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The Troubled Empire: China in the Yuan and Ming Dynasties (History of Imperial China) Paperback – March 11, 2013
Purchase options and add-ons
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Print length336 pages
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LanguageEnglish
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PublisherBelknap Press: An Imprint of Harvard University Press
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Publication dateMarch 11, 2013
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Dimensions6.25 x 1 x 9.5 inches
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ISBN-100674072537
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ISBN-13978-0674072534
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“Brook has given a readers a fast-paced, intriguing account of the Yuan and Ming dynasties that will be read and enjoyed for many years to come.”―David D. Buck, Canadian Journal of History
“Brook's ecological approach to China is both original and timely: for also China's rulers of today are faced with widespread social tension deriving from environmental calamity and natural catastrophe.”―Tjalling Halbertsma, Journal of Asian History
“One of those rare works that appeal to both academic and general readers. Its readable prose and intriguing storytelling, coupled with the emphasis on total history, make it more accessible to students at different levels… The Troubled Empire is an outstanding macro study of the Yuan–Ming dynasties by a leading authority on Chinese history.”―Wensheng Wang, Journal of World History
About the Author
Product details
- Publisher : Belknap Press: An Imprint of Harvard University Press; Reprint edition (March 11, 2013)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 336 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0674072537
- ISBN-13 : 978-0674072534
- Item Weight : 13.4 ounces
- Dimensions : 6.25 x 1 x 9.5 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #940,440 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,590 in Chinese History (Books)
- #13,269 in European History (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
Tim Brook is a Canadian historian whose writings seek to situate China in the world and to bring the perspective of the world to our understanding of China. Among his more popular books are The Confusions of Pleasure (California 1998), Vermeer’s Hat (Bloomsbury 2008), Mr. Selden’s Map of China (Profile 2013), and Great State: China and the World (Profile 2019, HarperCollins 2020). He also served as editor-in-chief of Harvard University Press’s six-volume history of imperial China—for which he wrote The Troubled Empire (2010)—the Chinese translation of which became a bestseller in China. Recently retired from a career of teaching at the universities of Toronto, Stanford, Oxford, and British Columbia, he now devotes his working time to writing and his leisure time to music. Current projects include climate disasters in Ming China and the library of the 17th-century English legal scholar John Selden.
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on Yuan-Ming History. Traditionally, the Yuan has been generally viewed alone by itself as a major dynasty, or alternately in close association with the Song (Sung) Dynasty 960-1279 CE. Brook, however, sees more logic and practicality in linking the Yuan and Ming together. This flies in the face of convention, where the Ming and Qing (Ch'ing) dynasties are traditionally viewed as a matched pair, under the well-established rubric of "Late Imperial China" in much the same way we see the Qin (Ch'in) and Han and the Sui and Tang as matched pairs, relative to the labels of "First" and "Second" empires respectfully. Beyond being unconventional in an interesting and thought provoking way, the value of such an approach is that it does two distinctly different tasks all at the same time.First, it informs us about the nuts and bolts of the narrative (essential for the novice and general reader); and it also infuses the discussion with helpful interpretations and explanations about the why and how, as we are informed about the when, who, and where. In this way we are educated about the critical role of heretofore unknown elements that have acted as driving forces for change in the unfolding of Yuan and Ming narratives. This book does not debunk for the sake of debunking, which is to say that while there is revisionist thinking, there is also much that confirms or reaffirms what we already know about this period, which may anyway sound new to many readers. Anyone looking for a basic nuts-bolts narrative summary of these dynasties may be disappointed, because of Brook's novel approach. If this is the case, I refer anyone interested in a more structured and conventional "here it is" approach to give a look at Dardess' work The Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), A Concise History of a Resilient Empire. There is, unfortunately, no equivalent for the Yuan Dynasty. The closest thing in this case would be John D Langlois' work, China Under Mongol Rule (originally issued as a collection of essays in 1981, and reissued again in 2014).
It's a lot of reading but, as it turns out, not nearly enough to thoroughly cover the saga. It is interesting to compare this extended approach to single volume histories such as Hucker's or Gernet's that make the attempt within a quarter of the text. The greater space allows a fuller range of civic and private life to be shown, which is an important advantage.
This installment revisits the Yuan dynasty of Kublai Khan and the succeeding Ming dynasty of 1368-1644. It is written by Timothy Brook, editor of the series, and is a formidable contender for the best book in the collection. It begins with the appearance of dragons, harbingers of cataclysmic change, drawn from imperial chronicles that read like medieval newspaper clippings.
The collapse of the dynasties are attributed by Brook to Little Ice Age climatic disturbances, which correspond with the onset and low point of the cold temperatures. Dragons are seen as metaphors for extreme weather, the displeasure of Heaven and portend disasters for men. Periods of drought and episodes of flooding accompany meteorological anomalies.
Famine followed floods, dams and dykes were destroyed, plagues and pestilence prevailed. The earth shook, toppling cities and homes, diverting rivers and killing millions. Ash and smoke from Japan's volcanoes blotted out the sun and sky. At each instance of disaster sightings of dragons were observed, and concerns were raised about dynastic survival.
As with other volumes in this series there is much more territory traversed. Brook covers Marco Polo and Matteo Ricci, conquests of the Jin and Song, the Great Wall and Grand Canal, the Yellow and Yangtze river regions, civil service examinations and administrative districts, census and migration. Economy and ecology, families and religion are not left out.
The dominant mode of this series is thematic and topical, instead of strictly chronological. If you seek a straightforward narrative account of reigns and campaigns you will need to look elsewhere. This book accomplishes what is occasionally attempted but seldom achieved, a synthesis of academic rigor and literary excellence. A magical key to the past.
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Apart from this, on the 266 pages of the book (plus succession tables , notes and a 20 p. bibliography) major developments during the covered period in areas like gender and family, economy and ecology, commerce and international trade, belief systems, and arts and crafts are shown, partly from very interesting perspectives (such as from the view of a contemporary art collector).
Overall, the book is written very well, introduces a lot of new and interesting perspectives, and is highly recommendable for everybody interested in the history of China.