Historical Reading Notes

Here you'll find historical truths that may overturn everything you thought you knew: the name of the “Great Ming” may have come from the “Ming Cult” in The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber; at the Imperial College, talking back to a teacher could land you in confinement, or even get you beheaded and displayed in public; the Ming dynasty's elite imperial guards, who repeatedly distinguished themselves in the early years of the dynasty, were considered fit only for menial labor just a century later; and more. Here you'll discover a whole new way to read history. History is anything but dull: alongside fascinating facts, there are all kinds of clues waiting to be uncovered. The great historian Wu Han introduces a fresh way of reading history and shows that, like a detective novel, it can reveal hidden truths through the tiniest clues! ★ Eleven historical mysteries offer a glimpse into the hidden meaning of six centuries of history across the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. ★ Behind the chaos in the economy, the military, officialdom, and society, what struggles between human nature and institutions were at play? ★ A “detective-style” approach to history, using rigorous logic to examine the clues buried in historical records. Who knew reading history could be as exciting as reading a novel?