Du Hongtao 杜洪濤, Shugu fengyan: Mingdai Liaodong de weisuo tizhi yu junshi shehui 戍鼓烽煙: 明代遼東的衛所體制與軍事社會 (War Drum and Beacon Fire: Garrison System and Military Society in Ming Liaodong): Shanghai: Shanghai Classics Publishing House, 2021. 350 pp. RMB 98.00 (paperback). ISBN: 9787573200396

"War Drum and Beacon Fire: Garrison System and Military Society in Ming Liaodong" by Du Hongtao explores the establishment and evolution of the garrison system in Liaodong, a crucial region in the Ming dynasty's defense against external threats. The book challenges previous portrayals of the garrison system as a failing institution and instead highlights its impact on Liaodong's military society throughout the dynasty. The author also examines the social dimensions of the garrison system, shedding light on the experiences of individuals within this military society. The book provides valuable insights into the history of late imperial China and its military governance. [Extracted from the article]