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The Troubled Empire: China in the Yuan and Ming Dynasties (History of Imperial China) Hardcover – June 15, 2010

by Timothy Brook (Author, Editor)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 90 ratings
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The Mongol takeover in the 1270s changed the course of Chinese history. The Confucian empire―a millennium and a half in the making―was suddenly thrust under foreign occupation. What China had been before its reunification as the Yuan dynasty in 1279 was no longer what it would be in the future. Four centuries later, another wave of steppe invaders would replace the Ming dynasty with yet another foreign occupation. The Troubled Empire explores what happened to China between these two dramatic invasions.
If anything defined the complex dynamics of this period, it was changes in the weather. Asia, like Europe, experienced a Little Ice Age, and as temperatures fell in the thirteenth century, Kublai Khan moved south into China. His Yuan dynasty collapsed in less than a century, but Mongol values lived on in Ming institutions. A second blast of cold in the 1630s, combined with drought, was more than the dynasty could stand, and the Ming fell to Manchu invaders.
Against this background―the first coherent ecological history of China in this period―Timothy Brook explores the growth of autocracy, social complexity, and commercialization, paying special attention to China’s incorporation into the larger South China Sea economy. These changes not only shaped what China would become but contributed to the formation of the early modern world.
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  1. Book 5 of 6
    History of imperial China
  2. Print length
    336 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Belknap Press
  5. Publication date
    June 15, 2010
  6. Dimensions
    6.5 x 1 x 9.75 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    0674046021
  8. ISBN-13
    978-0674046023
  9. See all details
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4.6 out of 5 stars
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Customers find the book fascinating and thought-provoking. They describe it as a good series covering an immense subject. The writing quality is described as excellent, with academic rigor and literary excellence. The author is considered qualified to write the volume.

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Customers find the book interesting and thought-provoking. They appreciate the topical approach that covers an immense subject in a helpful way. The book provides helpful interpretations and explanations, making it informative from a historical perspective.

"...The project spans two thousand years in six volumes, cleverly pairing pivotal dynasties (such as Qin and Yuan) with the classic eras that followed..." Read more

"...In a nutshell, his unconventional, but always interesting and informative, approach serves both the generalist and the advanced student, by offering..." Read more

"...I'm not a historian, but to me they are more social and political history than recitations of wars and conquests and the men who led the nation...." Read more

"very thorough from a historical perspective.." Read more

4 customers mention "Writing quality"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book well-written and engaging. They say it's academically rigorous and literary excellence, with the author being qualified to write it.

"...but seldom achieved, a synthesis of academic rigor and literary excellence. A magical key to the past." Read more

"...He is a Ming specialist, so he is eminently qualified to write this volume...." Read more

"...Not bad writing, but lack of background and a desire to understand on my part. Book is extremely well written and, to me, absolutely fascinating." Read more

"...One the other hand, the author writes well, and each chapter, built around a theme that pervaded the entire empire, was interesting to read...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • dmiguer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Enter the Dragon
    Reviewed in the United States on November 7, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    This book is the fifth in Harvard's recent series on imperial China. The project spans two thousand years in six volumes, cleverly pairing pivotal dynasties (such as Qin and Yuan) with the classic eras that followed (such as Han and Ming). A device like this is needed to organize a subject so vast. At over three hundred pages each, it totals more than two thousand pages.

    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.
    11 people found this helpful
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  • douglas w. lee
    5.0 out of 5 stars Why this particular volume in the Imperial China series is especially interesting and useful
    Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Timothy Brook, editor of the Imperial China series, has himself authored this 5th volume of a six volume set. He is a Ming specialist, so he is eminently qualified to write this volume. He takes a creative and unorthodox approach to the subject, where he avoids the usual "here are the Yuan and Ming Dynasties "in this order" approach." Instead he deftly establishes a new conceptual framework, where for example, the weather and not just geo-politics is viewed as the major determinant shaping Yuan-Ming Chinese History. He delights in revealing how (then) contemporary voices, as revealed through Chinese primary sources, help us to better understand the epic changes at work in 13th-17th century China. In a nutshell, his unconventional, but always interesting and informative, approach serves both the generalist and the advanced student, by offering a much-needed, but also much-delayed, new perspective
    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).
    9 people found this helpful
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  • ellen soulliere
    4.0 out of 5 stars Great book great condition price fair
    Reviewed in the United States on November 25, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    The book arrived promptly and in very good conditions with just a few pencil marks that I can erase if I want to. I was surprised to find that it was a withdrawn library book, but I have come to see this as a plus because of the professionally applied dust jacket.
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  • Art S.
    5.0 out of 5 stars If that doesn't tell you I enjoyed learning more than I could proverbally imagine about the ...
    Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    I have just finished reading all six volumes of this set. If that doesn't tell you I enjoyed learning more than I could proverbally imagine about the history of imperial China, then I do not know what else to tell you. II wanted to read about a topic that was new for me and the history of imperial China was perfect. I would not call any of the books in the series ordinary history. I'm not a historian, but to me they are more social and political history than recitations of wars and conquests and the men who led the nation. For example, if you don't know who the Boxers were and what they wanted, you will not get that background here. No script for "55 Day at Peking" here. May not be a movie script, but more information than I could handle without often going back and rereading previous material just to make sure I understood the context. Not bad writing, but lack of background and a desire to understand on my part. Book is extremely well written and, to me, absolutely fascinating.
    7 people found this helpful
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  • cnd
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in the United States on October 16, 2014
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    very thorough from a historical perspective..
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  • MzUk
    5.0 out of 5 stars Nice
    Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2019
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    Nice
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  • José Macaya
    4.0 out of 5 stars China 1250 - 1650
    Reviewed in Spain on June 28, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Buena descripción de la China de ese período. Desarrollado por temas y no por historia cronológica.
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  • kkbs
    5.0 out of 5 stars dragon spotting in imperial China
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 14, 2011
    Verified Purchase
    This is the fifth volume of the six volume 'History of Imperial China', written by the general editor of the series, Timothy Brooks. The volumes covers the apparently totally different Yuan (1260-1368) and Ming (1368-144) dynasties, showing, however, very interesting parallels. Brooks does not follow the example of the previous four books by starting with a summary of the political history of the period in question, but starts with dragon spotting during the two dynasties, which stands for unusual wheather phenomena symbolizing trouble for the emperor. Principally, Brooks identifies sudden climate and wheather changes (during the period the little ice age ocurred, resulting in prolonged dry periods) as well as other natural catastrophes, which he names 'sloughs', as one of the major reasons for the fall and rise of the two dynasties.
    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.
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  • Elizabeth
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 7, 2018
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    Fascinating easy to read book on the history of the Yuan and Ming dynasties.
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  • alison abbott
    5.0 out of 5 stars glad there was a good description on Amazon
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 20, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Just what my son needed for his A level work, glad there was a good description on Amazon. Well referenced book.
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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 6, 2016
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    Perfect book, I love it so much!
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