The Mongol Century

Visual Cultures of Yuan China, 1271-1368

Shane McCausland

• Publisher: Reaktion Books
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN: 9781780233666
• eBook ISBN: 9781780234045
• Topic: Art
• Subtopic: Art General

The Mongol Century explores the visual world of China's Yuan dynasty (1271–1368), the spectacular but relatively short-lived regime founded by Khubilai Khan, regarded as the preeminent khanate of the Mongol empire. Although in recent years exhibitions have begun to open up the inherent paradoxes of Yuan culture, this is the first book in English to adopt a fully comprehensive approach. It incorporates a broad range of visual media of the East Asia region to reconsider the impact Mongol culture had in China, from urban architecture and design to tomb murals and porcelain, and from calligraphy and printed paper money to stone sculpture. Fresh and invigorating, The Mongol Century explores, in fascinating detail, the visual culture of this brief but captivating era of East Asian history.

Table of contents

• Cover
• The Mongol Century: Visual Cultures of Yuan China, 1271–1368
• Imprint Page
• Contents
• Introduction: China or Cathay?
• One: Dadu: Eurasia’s Metropolis
• Two: The Impunity of a Religious Vandal
• Three: Heaven’s Omens: Earthquakes, Typhoons, Floods, Dragons
• Four: China’s Examination Halls Reopen
• Five: The Hall of The Stars: The Dissemination of a Yuan Literary Culture
• Six: The World In Flux: The Arts Amid Floods And Rebellions
• Seven: Blue-And-White, The Yuan Global Brand
• Conclusion
• Appendix: The Yuan Dynasty – Rulers and Reigns
• References
• Select Bibliography
• Acknowledgements
• List of Illustrations
• Index