1587 : a year of no significance : the Ming dynasty in decline

1587, a Year of No Significance: The Ming Dynasty in Decline (Chinese: 萬曆十五年; pinyin: Wanli Shiwunian) is Chinese historian Ray Huang's most famous work. First published by Yale University Press in 1981,[1] it examines how a number of seemingly insignificant events in 1587 might have caused the downfall of the Ming empire. The views expressed in the book follow the macro history perspective. "In 1587, the Year of the Pig, nothing very special happened in China. Yet in the seemingly unspectacular events of this ordinary year, Ray Huang finds exemplified the roots of China's perennial inability to adapt to change. With fascinating accounts of the lives of seven prominent officials, he fashions a remarkably vivid portrayal of the court and the ruling class of late imperial China. In revealing the subtle but inexorable forces that brought about the paralysis and final collapse of the Ming dynasty, Huang offers the reader perspective into the problems China has faced through the centuries"--JSTOR webpage Contents 7 Illustrations 8 Acknowledgments 11 Foreword 13 1. The Wan-Li Emperor 15 2. Shen Shih-Hsing, First Grand-Secretary 56 3. A World Without Chang Ch眉-Cheng 105 4. The Living Ancestor 134 5. Hai Jui, The Eccentric Model Official 160 6. Ch鈥檌 Chi-Kuang, The Lonely General 186 7. Li Chih, A Divided Conscience 219 Appendix A: Audience on February 5, 1590 253 Appendix B: Audience On August 25, 1590 260 Notes 265 Bibliography 291 Index 297 Contents Illustrations Acknowledgments Foreword 1. The Wan-Li Emperor 2. Shen Shih-Hsing, First Grand-Secretary 3. A World Without Chang Chü-Cheng 4. The Living Ancestor 5. Hai Jui, The Eccentric Model Official 6. Ch’i Chi-Kuang, The Lonely General 7. Li Chih, A Divided Conscience Appendix A: Audience on February 5, 1590 Appendix B: Audience On August 25, 1590 Notes Bibliography Index Creates a portrait of the world and culture of late imperial China by examining the lives of seven prominent officials and members of the Ming ruling class