Structures of Governance in Song Dynasty China, 960–1279 CE

A groundbreaking revisionist history of the workings of governance in Imperial China centered on the Song Dynasty (960-1279 BCE).

Charles Hartman (Author)

9781009235648, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 6 April 2023

400 pages
23.5 x 15.8 x 3.1 cm, 0.81 kg

'Hartman's deconstruction of the Confucian narrative allows him to shed light on the large range of forces that shaped the Song institutions and changed the nature of the Chinese monarchy. By revealing the complexity of that transition, his book will become the most authoritative Song political history in any language.' Christian Lamouroux, Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales, Paris

Charles Hartman presents an ambitious analysis of the workings of governance in Imperial China centered on the Song Dynasty (960–1279). Here he develops a new model for thinking about the deeper structures of governance in Song and pre-imperial China – the 'technocratic–Confucian continuum' – which challenges the prevailing perception of Confucian political dominance and offers a vehicle for expanding the definition and scope of Song political culture to embrace all its actors. Building on his acclaimed work The Making of Song Dynasty History: Sources and Narratives, 960–1279 CE (2021), this richly detailed exploration of the Song court is of significance beyond the immediate period of study both in rethinking the nature of monarchy in China and in examining the constructive possibility of political dissent.

List of Figures and Tables
Preface
A Note on the Text
Introduction
Part I: Dual Faces of the Song State
Part II: The Technocratic and Confucian Models of Governance
Part III: Interactions
Appendix
Bibliography
Index.

Subject Areas: Political science & theory [JPA], Confucianism [HRKN1], Asian history [HBJF], General & world history [HBG]