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Brief: This article covers the West Lodge Debates under Southern Qi. Prince Xiao Ziliang hosted a scholarly circle including Zu Chongzhi, who calculated pi precisely. Skeptic Fan Zhen challenged Buddhist karma with On the Annihilation of the Spirit, sparking a landmark faith–reason clash. It captures a rare golden age of southern culture and thought.
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Brief: This article traces the rise of the Liu brothers – Liu Yan and Liu Xiu – who rebelled against Wang Mang’s Xin Dynasty. They allied with Lulin peasant armies, won key battles, and helped enthrone Liu Xuan as the Gengshi Emperor. Though sidelined, the brothers laid the groundwork for the Eastern Han restoration.