The C/J/K history book recommendations thread

[minorthreat]

Following on the heels of the suggestion by nicephoras to split up the recommendation threads, and needs' further suggestion with regard to categories, I submit this, our first 'area' history recommendations thread.

So if you've read anything interesting lately about China, Japan, or Korea (or, hell, I guess the Mongols too), then post it here.

[Toon³]

1421 by Gavin Menzies. It's about how the chinese are suppost to have discovered north and south american and Austrialia in several great voyages in 1421. There are some parts that don't convice me but it's still a good read.

[nicephoras]

Are you talking about Zheng Ho's armada? I think there was a book on that subject recently (or an article - I can't recall) suggesting that the reason the armada never sailed again was its huge unprofitability.

[Toon³]

Are you talking about Zheng Ho's armada? I think there was a book on that subject recently (or an article - I can't recall) suggesting that the reason the armada never sailed again was its huge unprofitability.

Yes that's the person.

The book suggests that although the armada brought huge riches back and knowledge of previously known land, it wasn't enough for the re-fitting and supply of another voyage. Another armada was out of the question when they returned because of the change in Chinese foriegn policy. While the amarda was away China had suffered a series of natural disasters and a change of leader that adopted isolationism, which engulfed china for the next 400 years.

[KevTheGooner]

Are you talking about Zheng Ho's armada? I think there was a book on that subject recently (or an article - I can't recall) suggesting that the reason the armada never sailed again was its huge unprofitability.

There was a piece in National Geographic from back in April(ish) about it. I'd never heard about it and it was mind-blowing.

[KevTheGooner]

Rising Sun by John Toland...best book I know of that breaks down Imperial Japan before WWII.

[Toon³]

Empire of the Sun by J.G. Ballard about his own experiances in Japanese death marches and internmant camps in China.

It's also a film. :)

[Q*bert Jones III]

Yes that's the person.

The book suggests that although the armada brought huge riches back and knowledge of previously known land, it wasn't enough for the re-fitting and supply of another voyage. Another armada was out of the question when they returned because of the change in Chinese foriegn policy. While the amarda was away China had suffered a series of natural disasters and a change of leader that adopted isolationism, which engulfed china for the next 400 years.


A couple of things about Zheng Ho. One must understand that China at this time was far more advanced in most ways than the West. They viewed themselves as the center of the universe (who didn't?). When Zheng Ho's massive armadas (there were three) went out to India, the Middle East and Africa, they did not seek knowledge, or money, or colonies...they went out to display their own superiority. So when they landed, they would give far more than they got. Zheng Ho did not want it to appear that they were in want of anything that the locals had. The armadas were thus a terrific drag on the Chinese economy. When a new emperor came to power he not only discontinued the Armadas he made it illegal for Chinese people to leave China!

[dreamer]

Here's a good read on Zheng He (or Cheng Ho in Cantonese).

Zheng He and the Treasure Fleet 1405-1433: A Modern Day Traveller's Guide from Antiquity to the Present
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/9812480900/002-4247643-4872016?v=glance

[Thomas A Fina]

Rising Sun by John Toland...best book I know of that breaks down Imperial Japan before WWII.
I'll second this

and I always thought it was imperial politics that wrecked Zheng He's fleet

[nicodemus]

Children of the Atomic Bomb by James Yamazaki. Yamazaki was a Japanese-American physician sent to Nagasaki to study the effects of radiation on childhood development.

[DoctorJones24]

Well, it Asia, but not one of the 3 in the thread title...

But India: A History by John Keay is quite good for a huge sweeping overview of the subcontinent's history. It's gimmick is interdisciplinarity--uses a lot of recent advances in anthropology and archeology to fill in previously ignored gaps in the Indian timeline.