Harmony and war : Confucian culture and Chinese power politics / Yuan-Kang Wang.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Wang, Yuan-Kang.

Series:

Contemporary Asia in the world.

Contemporary Asia in the world

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Confucianism--China--History.

Confucianism.

Confucianism--Political aspects--China--History.

Power (Social sciences)--China--History.

Power (Social sciences).

Harmony (Philosophy)--Political aspects--China--History.

Harmony (Philosophy).

Militarism--China--History.

Militarism.

China--History--Song dynasty, 960-1279.

China.

China--History--Ming dynasty, 1368-1644.

China--Military policy.

China--Strategic aspects.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (329 p.)

Place of Publication:

New York : Columbia University Press, c2011.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Confucianism has shaped a certain perception of Chinese security strategy, symbolized by the defensive, nonaggressive Great Wall. Many believe China is antimilitary and reluctant to use force against its enemies. It practices pacifism and refrains from expanding its boundaries, even when nationally strong. In a path-breaking study traversing six centuries of Chinese history, Yuan-kang Wang resoundingly discredits this notion, recasting China as a practitioner of realpolitik and a ruthless purveyor of expansive grand strategies. Leaders of the Song Dynasty (960-1279) and Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) prized military force and shrewdly assessed the capabilities of China's adversaries. They adopted defensive strategies when their country was weak and pursued expansive goals, such as territorial acquisition, enemy destruction, and total military victory, when their country was strong. Despite the dominance of an antimilitarist Confucian culture, warfare was not uncommon in the bulk of Chinese history. Grounding his research in primary Chinese sources, Wang outlines a politics of power that are crucial to understanding China's strategies today, especially its policy of "peaceful development," which, he argues, the nation has adopted mainly because of its military, economic, and technological weakness in relation to the United States.

Contents:

Confucian strategic culture and the puzzle

Culture and strategic choice

The northern Song Dynasty (960-1127)

The southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279)

The Ming Dynasty (1368-1644)

The Ming tribute system

Chinese power politics in the age of U.S. unipolarity.

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9786612919299

9781282919297

1282919296

9780231522403

0231522401

OCLC:

695655086