The Romance of the Ming Dynasty

The Romance of the Great Ming Dynasty paints a sweeping portrait of the rise and fall of the Ming dynasty. It opens amid the chaos at the end of the Yuan, when Emperor Shun of Yuan’s debauchery and misrule plunge the land into turmoil. Zhu Yuanzhang rises from a monk at Huangjue Temple, gathers heroes such as Xu Da and Chang Yuchun, defeats rival warlords including Chen Youliang and Zhang Shicheng, drives out the Yuan court, and lays the foundations of a new dynasty. The book recreates the grandeur of the founding and establishment of the empire, captures the ceremonies and splendor of its golden age, and weaves together court intrigue, battles on the frontier, and the lives of ordinary people. From the dynasty’s founding under the Hongwu Emperor through later court upheavals and struggles against threats along the borders, it portrays the talent and choices of emperors and ministers, as well as the loyalty and resolve of men of integrity. Blending the weight of history with the wonder of legend, it presents the full sweep of a dynasty, from its beginnings to its long and turbulent glory.