In Return to Dragon Mountain, Jonathan D. Spence tells the life story of Zhang Dai, a late Ming man who started life with all the luxuries. His family owned a lakeside villa, spacious homes, and massive library and paintings (Spence, 2007). He had many interests and cultivated tastes for example he collected tea.
The activity that entranced me was moon viewing. He kept a boat near to his residence so he could use it any time. He would lie in the boat and look at the moon. Spence notes that “As he drifted one evening at leisure on Hangzhou’s West Lake, at the time of the September moon festival, despite the varied delight of the occasion there was nothing more absorbing to Zhang than watching the other people who were also out on the lake watching the moon. “(Spence, 2007, p. 29)
This book follows the memories of Zhang’s long life and years of declining wealth, opportunities, and health.
Spence, J. D. (2007). Return to Dragon Mountain : memories of a late Ming man. New York: Viking.
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