Search results for ""author olivia milburn""
University of Washington Press The Empress in the Pepper Chamber: Zhao Feiyan in History and Fiction
Zhao Feiyan (45–1 BCE), the second empress appointed by Emperor Cheng of the Han dynasty (207 BCE–220 CE), was born in slavery and trained in the performing arts, a background that made her appointment as empress highly controversial. Subsequent persecution by her political enemies eventually led to her being forced to commit suicide. After her death, her reputation was marred by accusations of vicious scheming, murder of other consorts and their offspring, and relentless promiscuity, punctuated by bouts of extravagant shopping. This first book-length study of Zhao Feiyan and her literary legacy includes a complete translation of The Scandalous Tale of Zhao Feiyan (Zhao Feiyan waizhuan), a Tang dynasty (618–907 CE) erotic novella that describes in great detail the decadent lifestyle enjoyed by imperial favorites in the harem of Emperor Cheng. This landmark text was crucial for establishing writings about palace women as the accepted forum for discussing sexual matters, including fetishism, obsession, jealousy, incompatibility in marriage, and so on. Using historical documentation, Olivia Milburn reconstructs the evolution of Zhao Feiyan’s story and illuminates the broader context of palace life for women and the novella’s social influence.
£84.60
University of Washington Press Urbanization in Early and Medieval China: Gazetteers for the City of Suzhou
The heart of Urbanization in Early and Medieval China consists of translations of three gazetteers written during the Han (206 BCE–220 CE), Tang (618–907), and Northern Song (960–1126) dynasties describing the city of Suzhou. The texts allow the reader to trace the dramatic changes that occurred as the city experienced enormous political and social upheavals over nine centuries. Each translation is accompanied by extensive annotation and a detailed discussion of the historical background of the text, authorship, and publication history. The book also traces the development of the gazetteer genre, the history of urban planning in China, and what we know about the early development of Suzhou from other texts and archaeological research. Urbanization in Early and Medieval China will be useful not only to scholars of Chinese history, but to scholars studying architecture and urban planning as well.
£84.60
University of Washington Press The Empress in the Pepper Chamber: Zhao Feiyan in History and Fiction
Zhao Feiyan (45–1 BCE), the second empress appointed by Emperor Cheng of the Han dynasty (207 BCE–220 CE), was born in slavery and trained in the performing arts, a background that made her appointment as empress highly controversial. Subsequent persecution by her political enemies eventually led to her being forced to commit suicide. After her death, her reputation was marred by accusations of vicious scheming, murder of other consorts and their offspring, and relentless promiscuity, punctuated by bouts of extravagant shopping. This first book-length study of Zhao Feiyan and her literary legacy includes a complete translation of The Scandalous Tale of Zhao Feiyan (Zhao Feiyan waizhuan), a Tang dynasty (618–907 CE) erotic novella that describes in great detail the decadent lifestyle enjoyed by imperial favorites in the harem of Emperor Cheng. This landmark text was crucial for establishing writings about palace women as the accepted forum for discussing sexual matters, including fetishism, obsession, jealousy, incompatibility in marriage, and so on. Using historical documentation, Olivia Milburn reconstructs the evolution of Zhao Feiyan’s story and illuminates the broader context of palace life for women and the novella’s social influence.
£27.99
University of Washington Press Urbanization in Early and Medieval China: Gazetteers for the City of Suzhou
The heart of Urbanization in Early and Medieval China consists of translations of three gazetteers written during the Han (206 BCE–220 CE), Tang (618–907), and Northern Song (960–1126) dynasties describing the city of Suzhou. The texts allow the reader to trace the dramatic changes that occurred as the city experienced enormous political and social upheavals over nine centuries. Each translation is accompanied by extensive annotation and a detailed discussion of the historical background of the text, authorship, and publication history. The book also traces the development of the gazetteer genre, the history of urban planning in China, and what we know about the early development of Suzhou from other texts and archaeological research. Urbanization in Early and Medieval China will be useful not only to scholars of Chinese history, but to scholars studying architecture and urban planning as well.
