The Ming dynasty 13681644 a period of commercial expansion and culturalinnovation fashioned the relationship between state and society in Chinesehistory. This u... » 

The Ming dynasty 13681644 a period of commercial expansion and culturalinnovation fashioned the relationship between state and society in Chinesehistory. This unique collection of reworked and heavily illustrated essays byone of the leading scholars of Chinese history reexamines this relationship.It argues that contrary to previous scholarship it was radical responseswithin society that led to a constitution not periods of fluctuation withinthe dynasty itself. Brooks outstanding scholarship demonstrates that it waschanges in commercial relations and social networks that were actuallyresponsible for the development of a stable society. This imaginativereconsidering of existing scholarship on the history of China will befascinating reading for scholars and students interested in Chinasdevelopment. «