A01=Craig Clunas
Author_Craig Clunas
Category=NHF
courts
emperors
empresses
eq_bestseller
eq_history
eq_isMigrated=1
eq_isMigrated=2
eq_new_release
eq_nobargain
eq_non-fiction
eunuchs
history
kingship
Ming dynasty
ritual
succession
Product details
- ISBN 9781836391760
- Dimensions: 156 x 234mm
- Publication Date: 01 Mar 2026
- Publisher: Reaktion Books
- Publication City/Country: GB
- Product Form: Hardback
Secure
checkout
Fast Shipping
Easy returns
Sons of Heaven is the first accessible, newly researched account in English of the imperial family who ruled Ming China (1368–1644), one of the country’s most dynamic and influential eras. Beginning with a fresh look at what a dynasty really was, the book follows the lives of emperors, empresses, relatives and those who came into the imperial orbit. Uniquely drawing from official and unofficial Chinese primary sources, including gossip-rich 'wild histories', it presents a more intimate, complex picture of court life – its politics, personalities and pleasures. Moving beyond stereotypes, the book highlights the power, intrigue and humanity of Ming rule. Richly illustrated with period art that brings the imperial world to life, this is a compelling portrait of dynasty as lived reality.
Craig Clunas is Professor Emeritus of the History of Art, University of Oxford, and a Fellow of the British Academy. His many books include Screen of Kings: Royal Art and Power in Ming China (Reaktion, 2013).
