My interest in Chinese military history stems from an early interest in books on strategy like Sun Tzu’s Art of War, and in East Asian martial arts. I have pursued both since high school, translating Sun Tzu as a senior thesis in college (and now returning to it professionally), and practicing a number of martial arts over the last forty years (and writing a book on the history of Chinese martial arts). Although there are plentiful historical records for all aspects of Chinese military history, the field remains relatively neglected, leaving it wide open for new studies. I continue to pursue my teenage interests, writing the books I wanted to read in high school.
I wrote...
The Reunification of China: Peace through War under the Song Dynasty
By
Peter A. Lorge
What is my book about?
The Song dynasty (960–1279) has been characterized by its pre-eminent civil culture and military weakness. This groundbreaking work demonstrates that the civil dominance of the eleventh century was the product of a half-century of continuous warfare and ruthless political infighting. The spectacular culture of the eleventh century, one of the high points in Chinese history, was built on the bloody foundation of the conquests of the tenth century. Peter Lorge examines how, rather than a planned and inevitable reunification of the Chinese empire, the foundation of the Song was an uncertain undertaking, dependent upon highly contingent battles, both military and political, whose outcome was always in doubt. The Song dynasty's successful waging of war led ultimately to peace.
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The Books I Picked & Why
Sanctioned Violence in Early China
By
Mark Edward Lewis
Why this book?
This is the classic study of the changes in violence and war in Chinese society from the Spring and Autumn Period to the Warring States Period. Lewis demonstrates that war, hunting, and the sacrifices of the Spring and Autumn chariot-riding aristocracy were key to demonstrating membership in that class. Political power moved from the feudal rulers to their ministers, who were lower-ranking members of the aristocratic class, and the struggle for power among those men transformed warfare and society. Violence was transformed from a class-defining activity into a state-building tool that had to be controlled by the feudal ruler.
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Medieval Chinese Warfare 300-900
By
David Graff
Why this book?
This is the best Chinese military history in any language. Scholarly, yet readable, it lays out the military, political, and social history of a complicated period in great detail. Despite challenging source material, Graff manages to create a coherent and comprehensible narrative.
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Dragon's Head and A Serpent's Tail: Ming China and the First Great East Asian War, 1592-1598
By
Kenneth M. Swope
Why this book?
Contrary to previous scholarship, Ming China was not in military decline at the end of the 16th century, and the Wanli Emperor was not an ineffectual ruler during the conflict in Korea with the Japanese. Swope also demonstrates the importance of guns in the conflict, with the Japanese army strong in harquebuses and the Chinese army strong in cannon.
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The Culture of War in China: Empire and the Military under the Qing Dynasty
By
Joanna Waley-Cohen
Why this book?
This is a series of six essays that present a “new Qing history” approach to 17th and 18th century Chinese military history, specifically the culture involved in the military campaigns from 1636 to 1799. Waley-Cohen not only presents a more positive view of the Qing’s Manchu rulers, but also the centrality of military activities and culture to Chinese culture. The Qing government enthusiastically promoted its martial accomplishments, and martial culture was in turn reflected in visual culture, religion, and popular culture.
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The White Lotus War: Rebellion and Suppression in Late Imperial China
By
Yingcong Dai
Why this book?
This book details why the Qing dynasty had such great difficulty in suppressing a religious rebellion in Shaanxi from 1796 to 1804. Dai shows that in addition to corruption and failed reform efforts following previous fighting, disastrously bad mistakes of command were made at every level, from top to bottom. The structure of the Qing military proved difficult to mobilize in Shaanxi, and hired local militias were used instead, resulting in a singularly expensive and ineffective response to the rebellion.
