A commoner's presentation to the emperor of a lucky omen from his garden, the repercussions for his family, and several retellings of the incident provide the background for an engaging introduction to Ming society, culture, and politics, including discussions of the founding of the Ming dynasty; the character of the first emperor; the role of omens in court politics; how the central and local governments were structured, including the civil service examination system; the power of local elite families; the roles of women; filial piety; and the concept of ling or efficacy in Chinese religion.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
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"Schneewind offers sharp insights into the structure and daily workings of premodern Chinese society and government. . . ." -- (Joanna Waley-Cohen, New York University)
"Schneewind's marvelous little book is . . . a primer in some key aspects of China's traditional civilization and history. . . ." -- (John Dardess, University of Kansas)
"Schneewind's marvelous little book is . . . a primer in some key aspects of China's traditional civilization and history. . . ." -- (John Dardess, University of Kansas)
About the Author
Sarah Schneewind is Assistant Professor of History, University of California at San Diego.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Auspicious and Delicious,
By Ving (New York) - See all my reviews
This review is from: A Tale of Two Melons: Emperor And Subject in Ming China (Paperback)
This terrific short volume focuses on a trivial incident recorded in Chinese imperial records--the delivery of an auspicious melon plant to the founder of the Ming dynasty. Sarah Schneewind scrutinizes the various tellings and retellings of this story and uses it to shed light on the politics and ideologies of the era. The tale of the two melons proves to be a an excellent vehicle for examining conflicts between the the new emperor and his mandarin advisors, and the relationship between imperial center and the provinces. In the course of her examination, Schneewind explicates classical ideas about the mandate of heaven and the Confucian social order, making it an excellent entry for a novice into pre-modern Chinese history. The book unfolds artfully; each chapter provides a new lens for understanding the tale. Schneewind transforms a footnote into a thoughtful historical reflection.
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Inside This Book
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Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs):
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melon incident, double melons, vegetable omens, auspicious grain, melon story, county gazetteer, same stalk, guji chubanshe, five relationships, auspicious omens, lucky omens, ancestral temple, family instructions Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Zhang Guan, Song Lian, Tao Kai, Zhang Jian, Zhu Yuanzhang, Veritable Records, Ming Taizu, Zhang Yi, Yitai Zhang, Xie Jin, Great Learning, Wang Guangyang, Book of the Five Relationships, King Zhang, Righteous Mound, Zhang Hui, Book of Songs, Huang Zuo, Madame Sun, Righteous Platform, Zhang Changwei, Mandate of Heaven, Wang Shao, Daiting Zhang, Record of Rites New!
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melon incident, double melons, vegetable omens, auspicious grain, melon story, county gazetteer, same stalk, guji chubanshe, five relationships, auspicious omens, lucky omens, ancestral temple, family instructions Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Zhang Guan, Song Lian, Tao Kai, Zhang Jian, Zhu Yuanzhang, Veritable Records, Ming Taizu, Zhang Yi, Yitai Zhang, Xie Jin, Great Learning, Wang Guangyang, Book of the Five Relationships, King Zhang, Righteous Mound, Zhang Hui, Book of Songs, Huang Zuo, Madame Sun, Righteous Platform, Zhang Changwei, Mandate of Heaven, Wang Shao, Daiting Zhang, Record of Rites New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 38
books:
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- The Cambridge History of China, Volume 8, Part 2: The Ming Dynasty, 1368-1644 by Denis C. Twitchett on 6 pages
- The Cambridge History of China, Vol. 3: Sui and T'ang China, 589-906 AD, Part 1 by Denis C. Twitchett on 6 pages
- Liu yan (Gossip, in traditional Chinese) by Ailing Zhang on page 79, page 80, and Back Matter
- Imperial China (Architectural Guides for Travelers) by Charis Chan in Back Matter (1), Back Matter (2), and Back Matter (3)
- The Book of Songs by Yang Xianyi in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
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