Sixiang Wang, "Boundless Winds of Empire: Rhetoric and Ritual in Early Chosŏn Diplomacy with Ming China" (Columbia UP, 2023)

New Books in Early Modern History

The Chosŏn dynasty of Korea enjoyed generally peaceful and stable relations with Ming China, a relationship that was carefully cultivated and achieved only through the strategic deployment of cultural practices, values, and narratives by Chosŏn political actors. Boundless Winds of Empire: Rhetoric and Ritual in Early Chosŏn Diplomacy with Ming China (Columbia UP 2023) explores this history, rethinking how we understand Sino-Korean relations.

Boundless Winds of Empire is detailed, rich, and filled with a fascinating range of sources, including poetry, travelogues, epistolary writings, and literary anthologies. Sixiang Wang deftly weaves together these sources, highlighting the key role envoys played in shaping diplomatic strategy, the agency of Chosŏn officials, and the contested nature of the Ming empire.

The 2024 winner of the UC Berkeley Hong Yung Lee Book Award in Korean Studies, this book should appeal to those interested in Chinese and Korean studies, international relations, premodern history, and anyone who has ever struggled to understand political rhetoric (this book will show you what can be done if you take it seriously).

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