Four Seasons

Richly researched and engagingly written, this important history of imperial China shows in fascinating detail how Emperor Jiajing and his grand secretaries governed. Drawing on a treasure trove of the grand secretaries’ personal writings, John W. Dardess’s narrative brings to life the inner workings of the largest polity on the face of the earth.

John W. Dardess (1937-2020) was professor emeritus of history at the University of Kansas. His books include Ming China, 1368-1644: A Concise History of a Resilient Empire; Governing China, 150-1850; A Political Life in Ming China: A Grand Secretary and His Times; and Four Seasons: A Ming Emperor and His Grand Secretaries in Sixteenth-Century China.

Introduction Chapter 1: A Young Emperor Shows His Teeth Chapter 2: Spring: Grand Secretary Zhang Fujing Chapter 3: Summer: Grand Secretary Xia Yan Chapter 4: Autumn: Grand Secretary Yan Song Chapter 5: Winter: Grand Secretary Xu Jie Cast of Principal Characters Timeline Bibliography About the Author