|  One
of Pear Publications first projects is to produce An
Illustrated History of Ming Dynasty Emperors, which
we hope can be completed for publication in a few years.
The objective is to present a brief history of the Ming dynasty
using original court portraits of Ming emperors as well as
related artwork of the period.
This ambitious
project will require original research as the contributions
of scholars and students of the Ming. We propose to
annotate each portrait with text about the emperor depicted,
his life and times, his accomplishments and setbacks.
We would appreciate contributions in the form of clarifications,
essays or graphic images.
We want to share
our progress online and welcome any constructive advice, comments
or criticism. Students of Ming history interested in
participating in this research project through contributions
of illustrations or textual comments and input should contact
us about collaboration and credits.
 The
277 years of Ming dynasty is not only the final imperial dynasty
ruled by the indigenous Han or Chinese people but also one
that is characterized by the relatively stable government
internally and the expansion of Chinese influence externally.
The Ming
Timeline
compares important events in other parts of the world with
that of events during the rules of each of Ming emperors (except
for the Southern Ming period that ended in Burma 18 years
after the ascension of the Manchu Qing dynasty in 1644). We
think this chart will add perspective to the Ming dynasty
vis-a-vis historical events in other parts of the world.
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