1. Setting the Stage

Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. Contents vii
3. Illustrations ix
4. Tables xi
5. Preface xiii
6. Abbreviations and Conventions xvii
7. Chronology xix
8. Introduction 1
9. 1. Setting the Stage 17
10. 2. Emperor Jiajing (r. 1522– 1566): A Four- Decade Persecutor 36
11. 3. Empress Dowager Cisheng (1545– 1614): A Great Patron 56
12. 4. The Eunuchs: Organized but Not Always Reliable 90
13. 5. Scholar- Officials: Struggling for the Right Position 119
14. 6. Eminent Monks: Engaged in, or Entangled with the World? 156
15. 7. Temples: Evolving Under Influence 199
16. 8. Setbacks: Losing Beijing as a Growth Engine 220
17. Conclusion 243
18. Notes 251
19. References 297
20. Index 325