the best discussion of the Battle of Red Cliffs
Battle of Red Cliffs
The Battle of Red Cliffs, otherwise known as the Battle of Chibi, was a decisive battle at the end of the Han Dynasty, immediately prior to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. It was fought in the winter of 208/9 AD between the allied forces of the southern warlords Liu Bei and Sun Quan...
and early Chinese riverine warfare available in English. The work also provides an important prelude to further research into the north-south division which occurred in the fifth century (see Northern and Southern Dynasties) and the cultural divisions which endured long after that.
Associations and appointments
Dr. de Crespigny is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities. He is also a Fellow of the Oriental Society of Australasia and a member of the Australian Institute of International Affairs; the Asian Studies Association of Australia; the Historical Association (UK); the Royal Geographical Society of Australasia; and, the International Congress for Asian and North African Studies.- Congress for Asian and North African Studies [formerly International Congress of Orientalists]:
- Secretary-General of the 28th Congress at Canberra 1971
- Member of Consultative and Executive Committees, 29th Congress at Paris 1973
- Consultant to the 30th Congress at Mexico City 1975
- Member of the Executive Committee of the 32nd Congress at Hamburg 1986
- 1971-72 Visiting Fellow of Clare Hall, Cambridge University
- 1972 & 1984 Academic Exchange Visitor of the Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD) to *the Federal Republic of Germany
- 1978 Visiting Professor, Asian Studies Program, University of Hawaii
- 1978 Guest Professor, College of Chinese Culture, Taiwan
- 1983-97 Hon. Treasurer, Australian Committee for the Cambridge Commonwealth Trust
- 1986 Visiting Fellow, Sinologisch Instituut, University of Leiden, The Netherlands
- 1991-2001 Master of University House, ANU
Retirement
He has recently completed his Biographical Dictionary of the Later Han 23-220 AD (published by Brill in 2007), a continuation of Michael Loewe's biographical dictionary which deals with the Qin, Former Han, and Xin periods 221BC-24AD (published by Brill in 2000). Just as with other major reference works, the names "de Crespigny" and "Loewe" will probably come to be terms that refer to these works, and as such will likely be their most enduring legacy.He is writing a chapter for a forthcoming volume in the Cambridge History of China series.
Honours
Rafe de Crespigny was awarded a Centenary MedalCentenary Medal
The Centenary Medal is an award created by the Australian Government in 2001. It was established to commemorate the Centenary of Federation of Australia and to honour people who have made a contribution to Australian society or government...
in 2001 for services to Australian society in Asian studies.