Empire Like the Wind -- An Alternative History of the Yuan Dynasty

Author: Mei Yi (King Helian Bobo)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-10-01
Features: The past is like the wind. The mighty Yuan Empire was neither a meteor nor a fleeting flower, nor was it a regret. This colossal entity spanning three continents, though brief, was incredibly glorious. Within its vast expanse of over 12 million square kilometers, the Great Yuan Empire witnessed countless stories and dazzling human lives over a century: the empire's frenzied overseas expansion, power struggles within the court, the arduous survival of Northern Han people in the cracks, and the unique independence and immortal creations of intellectuals in the literary and artistic circles. We are not unfamiliar with the history of the Tang, Song, Ming, and Qing dynasties; but how much do we know about the Yuan Dynasty? The tangled threads, the obscure and difficult text, the unmemorable names, coupled with the chaos of translation, make reading about it like being lost in a fog, posing a significant obstacle to understanding Yuan history. Fortunately, there is Mei Yi, a guardian of history. He sifts through the vast amount of material, uncovers the past, restores history, and writes a clear and vivid history of the Yuan Dynasty, filling a gap in current historical reading.
The past is like the wind. The mighty Yuan Empire was neither a meteor nor a fleeting flower, nor was it a regret. This colossal entity spanning three continents, though brief, was incredibly glorious. Within its vast expanse of over 12 million square kilometers, the Great Yuan Empire witnessed countless stories and dazzling human lives over a century: the empire's frenzied overseas expansion, power struggles within the court, the arduous survival of Northern Han people in the cracks, and the unique independence and immortal creations of intellectuals in the literary and artistic circles. If we temporarily "forget" the cruelty and destructiveness of the Mongol Yuan's eastward and westward conquests, the boundless creativity, expansion, competitiveness, and drive that burst forth from that era still inspire awe in later generations.