Destruction and Rebirth: A History of the Meiji Restoration for Chinese Readers

The Meiji Restoration was a change whose time had come, not a revolution. Little blood was shed because most of the blood that had to be spilled had already been shed beforehand.

From the arrival of the "Black Ships" in 1853, when American warships and cannons forced open Japan's doors after centuries of isolation, to the accession of Emperor Meiji in 1867, Japan embarked on a path of reform and prosperity. In just over a decade, amid bloodshed and turmoil, Japan underwent one transformation after another, emerging reborn.

This was an age of upheaval, when powerful domains vied for supremacy and the shogunate struggled for power. Every moment brought a new turning point, and every day made new history, in a dizzying succession of events. It was also an age that produced outstanding figures: Yoshida Shoin, Sakamoto Ryoma, the Three Talents of the Village School, the Three Great Heroes of the Restoration, and others. They left behind thrilling stories that still capture the imagination. And it was an age that bridged the old and the new: the shogunate's rule came to an abrupt end, while the ambitions of military hegemony began to stir beneath the surface. The Meiji Restoration was both a turning point in Japan's modern history and a concentrated reflection of the virtues and vices, the beauty and ugliness, of the Japanese people.

To gain a thorough understanding of Japan, start with this book.