Great Learning

The author of this book, Sun Jinghao, specializes in regional history during the Ming and Qing dynasties, with a particular focus on the environmental, economic, and social histories of North China and the Jiangnan (southern Yangtze River delta) regions, as well as their modern transformations. He is a disciple of the renowned sinologist Timothy Brook.Offering a novel research perspective, this book serves as an important reference and supplement for the study of regional social history during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Unlike previous studies of Ming and Qing history that have primarily focused on the Jiangnan region, the author introduces the concept of "e;stepping out of Jiangnan,"e; expanding the research scope to Jining in Shandong, which is closer to the political center of Beijing. By emphasizing comparisons between Jiangnan and Jining, the book enriches readers' understanding of Ming and Qing history and advances academic research on canal cities in northern China and northern cities in general.The book presents a fascinating power struggle between local forces and the central government during the Ming and Qing dynasties. In examining the participation of the gentry class in Jining's urban development, the author pays attention to the relationship between the gentry and official forces, distinguishing between local and central governments. The cooperation, competition, and compromise among various forces embodied in this struggle constitute an intriguing historical phenomenon.The book showcases the thriving commercial trade and urban life in northern canal cities during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The author observes the close ties between the gentry class and the merchant class in Jining, believing that there was considerable integration between them. This integration contributed to Jining's prosperous commercial trade and urbanized lifestyle. Meanwhile, by comparing urban life in the north and south, the author deepens readers' understanding of the lively secular urban life during the Ming and Qing dynasties.The book features exquisite binding and design that perfectly complement its content. The outer cover depicts the local Taibailou (White Swan Tower) in Jining, showcasing the elegant and composed demeanor of the Jining gentry during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The inner cover displays a waterway map of Jining Prefecture during the Ming and Qing dynasties, which perfectly aligns with the book's theme of "e;cities rising due to the Grand Canal."e; The book is complemented by over thirty illustrations, providing a visual representation of the social landscape of that time and place.