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Acknowledgments
This book is the outcome of a journey that began during my undergraduate days, when I was first introduced to the maritime history of China and the wokou in the Ming dynasty. I wish to express my gratitude to Ng Chin Keong, my undergraduate supervisor, who tirelessly and patiently guided and advised me through my initial rambles among Ming documents and remained, long after that, a mentor whom I could always count on for advice and encouragement.
I also wish to extend my special thanks to Rajeswary Brown, whose constant encouragement gave me the confidence I needed to consider pursuing a graduate degree at Oxford University. Her generosity and kindness as a friend who looked out for me during my time in Oxford made my sojourn from home much easier to bear.
At Oxford, the example of rigorous scholarship provided by David Faure is, to say the least, inspirational. His relentless questioning of my preconceived notions regarding Chinese history and society has made me rethink what I thought I knew and relearn what I thought I already understood about Chinese history. To him I owe him a debt of gratitude