This is a magnificent 661- page biography of Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty.
Published in 2014 this is the only full-length biography in English.
Patricia Buckley Ebrey has excavated the Chinese sources over 20 years before she can write this biography.
Why a biography on Emperor Huizong? This is because he is an Emperor much maligned and studied by Chinese historians. Under his watch, north China fell to the Jurchen. It was important that future emperors draw the correct lessons from his failure.
Huizong paid dearly for his failure. His capital Kaifeng was captured. The Jurchen took him and several thousands of his kinsmen and attendants to captivity.
His last 8 years on earth were spent as a captive far away from his homeland.
Lwh, CNY 2nd day.
11 Feb 2024