Bandits, Eunuchs, and the Son of Heaven : : Rebellion and the Economy of Violence in Mid-Ming China / / David M. Robinson.

• Superior document: Title is part of eBook package: De Gruyter Asian Studies Backlist (2000-2014) eBook Package
• VerfasserIn: Robinson, David M.,
• Place / Publishing House: Honolulu : : University of Hawaii Press, , [2001]; ©2001
• Year of Publication: 2001
• Language: English
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (298 p.)

On a spring afternoon in 1509 a local bandit found himself in the emperor's private quarters deep within the Forbidden City and in the presence of the Son of Heaven himself. This bizarre meeting was the doing of the eunuch Zhang Zhong, the emperor's personal servant and companion. In time court intrigue between competing palace eunuchs would lead to the death of this bandit-turned-rebel, setting off a massive uprising that resulted in China's largest rebellion of the sixteenth century. To understand how this extraordinary meeting came about requires a consideration of the economy of violence during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Here, for the first time in any language, is a detailed look at the role of illicit violence during the Ming. Drawing on court annals, imperial law codes, administrative regulations, private writings, and local gazetteers, David Robinson recreates in vivid detail a world where heavily armed highwaymen and bandits raided the boulevards in and around the Ming capital, Beijing. He then convincingly traces the roots of this systemic mayhem to economic, ethnic, social, and institutional factors at work in local society.

Table of Contents

Frontmatter -- Contents -- Acknowledgments -- 1. Introduction The Economy Of Violence -- 2. The Capital Region -- 3. Banditry During The Mid-Ming Period -- 4. The Management Of Violence -- 5. Men Of Force And The Son Of Heaven -- 6. From Banditry To Rebellion And Back Again -- 7. Conclusion Implications For The Study Of Late Imperial China -- Notes -- Character Glossary -- References -- Index