What the Emperor Built

Architecture and Empire in the Early Ming

Aurelia Campbell

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Hardback

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English

University of Washington Press
30 June 2020

Palaces, chateaux, country houses; Religious buildings; History of architecture; Asian history

One of the most famous rulers in Chinese history, the Yongle emperor (r. 1402-24) gained renown for constructing Beijing's magnificent Forbidden City, directing ambitious naval expeditions, and creating the world's largest encyclopedia. What the Emperor Built is the first book-length study devoted to the architectural projects of a single Chinese emperor.

Focusing on the imperial palaces in Beijing, a Daoist architectural complex on Mount Wudang, and a Buddhist temple on the Sino-Tibetan frontier, Aurelia Campbell demonstrates how the siting, design, and use of Yongle's palaces and temples helped cement his authority and legitimize his usurpation of power. Campbell offers insight into Yongle's sense of empire-from the far-flung locations in which he built, to the distant regions from which he extracted construction materials, and to the use of tens of thousands of craftsmen and other laborers. Through his constructions, Yongle connected himself to the divine, interacted with his subjects, and extended imperial influence across space and time.

Spanning issues of architectural design and construction technologies, this deft analysis reveals remarkable advancements in timber-frame construction and implements an art-historical approach to examine patronage, audience, and reception, situating the buildings within their larger historical and religious contexts.

By: Aurelia Campbell
Imprint: University of Washington Press
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 254mm, Width: 178mm,
Weight: 885g
ISBN: 9780295746883
ISBN 10: 0295746882
Pages: 240
Publication Date: 30 June 2020
Audience: Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Aurelia Campbell is assistant professor of Asian art history at Boston College.

Reviews for What the Emperor Built: Architecture and Empire in the Early Ming

What the Emperor Built will make even those familiar with the city's ancient buildings feel that while they may have looked, they perhaps did not entirely see. * South China Morning Post *