£27.99
University of California Press Kingdoms in Peril: A Novel of the Ancient Chinese World at War
This abridged edition introduces readers to the power and drama of the electrifying classic Chinese novel. One of the great works of Chinese literature, beloved in East Asia but virtually unknown in the West, Kingdoms in Peril is an epic historical novel charting the five hundred years leading to the unification of China under the rule of the legendary First Emperor. Writing some fourteen hundred years after the unification, the Ming-era author Feng Menglong drew on a vast trove of literary and historical documents to compose a gripping narrative account of how China came to be China. Here, translated into English for the first time, Kingdoms in Peril recounts the triumphs and tragedies of those five hundred years, through stories taken from the lives of the unforgettable characters that defined and shaped the ages in which they lived. This abridged edition distills the novel’s distinct style and its most dramatic episodes into a single volume. Maintaining the spirit and excitement of the original novel, this edition weaves together nine of the most pivotal storylines––some extremely famous, others less well known. Readers will glimpse the intensity of tectonic events that shaped everyday lives, loves, and struggles, with powerful women featuring as prominently in the novel as they have in Chinese history. There are many historical works that provide an account of some of these events, but none are as thrilling and breathtakingly memorable as Kingdoms in Peril.
£14.99
ACA Publishing Limited A Looking-Glass World
1900. For Tianjin’s European colonists a profitable new century is dawning, but for the city’s downtrodden Chinese natives the Zodiac cycle’s end signals imminent catastrophe. Meanwhile the fearsome Boxer warriors – said by some to be bulletproof – are spilling in from the provinces.On restless streets, a dangerous liaison begins. Ouyang Jue, gentle layabout and heir to a merchant fortune, finds himself entangled with Xénia, a French officer’s daughter indulging every impulse on her first visit to China. Each sees liberation in the other; a chance to leap through the mirror and escape the mundane.Separated by the widening divide between their two worlds, the lovers were never meant to be. But as discontent sparks into all-out conflagration, will they find paradise behind the glass? Or will they join the ashes of what might have been?
£14.99
University of California Press Kingdoms in Peril, Volume 1: The Curse of the Bao Lords
Translated in full for the first time, this first volume immerses readers in the power and drama of the electrifying classic Chinese novel. Deep inside the Zhou royal palace, an ancient curse is released, and darkness spreads across the land. An incompetent king’s mad passion for a teenaged slave leads to the country being torn apart by civil war. As the situation unravels, will anyone attempt to stand against the forces of chaos? One of the great works of Chinese literature, Kingdoms in Peril is an epic historical novel charting the five hundred years leading to the unification of the country in 221 B.C.E. under the rule of the legendary First Emperor. Writing some fourteen hundred years later, the Ming-era author Feng Menglong drew on a vast trove of literary and historical documents to compose a gripping narrative account of how China was forged. Detailing the stories of unforgettable characters who defined and shaped the times in which they lived, the complete edition of Kingdoms in Peril is a vital resource for those seeking a comprehensive overview of China’s ancient past and the political machinations that led to its unification. There are many historical works that provide an account of some of these events, but none are as thrilling and breathtakingly memorable as Kingdoms in Peril.
£27.00
University of California Press Kingdoms in Peril, Volume 3: The Death of a Southern Hero
Translated in full for the first time, this third volume immerses readers in the power and drama of the electrifying classic Chinese novel. The three great southern states of Chu, Wu, and Yue are locked in conflict, and their kings feel a hatred for each other that transcends all bounds. Cruel humiliations are imposed on the vanquished each time a battle is lost, while vicious scheming and internecine manipulation destroy many lives. The balance of power is threatened—but there can only be one victor. One of the great works of Chinese literature, Kingdoms in Peril is an epic historical novel charting the five hundred years leading to the unification of the country in 221 B.C.E. under the rule of the legendary First Emperor. Writing some fourteen hundred years later, the Ming-era author Feng Menglong drew on a vast trove of literary and historical documents to compose a gripping narrative account of how China was forged. Detailing the stories of unforgettable characters who defined and shaped the times in which they lived, the complete edition of Kingdoms in Peril is a vital resource for those seeking a comprehensive overview of China’s ancient past and the political machinations that led to its unification. There are many historical works that provide an account of some of these events, but none are as thrilling and breathtakingly memorable as Kingdoms in Peril.
