The Manchus by Pamela Kyle Crossley (English) Paperback Book

The Nile on eBay   The Manchus by Pamela Kyle Crossley

A history from the origins of the Manchus to the murder of the former last Manchu emperor by the guards of the people who ruled China from 1685 to 1912

FORMATPaperback LANGUAGEEnglish CONDITIONBrand New Publisher Description

This book relates the history of the Manchus, the rise and fall of their vast empire and their legacy today.

Back Cover

For centuries the Manchurian peoples inhabited a cultural and economic world that made them sometime enemies, sometimes allies, of neighboring Chinese, Koreans, Mongols, and Russians. Between 1636 and 1700 this picture changed dramatically. The Manchus united and conquered the whole of China and Mongolia. A century later they added Tibet and Eastern Turkistan, Creating one of the largest land empires in history. How they achieved this, and what the consequences were to themselves and to their subjects, are the main themes of this book.After an account of the early fishing and hunting communities in eastern Asia, the author describes the period of early urbanization, literacy, and empire-building in medieval Manchuria, and the constant struggle over five centuries to maintain independence against the great power of the Mongols, Chinese, and Russians. She investigates the origins and rise of the great leader, Nurgachi, and shows how he succeeded in founding the first Manchu state.In 1636, ten years after Nurgachi’s death, his descendants declared themselves to masters of the Qing Empire, and from 1644 to 1912 the Manchus were among those conquerors of China who were "conquered" by it, and revels the subtle ways in which the rulers used a Chinese mask to achieve their ends (and to confuse European visitors).The final chapters show the role of the West and Japan, in the undermining of Qing authority in the nineteenth century and in the sporadic attempts to restore it in the twentieth. The author considers the fate of the contemporary Manchu minority in China and examines the signs of a resurgent identity.

Flap

For centuries the Manchurian peoples inhabited a cultural and economic world that made them sometime enemies, sometimes allies, of neighboring Chinese, Koreans, Mongols, and Russians. Between 1636 and 1700 this picture changed dramatically. The Manchus united and conquered the whole of China and Mongolia. A century later they added Tibet and Eastern Turkistan, Creating one of the largest land empires in history. How they achieved this, and what the consequences were to themselves and to their subjects, are the main themes of this book. After an account of the early fishing and hunting communities in eastern Asia, the author describes the period of early urbanization, literacy, and empire-building in medieval Manchuria, and the constant struggle over five centuries to maintain independence against the great power of the Mongols, Chinese, and Russians. She investigates the origins and rise of the great leader, Nurgachi, and shows how he succeeded in founding the first Manchu state. In 1636, ten years after Nurgachi's death, his descendants declared themselves to masters of the Qing Empire, and from 1644 to 1912 the Manchus were among those conquerors of China who were "conquered" by it, and revels the subtle ways in which the rulers used a Chinese mask to achieve their ends (and to confuse European visitors). The final chapters show the role of the West and Japan, in the undermining of Qing authority in the nineteenth century and in the sporadic attempts to restore it in the twentieth. The author considers the fate of the contemporary Manchu minority in China and examines the signs of a resurgent identity.

Author Biography

Pamela Kyle Crossley's most recent study, A Translucent Mirror: History and Identity in Qing Imperial Ideology (1999) was awarded the Levenson Prize by the Association for Asian Studies. She is a past fellow of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, and the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, and presently is Professor of History at Dartmouth College (New Hampshire, USA).

Table of Contents

List of Plates. List of Maps. Preface. 1. The Paradox of the Manchus. 2. Shamans and "Clans": The Origins of the Manchus. 3. The Enigma of Nurgachi. 4. The Qing Expansion. 5. The Guided Age of Qianlong. 6. The Lingering Death of the Empire. 7. Epilogue: The Manchus in the Twentieth Century. Appendix I. Reign Periods of the Aisin Gioro Rulers. Appendix II. Cherished Soldiers. Appendix III. A Glossary of Names and Terms. Notes. Bibliography. Index

