A Dragon's Head and a Snake's Tail: Ming China and the First East Asian War, 1592–1598

In the spring of 1592, Toyotomi Hideyoshi ordered an expedition across the sea, directing his forces toward Korea. In May, Japanese troops landed at Busan and advanced like a flood, overwhelming Korea, which urgently appealed to the Ming court for aid. A great war in East Asia began.

The author examines wartime mobilization, strategy and tactics, military technology, logistics, and battlefield conditions, analyzing the interplay of domestic politics, diplomacy, and military affairs. Vivid accounts of siege warfare, mountain battles, and naval combat bring the details to life, offering a comprehensive narrative of the war's causes and course. The Ming intervention in Korea during the Wanli era was a decisive conflict in the modern history of East Asia. It not only changed the course of history for the three countries, but also profoundly shaped the geopolitical landscape of East Asia today.