Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter I
2. Contents V
3. Preface And Acknowledgments IX
4. Translation Conventions XI
5. Chronology of imperial china with authors of autobiographies XIII
6. Introduction 1
7. 1 A son’s tribute to his mother 20
8. 2 Crime and punishment 23
9. 3 A han emperor accepting the blame 29
10. 4 Letters home 33
11. 5 a natural philosopher’s account of his life 38
12. 6 A father writing to his son 49
13. 7 An abducted woman on returning home 53
14. 8 Military men touting their merits 59
15. 9 The pain of separation 67
16. 10 An emperor’s discourse on karma and vegetarianism 72
17. 11 Late tang writers on life beyond office-holding 78
18. 12 Mourning friends and relations 86
19. 13 An advocate of the simple life 94
20. 14 Records of things seen and heard 101
21. 15 Chanting about oneself 107
22. 16 an envoy’s trip to the jin court 111
23. 17 Women and suicide 116
24. 18 Witnessing dynastic collapse 121
25. 19 Peaceful abodes 129
26. 20 A female doctor’s life and work 135
27. 21 An eccentric considers suicide 141
28. 22 Life in the examination hell 146
29. 23 A royal consort’s song 153
30. 24 environmental catastrophes 166
31. 25 A con man posing as an official 176
32. 26 A private secretary’s itinerant life 181
33. 27 Tibutes to close relatives 208
34. 28 A teenager captured by the nian rebels 213
35. 29 keeping family members informed 227
36. Appendix 241
37. Index 249