Ming Dynasty Chronicles (Illustrated Edition)

Author: Cai Dongfan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2007-01-01
Features: Throughout Chinese history, the imperial line has been Han Chinese, though there were times when minority groups invaded the Central Plains. Yet, these invasions rose and fell on their own. The Xiongnu, Khitan, and Jurchen cavalry were once powerful, but they could never unify China. The origins of the Mongols trace back to the Shiwei tribal group during the Tang Dynasty, who lived in northern China and made a living by hunting, eventually forming their own tribes. Initially, they were under the rule of the Jin Dynasty, but with the rise of Genghis Khan, they unified the Mongol tribes and grew in power. The Mongol cavalry then launched westward campaigns into Europe and soon turned south to conquer the Jin Dynasty and invade the Song Dynasty. With the fall of the Southern Song, the vast Central Plains were eventually taken over by the Mongol Khans, who ruled China for eighty-nine years—truly a groundbreaking event in history! However, the Mongols were ruthless and harsh to the people, exhausting the nation, which led to numerous uprisings. Among them emerged Zhu Yuanzhang, who single-handedly overthrew the Yuan Dynasty. Some say it was fate, while others say it was human effort. I, too, am baffled, so I can only stick to the history and present the rise and fall of the Mongols in a historical narrative titled The Romance of the Yuan Dynasty. This book is part of the Popular Histories of China series. It adopts a traditional chapter-based structure, with accessible language, witty commentary, and a realistic portrayal of the grand journey of Chinese civilization's historical evolution, narrating the rise and fall of the Yuan Dynasty. From Genghis Khan (Temüjin) unifying the Mongol tribes to Kublai Khan establishing the Yuan Dynasty as the state's name, and finally to Zhu Yuanzhang founding the Ming Dynasty. The writing is fluent, and the stories are vivid.