Review

"Pamela Crossley's The Manchus is the book that those interested in China's last dynasty have always needed. Through her clear, erudite, and succinct presentation, we are led to understand the origins of Manchu social organization, the formation of a Manchu ethnicity, and the implementation of a specifically Manchu view of universal empire. We also see the loss of purpose and erosion of self-confidence that led to the dynasty's collapse in 1912." Jonathan Spence, Yale University

Long Description

For centuries the Manchurian peoples inhabited a cultural and economic world that made them sometime enemies, sometimes allies, of neighboring Chinese, Koreans, Mongols, and Russians. Between 1636 and 1700 this picture changed dramatically. The Manchus united and conquered the whole of China and Mongolia. A century later they added Tibet and Eastern Turkistan, Creating one of the largest land empires in history. How they achieved this, and what the consequences were to themselves and to their subjects, are the main themes of this book. After an account of the early fishing and hunting communities in eastern Asia, the author describes the period of early urbanization, literacy, and empire-building in medieval Manchuria, and the constant struggle over five centuries to maintain independence against the great power of the Mongols, Chinese, and Russians. She investigates the origins and rise of the great leader, Nurgachi, and shows how he succeeded in founding the first Manchu state. In 1636, ten years after Nurgachi s death, his descendants declared themselves to masters of the Qing Empire, and from 1644 to 1912 the Manchus were among those conquerors of China who were "conquered" by it, and revels the subtle ways in which the rulers used a Chinese mask to achieve their ends (and to confuse European visitors). The final chapters show the role of the West and Japan, in the undermining of Qing authority in the nineteenth century and in the sporadic attempts to restore it in the twentieth. The author considers the fate of the contemporary Manchu minority in China and examines the signs of a resurgent identity.

Review Text

"Pamela Crossley's The Manchus is the book that those interested in China's last dynasty have always needed. Through her clear, erudite, and succinct presentation, we are led to understand the origins of Manchu social organization, the formation of a Manchu ethnicity, and the implementation of a specifically Manchu view of universal empire. We also see the loss of purpose and erosion of self-confidence that led to the dynasty's collapse in 1912." Jonathan Spence, Yale University

Review Quote

Pamela Crossley's The Manchus is the book that those interested in China's last dynasty have always needed. Through her clear, erudite, and succinct presentation, we are led to understand the origins of Manchu social organization, the formation of a Manchu ethnicity, and the implementation of a specifically Manchu view of universal empire. We also see the loss of purpose and erosion of self-confidence that led to the dynasty's collapse in 1912." Jonathan Spence, Yale University

Feature

A history from the origins of the Manchus to the murder of the former last Manchu emperor by the guards of the people who ruled China from 1685 to 1912 Explains how the Manchus achieved their empire and what the consequences were for themselves and their subjects. Based on the author's unrivalled knowledge of primary sources in Manchu, Mongolian, Russian, Chinese, Kitan, Fench and Japanese. Concludes by examining the fate of the contemporary Manchu minority in China and considers the signs of a resurgence of ethnic identity. Now available in a paperback edition.

Details ISBN0631235914 Author Pamela Kyle Crossley Series Peoples of Asia Language English ISBN-10 0631235914 ISBN-13 9780631235910 Media Book Format Paperback DEWEY 951.03 Year 2002 Illustrations 6 maps, 30halftones, glossary, index Residence US Affiliation Dartmouth College, USA Edition 1st Short Title MANCHUS REV/E Edition Description Revised DOI 10.1604/9780631235910 Series Number 14 UK Release Date 2002-03-22 AU Release Date 2002-03-22 NZ Release Date 2002-03-22 US Release Date 2002-03-22 Publisher John Wiley and Sons Ltd Publication Date 2002-03-22 Imprint Wiley-Blackwell Place of Publication Hoboken Audience Professional & Vocational Pages 256 Country of Publication United Kingdom We've got this

At The Nile, if you're looking for it, we've got it.With fast shipping, low prices, friendly service and well over a million items - you're bound to find what you want, at a price you'll love!

TheNile_Item_ID:102474150;