The Diary of a Manchu Soldier in Seventeenth-Century China: "My Service in the Army", by Dzengseo Contributor(s): Di Cosmo, Nicola (Author) |
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ISBN: 0700716114 ISBN-13: 9780700716111 Publisher: Routledge OUR PRICE: $180.50 Product Type: Hardcover - Other Formats Published: August 2006 Annotation: The Manchu conquest of China inaugurated one of the most successful and long-living dynasties in Chinese history: the Qing (1644-1911). The wars fought by the Manchus to invade China and consolidate the power of the Qing imperial house spanned over many decades through most of the seventeenth century. This book provides the first Western translation of the diary of Dzengseo, a young Manchu officer, and recounts the events of the War of the Three Feudatories (1673-1682), fought mostly in south-western China and widely regarded as the most serious military challenge faced by the Manchus before the Taiping rebellion (1851-1864). The author's participation in the campaign provides the close-up, emotional perspective on what it meant to be in combat, while also providing a rare window into the overall organization of the Qing army, and new data in key areas of military history such as combat, armament, logistics, rank relations and military culture. The diary represents a fine and rare example of Manchu personal writing, and shows how critical the development of Manchu studies can be for our knowledge of China's early modern history. |
Additional Information |
BISAC Categories: - History | Asia - China - History | Military - General - Social Science | Ethnic Studies - General |
Dewey: B |
LCCN: 2005036379 |
Series: Routledge Studies in the Early History of Asia |
Physical Information: 0.57" H x 6.36" W x 9.3" (0.83 lbs) 154 pages |
Themes: - Cultural Region - Chinese |
Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
Publisher Description: Providing original insights into Chinese military history, Nicola Di Cosmo gives an annotated translation of the only known military diary in pre-modern Chinese history, providing fresh and extensive information on the inner workings of the Ch'ing army. The personal experience of the author, a young Manchu officer fighting in inhospitable South-Western China, take us close to the 'face of the battle' in seventeenth-century China, and enriches our general knowledge of military history. |