The Qing Dynasty in Black and White: The Empire's Chronic Illness

Zhang Cheng's Black and White Qing: The Empire's Chronic Illness examines more than ten famous cases from the Qing dynasty, revealing the rises and falls, as well as the inherent political failings, of the final dynasty in China's feudal society over its more than 260-year history. Some cases involve financial scandals concerning high-ranking officials, such as the Jiang Zhou deficit case, the Weining lead mine case, and the Fujian corruption ring. Others are civilian wrongful-conviction cases inextricably linked to the dark political climate, such as the Hezhou murder case, the Shuntian provincial examination case, and the Yang Naiwu and Little Cabbage case. The author's lively style and strong reasoning, along with the detailed historical material, make this a worthwhile read for history enthusiasts.