Patronage and Community in Medieval China

A vivid portrait of the culture of a provincial military society in China's early medieval period and its interactions with the southern imperial court. This first book-length treatment of a provincial military society in China's early medieval period offers a vivid portrait of this milieu and invites readers to reevaluate their understanding of a critical period in Chinese history. Drawing on poetry, local history, archaeology, and Buddhist materials, as well as more traditional historical sour