Cornell University Press Chinese Walls in Time and Space: A Multidisciplinary Perspective: 144 (Cornell East Asia Series)

Are walls remnants of ancient and medieval societies, destined to become anachronistic in modern and post-modern times? Or will they persist, shaping as well as adjusting to new conditions? Do walls necessarily constrain and even isolate those who live within them, or can they act as a medium of support and communication for people on both sides? This volume addresses these questions. Authors from six disciplines―history, art, law, medicine, communication, and film―provide multiple perspectives on various kinds of walls: material ones around and within states, cities, and towns, as well as virtual ones regulating the administration of justice, the flow of pathogens, and the transmission of information.