£72.00
ACA Publishing Limited The Enemies of Art
Artistic freedom comes at a price 1960s China, and society is commanded to rebel against tradition. Amid the political turmoil, three young artists look out from their attic salon onto the streets of the northern port city of Tianjin. Lacking the opportunity to craft anything meaningful, they take solace in debating bourgeois ideals and listening to banned Western music. Not much separates the trio – Luo Qian is capable of greatness if only he’d get out of his own way, while Luo Fu’s rote diligence is only matched by his charismatic showmanship. Binding them together is Chu Yuntian, whose privileged background lives alongside an earnest desire for deeper truths. When economic reforms turn society on its head, they are given licence to indulge their artistic passions. Deluged by the increasingly materialistic masses, they paint themselves onto separate paths as they lose track of once sacred certainties. In this warming age where everything is fluid, can the bonds of winter hold?
£15.99
University of California Press Kingdoms in Peril, Volume 4: The Assassins Strike
Translated in full for the first time, this fourth volume immerses readers in the power and drama of the electrifying classic Chinese novel. Many centuries of violence have forged a new political order, and seven great warring kingdoms are now established. However, old loyalties persist, and brave men are still determined to avenge their former lords. Even as their world consigns them to the past, a handful of assassins still seek to rewrite history. One of the great works of Chinese literature, Kingdoms in Peril is an epic historical novel charting the five hundred years leading to the unification of the country in 221 B.C.E. under the rule of the legendary First Emperor. Writing some fourteen hundred years later, the Ming-era author Feng Menglong drew on a vast trove of literary and historical documents to compose a gripping narrative account of how China was forged. Detailing the stories of unforgettable characters who defined and shaped the times in which they lived, the complete edition of Kingdoms in Peril is a vital resource for those seeking a comprehensive overview of China’s ancient past and the political machinations that led to its unification. There are many historical works that provide an account of some of these events, but none are as thrilling and breathtakingly memorable as Kingdoms in Peril.
£27.00
University of California Press Kingdoms in Peril, Volume 4: The Assassins Strike
Translated in full for the first time, this fourth volume immerses readers in the power and drama of the electrifying classic Chinese novel. Many centuries of violence have forged a new political order, and seven great warring kingdoms are now established. However, old loyalties persist, and brave men are still determined to avenge their former lords. Even as their world consigns them to the past, a handful of assassins still seek to rewrite history. One of the great works of Chinese literature, Kingdoms in Peril is an epic historical novel charting the five hundred years leading to the unification of the country in 221 B.C.E. under the rule of the legendary First Emperor. Writing some fourteen hundred years later, the Ming-era author Feng Menglong drew on a vast trove of literary and historical documents to compose a gripping narrative account of how China was forged. Detailing the stories of unforgettable characters who defined and shaped the times in which they lived, the complete edition of Kingdoms in Peril is a vital resource for those seeking a comprehensive overview of China’s ancient past and the political machinations that led to its unification. There are many historical works that provide an account of some of these events, but none are as thrilling and breathtakingly memorable as Kingdoms in Peril.
