Imperial China

According to Timothy Brook, in what ways did China’s economy change over the course of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644 AD)? How did the morally-minded scholar elite react to the startling transformations they witnessed? How does the metaphor of the four seasons illustrate the author’s argument, and from what individual or text did he borrow this idea? Do you believe that Brook himself views the process of commercialization and the development of a consumer culture with sympathy, hostility, or ambivalence? What is your evidence to support this claim?          

Sample Solution