Empire in the Western Ocean：Sea Power and the Early Ming Navy, 1355－1449
書籍資訊
作
者：
出版社：
類
別：
人文藝術
格
式：
PDF
上架日：
內容簡介
In this ground-breaking, posthumous study, the late Lo Jung-pang discusses the geographic, political, commercial factors that led to the emergence of seapower a navy under the Ming. While Zheng He his seven expeditions have received some scholarly attention, few understthe long history of maritime engagement which provided the nautical technical background fthese voyages. The evolution of this maritime engagement its extension into the Indian Ocean is the focus of Lo’s still-timely highly significant work.
In addition to detailing the rise of the Ming navy its extraordinary accomplishments, Lo also examines some of the factors that led to the end of China’s first great maritime era: Why did China suddenly seem to turn away from the seas? Were the military defeats in Annam on the northern borders significant in this? were financial pressures key?
Empire in the Western Ocean represents the most comprehensive insightful English-language treatment to date of the evolution activities of the early Ming navy. Moreover, it encourages further inquiry into contemporary questions of China’s maritime aspirations.
--------------
To aid the reader, a Foreword by Richard J. Smith discusses how Lo viewed the early Ming navy—not simply in terms of its evolution military strength, but also in terms of the commerce shipping that it promoted. This history is presented in the context of the centuries-long shift of China’s demographic center of gravity from the northwest to the southeast by the Song period (960–1279).
In the Afterword, Ming scholar Geoff Wade explains how the Ming rulers, eager to widely display their legitimacy, sent military forces abroad, collected treasure fthe imperial court, urged rulers of all known states to demonstrate their submission to the Ming court. He also shows how this often gave rise to violence during the Ming expeditions.
In addition to detailing the rise of the Ming navy its extraordinary accomplishments, Lo also examines some of the factors that led to the end of China’s first great maritime era: Why did China suddenly seem to turn away from the seas? Were the military defeats in Annam on the northern borders significant in this? were financial pressures key?
Empire in the Western Ocean represents the most comprehensive insightful English-language treatment to date of the evolution activities of the early Ming navy. Moreover, it encourages further inquiry into contemporary questions of China’s maritime aspirations.
--------------
To aid the reader, a Foreword by Richard J. Smith discusses how Lo viewed the early Ming navy—not simply in terms of its evolution military strength, but also in terms of the commerce shipping that it promoted. This history is presented in the context of the centuries-long shift of China’s demographic center of gravity from the northwest to the southeast by the Song period (960–1279).
In the Afterword, Ming scholar Geoff Wade explains how the Ming rulers, eager to widely display their legitimacy, sent military forces abroad, collected treasure fthe imperial court, urged rulers of all known states to demonstrate their submission to the Ming court. He also shows how this often gave rise to violence during the Ming expeditions.