The Ming Dynasty, Volume 4

The Great Ming Empire was founded by a man who had once herded cattle and become a monk. From the very beginning, the dynasty seemed destined for a dramatic rise and fall, and its people and events were just as unusual and extraordinary. Zhu Yuanzhang rose from humble beginnings amid rival warlords and turmoil. By reading the times and advancing cautiously, he laid the foundations of the Ming in just fifteen years. Yet by the reign of the Chongzhen Emperor, the city was ablaze, and ruler and ministers had abandoned one another. What a tragedy! Drawing on a vast trove of historical documents, this book selects many episodes that previous historians overlooked and retells the story of dynastic succession and the transfer of power with remarkable ease. Through elegant prose and meticulous historical research, it presents a realistic portrait of Ming history and reveals the true face of the dynasty.