The early history of the maritime trade of China had been largely studied (at the time of this 1954 study) from the Western point of view, that is, as the eastern terminal point of a trade carried and dominated by Indians, Persians and Arabs. This had also been true of the early history of Southeast Asia. Historians, both of China and of Southeast Asia, had seen the trade mainl...(展开全部)

Examines the various features of Chinese trade across southeast Asia and as far west as Indian and Ceylon from about 211 BC to the founding of the Sung dynasty in 960 AD. Looks especially at the economic background and the Chinese imperial and regional attitudes toward it, and at political struggles between Chinese and other people and among themselves. First published as the J...(展开全部)

卜正民（Timothy Brook），加拿大著名汉学家。曾任多伦多大学、斯坦福大学、牛津大学等校教授，现为加拿大英属哥伦比亚大学圣约翰学院院长、历史教授。卜正民还是美国明史学会（Society of Ming Studies）半年期刊《明史研究》（Ming Studies）编委会成员。自2008年起，卜正民成为哈佛大学六卷本《中华帝国史》的主编。卜正民曾于1975年秋进入复旦大学，师从文学批评史学者李庆甲教授学习中国古代文学，1977年，他在李约瑟的安排下参与了《中国的科学与文明》第七分册的编写。 卜正民著述颇丰且广受好评，其作品《纵乐的困惑：明代的商业与文化》（The Confusions of Pleasure: Commerce and Culture in Ming China）曾获美国亚洲研究学会颁发的列文森奖和加拿大历史学会每五年评选一次...(展开全部)

From the late 1700s, an increasing number of British, American and continental European sailing ships brought back ship loads of exotic objects which found a ready market in America and Europe. The insatiable interest in the Orient resulted in a large range of painters depicting everyday life in China, as well as portraits of both Chinese and Westerners. Among other objects bro...(展开全部)

Approaching its demise, the Ming imperial administration enlisted members of the Cheng family as mercenaries to help in the defense of the coastal waters of Fukien. Under the leadership of Cheng Chih-lung, also known as Nicolas Iquan, and with the help of the local gentry, these mercenaries became the backbone of the empire’s maritime defense and the protectors of Chinese comme...(展开全部)

Approaching its demise, the Ming imperial administration enlisted members of the Cheng family as mercenaries to help in the defense of the coastal waters of Fukien. Under the leadership of Cheng Chih-lung, also known as Nicolas Iquan, and with the help of the local gentry, these mercenaries became the backbone of the empire’s maritime defense and the protectors of Chinese comme...(展开全部)

This volume sheds light on the important role of copper in early modern Sino-Japanese trade. By examining the demand for copper and the policy on copper procurement in Japan and China as well as the role of Osaka merchant houses, this volume provides a new slant on the “life” of Japanese copper – from production and distribution to consumption. In addition, papers on other sign...(展开全部)

In The Merchants of Siberia, Erika Monahan reconsiders commerce in early modern Russia by reconstructing the trading world of Siberia and the careers of merchants who traded there. She follows the histories of three merchant families from various social ranks who conducted trade in Siberia for well over a century. These include the Filat'evs, who were among Russia's most illust...(展开全部)