A Ming Confucian’s World

"The translation is introduced by a witty and perceptive description of the contemporaneous Ming context as well as a detailed discussion of Lu. What makes this book relevant to the scholar of religion is the many instances Lu the Confucian gazes effectively at his religious lifeworld, which one encounters in many of his depictions of Ming quotidian life. Scholars of Chinese religions and Confucianism will have much to gain from this."

* Religious Studies Review *

"Mark Halperin's translation from Lu Rong's Miscellaneous Records from the Bean Garden is a treasure trove of both subjective and objective gems. It highlights the belief system of Lu Rong himself and provides invaluable information about the mid-Ming period"

* Journal of Chinese History *

"The major contribution of this translation lies, first and foremost, in the rich insight it provides into mid-Ming China, a period that is generally neglected by scholars. . . . Overall, Halperin’s translation of Lu Rong's Shuyuan zaji is an invaluable addition to the corpus of English-language works that enrich our understanding of Ming China. It offers scholars a rare glimpse into the daily life and intellectual milieu of a representative Ming Confucian scholar-official. The book's interdisciplinary appeal makes it a useful resource for historians, literary scholars, and students of Chinese philosophy. The shorter-length entries and kaleidoscopic subject matter also make it an ideal reading material for classical Chinese language and literature courses."

* Chinese Studies Internation