Cambridge History of China: Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) (Volume 1)

Author: (USA) Mou Fujili, (UK)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-12-01
Features: This is the Chinese translation of Volume 7 of The Cambridge History of China. Written by experts on Ming Dynasty history from abroad, it incorporates research from China, Japan, and the West, and also conducts creative explorations on certain issues. It primarily discusses the political history of the Ming Dynasty, analyzing it in the context of social, economic, and cultural backgrounds. Volume 8 of The Cambridge History of China provides detailed discussions on the institutions, international relations, social and economic history, intellectual history, and the history of thought and religion of the Ming Dynasty. When The Cambridge History of China was first planned over 20 years ago, it was naturally intended to begin with the earliest periods of Chinese history. However, the proposal to publish this series was made many years ago, during which time a wealth of archaeological discoveries made since the 1920s and gaining momentum from the early 1970s have significantly changed our knowledge of Chinese prehistory and most of the first millennium BCE. This continuous influx of new data has repeatedly reshaped our understanding of early history, and yet no universally accepted synthesis of this new evidence with traditional written records has been reached. Despite repeated attempts to plan and publish one or more volumes summarizing our current understanding of early China, it has proven impossible to do so thus far. A comprehensive synthesis of all these new discoveries that promises lasting value may well take another 10 years to prove feasible. Therefore, we reluctantly begin the narrative of The Cambridge History of China with the establishment of the earliest imperial regimes—the Qin and Han dynasties. We know that this leaves at least a millennium of recorded history to be addressed elsewhere and at a later time. We are equally aware that the events and developments of the first millennium BCE laid the foundation for the Chinese society, its thought, and its institutions that we are about to describe. The institutions, literary and artistic developments, social structures, and systems of thought and belief of the Qin and Han dynasties are deeply rooted in the past, and understanding them requires a solid grasp of earlier history. With the world becoming increasingly interconnected, it has become even more necessary to understand it historically, and the work of historians has also become more complex. As primary sources and knowledge have surged, arguments and theories have influenced one another. Although simply summarizing what is already known has become an daunting task, the factual basis for historical thinking has become increasingly important. In recent years, Western scholars have made fuller use of the rich traditional academic traditions of China and Japan concerning history, not only greatly enhancing our detailed understanding of past events and institutions but also deepening our critical awareness of traditional historical writing. Moreover, the current generation of Western historians of China, while continuing to rely on the solid foundation of research being rapidly developed in Europe, Japan, and China, can also utilize new perspectives, methods, and recent findings from the social sciences in the study of history. Recent historical events have cast doubt on many older views while highlighting new questions. Under the influence of these various factors, the dramatic transformation of Western approaches to Chinese studies is gaining momentum. When The Cambridge History of China was first planned in 1966, the goal was to provide Western readers with a standard and valuable work: at the time, it was set as six volumes. Since then, the emergence of recognized research findings, the application of new methods, and the expansion of scholarship into new fields have further advanced the study of Chinese history. This development is evidenced by the fact that The Cambridge History of China has now expanded to a planned 15 volumes, though many topics such as art history, literary history, numerous aspects of economics and technology, and all rich materials of local history have had to be omitted. Over the past decade, our understanding of China's past has made significant progress, which will continue and accelerate. The efforts of Western historians in this important and complex discipline have proven justified, as their own people need to know more and deeper about China. Chinese history belongs to all of humanity, not only because it is just and necessary, but also because it is a subject of great interest.