Description
Book SynopsisAnalyzes the code's underlying thought in terms of the spiritual and social agenda articulated by the founder of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), Zhu Yuanzhang.
Trade Review"For students interested in these and other questions concerning Chinese law or religion in the late imperial period, Jiang’s learned study should be an obvious starting point."
-- Leo K. Shin * Journal of Chinese Religions *
"This book is a very important contribution to the field of Chinese legal history."
-- Pär Cassel * China Review International *
"The book is a necessary correction to the conventional views [that Chinese law was irrational, entirely secular, and an instrument of state control] . . . the book remains a welcome addition to the literature on traditional Chinese law."
-- Ziaoqun Xu * Frontiers of History in China *
"Arguing against a scholarly tradition that sees Chinese law as a purely secular instrument of despotic power, Jiang Yonglin seeks to place that tradition in the context of a China-centered Chinese history. . . . A learned and thoughtful work."
-- Michael Marmé * Journal of Asian Studies *
"A welcome addition to the field. A fresh look at the cosmological foundation of imperial Chinese law. An excellent starting point for future inquiries and makes a significant contribution to the discussion of Chinese law and religion."
-- Weiting Guo * H-Law *
"Students of Ming China and readers of Chinese history and legal history more broadly are indebted to Jiang Yonglin for this important study that casts much light on the Great Ming Code (Da Ming lu大明律) and its world. This reviewer certainly learned a lot and is confident that scholars will be referring to Jiang’s work, alongside his translation of the Code, for years to come."
-- Desmond Cheung * Ming Studies *
"Through an analysis of how the Ming ruling elite classified what was lawful and unlawful, pure and polluted, Jiang has opened a window to the culture and worldview of the early Ming and how these shaped the writing of the Code. His work discloses the nuances in the primary sources through a compelling narrative and presents a truly China-centred approach."
-- Elif Akçetin * International History Review *
"Eloquently challenges the extant mainstream ideas about the alleged “secular” and “suppressive” nature of Chinese legal culture."
-- Pengsheng Chiu * Journal of the Economic and Social History of the Orient *
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments
Abbreviations
1. Introduction – Religion and Chinese Legal Cosmology
2. Early Ming Legal Cosmology – Embodying Heavenly Principle and Human Sentiment
3. The Great Ming Code and the World of Spirits – Regulating Rituals for Communicating with Deities
4. The Great Ming Code and the Human Realm – Creating Boundaries for the Ming Empire
5. The Great Ming Code and Officialdom – Rectifying Mediating Representatives
6. Conclusion – Manifesting the Mandate of Heaven
Notes
Glossary
Bibliography
Index
