China's Early Modern Empires

Catalog description

“China’s Early Modern Empires” traces the development of empire in the China region from the rise of the Mongols in the twelfth century to the eve of China’s encounter with the West in the nineteenth century. The course focuses on the early modern empires of the Chinese Ming (1368-1644) and Manchu Qing (1644-1911), situating them in larger patterns of world history. We look at how conquest and the demands of empire-building shaped frontier relations and East Asian regional geopolitics, as well as social relations (ethnic and gender identities in particular), economic organization, government, and culture within the core Chinese portions of the empires. Emphasizing the dynamic character of the region’s history prior to the rise of modern Western imperialism, the course provides a solid foundation for the study of modern and contemporary China. P