Elegant Song: The Visible Civilization
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In Elegant Song, Wu Gou highlights the cultural sophistication of the Song dynasty. Rather than focusing solely on politics, he explores clothing, art, rituals, urban life, and material culture, showing how Song society blended refinement with vitality. The book reveals why many scholars consider the Song dynasty the dawn of Chinese modernity, where commerce, aesthetics, and intellectual freedom flourished. Richly detailed and beautifully narrated, it allows readers to “see” the civilization of Song through its elegant customs and innovations.