Zhang Ming Reexamines the Late Qing and Republican Eras

The period from the late Qing dynasty to the Republic of China was an era of violent upheaval in China's institutions and ideas. Through the turbulent fortunes of figures such as Empress Dowager Cixi, the Guangxu Emperor, Li Hongzhang, Yuan Shikai, and the Beiyang warlords, this book reveals the political landscape as the old order disintegrated and new rules had yet to take shape. Zhang Ming offers no simplistic moral judgments. Instead, he focuses on how unwritten rules, the law of the jungle, and individual choices jointly shaped the course of history, providing readers with a fresh perspective on the challenges facing modern China.