Table of Contents

Introduction; 1. Setting the stage; 2. From smuggler-pirates to loyal Confucians; 3. Between trade and legitimacy; 4. Brave new world; 5. The Zheng state on Taiwan; 6. The lure of 'China'; 7. A contingent destruction; 8. Conclusion; Appendices; Bibliography; Index.

Promotional Information

A major new interpretation of the Zheng family of merchants and militarists, who dominated the seventeenth-century China Seas.

About the Author

Xing Hang currently teaches at Brandeis University, Massachusetts. He is the author of the Encyclopedia of National Anthems (2011) and co-editor of Sea Rovers, Silver, and Samurai: Maritime East Asia in Global History, 1550–1700 (with Tonio Andrade, 2016). He has also written numerous articles and reviews for major journals, and is a recipient of many grants and awards, including the American Council of Learned Societies Henry Luce Fellowship and the Michael L. Walzer Prize for Excellence in Teaching.

Reviews

'What makes this book so valuable is that it brings together a huge amount of fascinating information based on a judicious combination of primary and secondary sources. It is accessible to a general audience who might not be familiar with the history of maritime East Asia. Hang is a great storyteller who excels at capturing the high drama of many-faceted interactions while keeping the complicated narrative clear and well organized.' Wensheng Wang, Ming Studies