£72.00
University of California Press Kingdoms in Peril, Volume 3: The Death of a Southern Hero
Translated in full for the first time, this third volume immerses readers in the power and drama of the electrifying classic Chinese novel. The three great southern states of Chu, Wu, and Yue are locked in conflict, and their kings feel a hatred for each other that transcends all bounds. Cruel humiliations are imposed on the vanquished each time a battle is lost, while vicious scheming and internecine manipulation destroy many lives. The balance of power is threatened—but there can only be one victor. One of the great works of Chinese literature, Kingdoms in Peril is an epic historical novel charting the five hundred years leading to the unification of the country in 221 B.C.E. under the rule of the legendary First Emperor. Writing some fourteen hundred years later, the Ming-era author Feng Menglong drew on a vast trove of literary and historical documents to compose a gripping narrative account of how China was forged. Detailing the stories of unforgettable characters who defined and shaped the times in which they lived, the complete edition of Kingdoms in Peril is a vital resource for those seeking a comprehensive overview of China’s ancient past and the political machinations that led to its unification. There are many historical works that provide an account of some of these events, but none are as thrilling and breathtakingly memorable as Kingdoms in Peril.
£27.00
ACA Publishing Limited The Walls of Wuchang
1926. Wuhan is in lockdown.Fourteen years ago, its heroes toppled China’s last emperor, but at great cost. Patriots became politicians. Reformers became warlords. Now at Wuchang, the ancient walled city anchoring the metropolis to the Yangtze, they fight to the death.Former comrades and broken families watch each other through iron crosshairs. For Chiang Kai‑shek’s unproven government forces camped outside, victory means a chance at national salvation. For the ragtag Beiyang soldiers and citizenry trapped within, there is but one mission: stay alive.From the banks of the Mother River, the cold stone walls have seen entire dynasties unravelled in tides of senseless destruction. Will the living fare any better?
£14.99
ACA Publishing Limited Faces in the Crowd: 36 Extraordinary Tales of Tianjin
The port of Tianjin is where the ancient Chinese empire met the sea. The turn of the 20th century was a tumultuous time for the city, with the Qing dynasty on its last legs and the Boxers unleashing their ill-fated rebellion against the European trading concessions that had colonised its streets.For Tianjin’s inhabitants, daily life carried on. These hardy people were shaped by the bitter earth from which they sprang, and every once in a while, there would emerge someone so remarkable that a new name would be inducted into Tianjin’s hall of fame.From a miracle doctor to an ill-mannered mynah bird, they came from every walk of life and in all shapes and sizes. Together, their stories make up the rich tapestry of a city that the modern world has washed away...
£15.99
University of California Press Kingdoms in Peril, Volume 2: The Exile Returns
Translated in full for the first time, this second volume immerses readers in the power and drama of the electrifying classic Chinese novel. Lord Wen of Jin brings some temporary stability to the political scene when he returns after many years in exile. However, the grants of land and office to his longstanding supporters make them too powerful for his successors to control. Just as the Zhou aristocrats seize power from their king, a bitter struggle begins as ministers seek to impose their authority on their lords. One of the great works of Chinese literature, Kingdoms in Peril is an epic historical novel charting the five hundred years leading to the unification of the country in 221 B.C.E. under the rule of the legendary First Emperor. Writing some fourteen hundred years later, the Ming-era author Feng Menglong drew on a vast trove of literary and historical documents to compose a gripping narrative account of how China was forged. Detailing the stories of unforgettable characters who defined and shaped the times in which they lived, the complete edition of Kingdoms in Peril is a vital resource for those seeking a comprehensive overview of China’s ancient past and the political machinations that led to its unification. There are many historical works that provide an account of some of these events, but none are as thrilling and breathtakingly memorable as Kingdoms in Peril.
£27.00
ACA Publishing Limited Open-Air Cinema: Reminiscences and Micro-Essays from the Author of Raise the Red Lantern
By turns flexible and delicate, taciturn and effusive, this collection of memoirs and micro-essays project in filmic clarity the cool head, dry wit and social conscience that have made Su Tong the ‘master of implication’ among China’s leading writers. Ranging from street-level portraits of a boisterous and rapidly changing nation to quiet musings on humanity’s strange and secret compulsions, Su Tong offers a glimpse behind the curtain into the workings of a keen mind that helped shape the literary and popular culture of modern China.
£10.99
