Hui Wang

The Liao Dynasty: A History of China, PART ONE, takes you deep into the untamed world of the Khitan people, where eight powerful tribes-known as the Khitan Eight Divisions-roamed the vast grasslands. You'll see how they fought, bargained, and finally united under one banner, setting the stage for the birth of an empire that would stand toe-to-toe with the great powers of its time. This isn't just history-it's the story of a nation forged in fire, ambition, and grit. From there, the drama only grows. You'll ride alongside the formidable Emperor Taizu as he founds the Liao state, outsmarting rivals and reshaping the political map. You'll meet the legendary "Severed-Wrist Empress," whose shocking act of sacrifice and unshakable resolve cemented her place in Khitan lore. And you'll be drawn into the tangled intrigue of royal bloodlines, including the bizarre and politically charged episode known as "Seeking Out One's Father." The story sweeps you into the heart of the empire's boldest gambits-like when the Liao seized control of the Central Plains, holding power in lands once ruled by Chinese dynasties. But power is never simple. You'll witness the bitter "Grandfather and Grandson Power Struggle," where family ties meant little in the race for the throne, and watch the chaos unleashed by rebellious princes who dared to challenge the ruling line. Not all rulers left the same mark. Step into the court of the infamous "Sleeping King" Muzong, whose reign of indulgence and neglect nearly pulled the empire apart. Then feel the shift as Emperor Jingzong takes the throne, sparking a period known as the Jingzong Revival. With the help of sharp-minded advisers and bold reforms, he worked to restore strength, stability, and pride to the Liao realm.

The Western Xia Dynasty: A History of China takes you on a journey through the lost empire of the Tanguts - a people who carved out a kingdom amid the deserts and mountain passes of northwest China. This is the tale of the visionaries who shaped that rise: Li Jiqian, the restless spark who set the Tangut world in motion; Li Deming, the steady hand who consolidated power and laid the foundations; and, at the center, Li Yuanhao - the audacious ruler who proclaimed the Great Xia and etched his name alongside the great powers of his age, most notably the Song and the Liao (and whose realm, in later generations, would also contend with the Jin). You'll ride into desperate fights over narrow mountain passes, witness the fall of frontier strongholds, and feel the taut diplomacy when emissaries met to seal the 1044 peace treaty between Song and Western Xia. Along the way, spycraft, steel, and bloodlines tangle together - where loyalty and betrayal walk hand in hand. Every clash, every oath, and every secret in the court of Western Xia reveals how fragile power can be. As the pages turn, you'll meet Emperor Yizong and Huizong - rulers who guided the realm through storms and renewal - and another ruler often called Renzong, whose reign is remembered for dazzling achievements and, in some accounts, the dark Ren Dejing plot. The book plunges into Western Xia's golden age, when culture, art, and religion (notably the flowering of Tangut Buddhist culture and the creation of the Tangut script) reached dazzling heights even as the empire's future grew uncertain. I've always been drawn to history's hidden corners - and few stories are as haunting as that of the Younger Empress Dowager, who pulled strings from behind the veil, or the Tangut generals who faced impossible choices on the empire's farthest frontiers. Their courage, ambition, and heartbreak echo through every chapter, reminding us how human those distant centuries really were. By the time you walk through the ruins of the White City and across the Black Sands, you will have traveled two hundred years of lost glory - from Li Jiqian's first raised banner to the last desperate defenders of Western Xia. This isn't merely a history book; it's a journey straight into the beating heart of an empire that refused to be forgotten.

This book highlights the basic theories and technical principles of the synthetic aperture radar (SAR), aiming to bridge theories and applications for readers. Supported by the practical experience of the author's dedicated research, this book also constructs the SAR theoretical system from multiple perspectives. The synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is a weather-independent microwave remote sensing device that involves a number of multidisciplinary fields such as signal processing and image information processing. Written by experts in remote sensing and signal processing, the book explains the signal echo modeling, imaging principles and algorithms, image quality control methods, and image applications. Readers are provided with concise descriptions of commonly used imaging algorithms for SAR in multiple regimes, modes, and applications, including the Range Doppler Algorithm (RDA) and the Frequency Scaling Algorithm (FSA). Continuous wave/pulse regime SAR technology, inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) technology, digital beam forming (DBF), interferometry, and moving target detection methods are discussed in detail. The book is a must-read and comprehensive reference for researchers and engineers engaged in the R&D of the SAR and for graduate students interested in the field.