Confucianism and the Succession Crisis of the Wanli Emperor, 1587
© 2005 | Pearson | ISBN-10: 032133230X | ISBN-13: 9780321332301
Confucianism and the Succession Crisis of the Wanli Emperor seeks to introduce undergraduate students to the suppleness and power of Confucian thought as applied to issues of governance during the Ming dynasty. The game is set in the Hanlin Academy. Most students are members of the Grand Secretariat of the Hanlin Academy, the body of top-ranking graduates of the civil service examination who serve as advisers to the Wanli emperor. Some Grand Secretaries are Confucian “purists,” who hold that tradition obliges the emperor to name his first-born son as successor; others, in support of the most senior of the Grand Secretaries, maintain that it is within the emperor’s right to choose his successor; and still others, as they decide this matter among many issues confronting the empire, continue to scrutinize the teachings of Confucianism for guidance. The game unfolds amidst the secrecy and intrigue within the walls of the Forbidden City, as scholars struggle to apply Confucian precepts to a dynasty in peril.
About the Authors:
Daniel K. Gardner is Professor of Chinese History at Smith College and the author of many books and articles on the Confucian and Neo-Confucian tradition in China. His recent books include Zhu Xi’s Reading of the Analects: Canon, Commentary, and the Classical Tradition (Columbia University Press, 2003). Mark C. Carnes is Professor of History at Barnard College and creator of “Reacting to the Past.” He is author of many books in American history, including The American Nation (Longman). He is also General Editor of the 25-volume American National Biography, published by the ACLS and Oxford University Press.
Companion Texts (Required):
Confucius, The Analects (D.C.Lau, Trans.)
© 1979 | Penguin Classics | ISBN-10: 0140443487
Ray Huang. 1587, A Year of No Significance
© 1982 | Yale University Press | ISBN-10: 0300028849
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