The Collapse of HeavenThe Collapse of Heaven investigates a long neglected century in Chinese literature through the lens of the Taiping War (18511864), one of the most devastating civil wars in human history. With the war as the pivot, Huan Jin examines the manifold literary and cultural transformations that occurred from the 1850s to the 1880s. The book analyzes a wide range of writings proselytizing pamphlets, diaries, poetry, a full length novel, drama, and short