The Confusions of Pleasure

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The Confusions of Pleasure
File:The Confusions of Pleasure.jpg
Front cover of The Confusions of Pleasure
Author Timothy Brook
Country United States
Language English
Genre History
Publisher University of California Press
Publication date
 18 May 1998
Media type Print (Hardback)
Pages 345
ISBN 0-520-21091-3

The Confusions of Pleasure: Commerce and Culture in Ming China is an influential[1] and frequently cited[2] book which explores the economic and cultural history and the "influence of economic change on social and cultural life"[3] in China during the Ming dynasty (1368–1644).[4] The book is written by Timothy Brook, a Canadian[5] historian of China (Sinology).[6] The work won the Joseph Levenson Book Prize of 2000.

Synopsis

The book is organized chronologically, with four sections named after seasons: Winter (1368–1450), Spring (1450–1550), Summer (1550–1642) and Fall (1642–1644).

Reception

Writing for Economic History Services, Richard Lufrano of the College of Staten Island, City University of New York (CUNY), states that the book "provides an eloquently written and comprehensive account of commerce and communication in Ming China especially valuable for scholars working on related questions in other geographical areas. For the specialist, as well as others, the book makes a fundamental contribution by offering a more balanced view of how money and the market economy affected social hierarchy, elite status, and social mobility."[3]

In his review, Danny Yee concludes that "the result is in some ways scattered, but individual sections cohere and the overall effect is that of a mosaic, a multi-faceted picture of Ming China." Describing the writing as "easy reading" and "lively prose", he states that the book "will be a gold-mine for those curious about the historical underpinnings of Chinese commercial traditions", and "recommended to anyone curious about other ways of viewing the world."[7]

Notes

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Passim, but states that the book is "now-influential": "... The volume does not lack important insights into social aspects of these topics. Most notable are those of Timothy Brook, whose chapter on communications and commerce provides a welcome amplification of his now-influential cultural history of the Ming, The Confusions of Pleasure."
  2. ↑ See citations at Google scholar search
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.[dead link] Reviewed by Richard Lufrano, College of Staten Island, City University of New York (CUNY).
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Craig Clunas is professor of the history of art, University of Sussex.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

Foreign translations

  • (Czech) Čtvero ročních dob dynastie Ming: Čína v období 1368-1644. Prague: Vyšehrad, 2003.
  • (Chinese) Zongle de kunhuo: Mingdai de shangye yu wenhua. Beijing: Sanlian, Taipei: Linking, 2004.
  • (Korean) K'waerak ǔi hondon: Chungguk Myǒngdaeǔi sangǒp kwa munhwa. Seoul: Yeesan, 2005.[FT 1]
  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

Further reading

Other reviews

  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. E-ISSN: 1530-9169 Print ISSN: 0022-1953.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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