Cambridge University Press Networks of Faith and Profit - Cambridge University Press Book

Explore a hidden chapter of East Asian history with Networks of Faith and Profit. While a six-century lapse in official diplomatic relations between China and Japan is often seen as a period of isolation, Yiwen Li reveals a different reality. This scholarly work challenges the assumption that contact between these two nations ceased during the hiatus in the tribute system between 839 and 1403 CE. Instead, the book presents evidence of a lively Sino-Japanese trade network that thrived across maritime East Asia. By examining the roles of Buddhist monks and merchants, the text shows how these individuals maintained connections despite the lack of formal state ties. This research provides a fresh perspective on how religious and commercial interests drove movement and exchange across the seas. Using a wide range of multilingual sources, including letters, poems, and archaeological evidence, the book reconstructs the movement of objects and ideas. It is an essential read for students and historians interested in the economic and religious history of the medieval period and the complex connections that shaped the region.