Table of Contents

Acknowledgments ix Introduction 1 1 Beginning and Ending 5 2 The Gentleman 37 3 The Emperor 85 4 The Merchant 117 5 The Nation 155 6 The People 193 Conclusion 229 Notes 237 Bibliography 263 Index 277 Photography and Copyright Credits 287

About the Author

Craig Clunas is Professor of the History of Art at the University of Oxford. His books include Screen of Kings: Royal Art and Power in Ming China, Empire of Great Brightness: Visual and Material Culture and Social Status in Early Modern China, and Art in China.

Reviews

"Absolutely lavishly illustrated."--Rana Mitter, Free Thinking, BBC Radio 3