The Mongol Century ─ Visual Cultures of Yuan China, 1271-1368

Using visual media, McCausland presents a comprehensive approach as he takes another look at the influence Mongol culture had on China during the short-lived reign of Khubilai Khan (Gengis’s grandson), whose empire at its peak ranged from the Pacific to the Volga river and into Poland. He highlights the uniqueness of the Yuan culture through three themes--steppe lifestyle, short dynastic lifespan, and Mongol values via people and things. Seven chapters are: Dadu: Eurasia’s metropolis; the impunity of a religious vandal; Heaven’s omens: earthquakes, typhoons, floods, dragons; China’s examination halls reopen; the hall of the stars: the dissemination of a Yuan literature culture; the world in flux: the arts amid floods and rebellions; blue-and-white: the Yuan global brand. Annotation c2015 Ringgold, Inc., Portland, OR (protoview.com)