State Versus Gentry in Early Qing Dynasty China, 1644-1699

The book delves into the power dynamics of 17th-century China, focusing on the conflict between the gentry and the Oboi regents. It explores the humiliation faced by the gentry during the 1660s and the Kangxi emperor's assertion of Confucian authority in the 1670s, which undermined the gentry's influence and sovereignty. Through meticulous research, the author examines how these events shaped the political landscape and the role of Confucianism in legitimizing imperial power.