Macartney's 1793 mission was a failure, but the Dutch were better informed. This new study argues that the Qing court was not arrogant and narrow-minded, as the English concluded, but was in... read more
Reframes the Silk Road as a diplomatic route, not simply a commercial thoroughfare, especially during the late Tang and Five Dynasties period. Draws on documents from Dunhuang.
From bronze-age chopsticks, grain stews, the dawn of the dumpling in the C4th, and the astonishing super-abundance of rice feeding a vast population, to modern fast food in the Chinese diasp... read more