The Yuan Dynasty: Rise and Fall of a Dynasty

This book tells the history of China from 1206, when Genghis Khan established the Mongol regime, to 1368, when Zhu Yuanzhang founded the Great Ming dynasty. The Yuan was the first unified dynasty in Chinese history established by an ethnic minority. It expanded its frontiers until its territory exceeded that of previous dynasties. At the center, the Secretariat, the Privy Council, and the Censorate respectively handled civil administration, military affairs, and oversight. At the local level, it introduced the provincial system, pioneering the system of provinces in China. The Yuan maintained frequent diplomatic relations with other countries, and its commercial economy and overseas trade flourished. Culturally, literary forms such as Yuan drama emerged, adding a brilliant new flower to China's treasury of fine literature and art.