Zhang Cheng

Zhang Cheng, a native of Linhai, Zhejiang, now lives in Beijing. He holds a doctorate in history and is a contracted writer with the Beijing Writers Association. He previously worked as an editor and associate senior editor at a publishing house and has been a guest speaker on CCTV's Legal Forum. His long-term research focuses on the history of ancient Chinese political institutions. His writing combines institutional analysis with historical narrative, attending to the rules and human relations behind the exercise of power and often using individual cases to reveal the structures of an era. He is the author of such works as The Palace Museum: A Biography, At the Yamen Gate, and Fragile Prosperity. Seven of his books are included in the collection, among them Notable Anti-Corruption Cases of the Qing Dynasty, The Experience and Lessons of Chinese History, 1911: The End of the Monarchy, Institutions and Human Relations, and Grand Governance: A History of Chinese Political Institutions (Pre-Qin to Sui-Tang). His subjects fall mainly under history and politics, written for general readers while retaining a scholarly grounding. Public information about his dates of birth and death is limited.