Ray Huang

Ray Huang (黃仁宇, June 25, 1918 – January 8, 2000) was a Chinese-American historian renowned for his "macrohistory" (大歷史) approach to Chinese history. His work emphasized long-term trends and broad structural patterns, rather than focusing on individual events or personalities.

Huang received his B.A. from Lingnan University in Canton and served in the Chinese Nationalist Army during World War II. After the war, he came to the United States and eventually earned a Ph.D. in History from the University of Michigan in 1964.

His most influential work is arguably 1587, A Year of No Significance: The Ming Dynasty in Decline, which examines the seemingly uneventful year of 1587 to illuminate the underlying structural weaknesses that ultimately led to the fall of the Ming Dynasty. He argued that the Ming state suffered from a lack of quantified management and an inability to adapt to changing circumstances.

Huang's other significant works include China: A Macro History, which provides a broad overview of Chinese history from a macrohistorical perspective, and his autobiography, From a Chinese Village. He taught at various universities, including the State University of New York at New Paltz, before retiring to New York City, where he continued to write until his death. His work continues to be influential in the study of Chinese history and in the development of macrohistorical analysis. He is credited with popularizing a more holistic view of history that emphasizes the interconnectedness of political, economic, and social factors.