The completion of this book could not have been possible, had it not been for
the unswerving support of innumerable individuals. First of all, I deeply appreciate the great assistance and sincere encouragement of my colleagues and
friends: Eric Ziolkowski, David Jasper, Andrew Hass, Heather Walton, Wallace
Sher-shiueh Li, Lai Chi Tim, David Der-wei Wang, Li Wai-yee, James Robson,
Stephen Teiser, Philip Clart, Chloë Starr, Cindy Yik-yi Chu, Wong Man Kong,
Ying Fuk Tsang, Song Gang, and Song Lihua. My sincere gratitude is extended
to the two anonymous reviewers who offered their endorsement and insightful comments for improving the logical argumentation and overall structure
of the book. I am truly grateful to John Tai, Victor Ali, Ted Hui, Li Cong, Wang
Zhixi, and Isaac Wong for their meticulous proofreading and constructive
comments on the language and style of the manuscript. I would also like to
thank Tessa Schild, of Brill, for her editorial professionalism in facilitating the
process of reviews and publication.