Yiwen Li teaches history and cultural heritage at City University of Hong Kong.
'A fascinating study of how politics, religion, and economic developments were intertwined in ancient and medieval Japan and China. Through skilful analysis of texts and archaeological discoveries, Networks of Faith and Profit reveals the importance of monks and monasteries in Sino-Japanese exchanges. Highly recommended.' Thomas D. Conlan, Princeton University 'By shedding light on the networks of Buddhist monks and merchants who nourished vital connections between China and Japan while the two countries suspended diplomatic relations, Li's book offers a novel contribution to topical issues in pre-modern world history: the synergy and rivalry between religious and commercial elites and between state-sponsored and informal trading organizations.' Francesca Trivellato, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton University 'In this path breaking study of Sino-Japanese maritime encounters from the ninth to the fifteenth century, Li Yiwen utilizes both Chinese and Japanese archival sources to illustrate how the intersection of Buddhist faith and commercial profit inspired private networks of monks and merchants who conveyed goods, ideas, and information between the continent and the archipelago.' Richard von Glahn, University of California, Los Angeles