Contents -- Acknowledgments -- Note to Readers -- Chronology of Chinese Dynasties and Political Periods -- Introduction: A New Vision of Painting -- One. Painted Walls and Pictorial Illusions -- Two. The Study of Vision -- Three. Contemplating the Future -- Four. Peacocks and Cave- Heavens -- Five. Staging Europe -- Six. The Beauty in the Garden -- Epilogue: Illusions, Imperial and Otherwise -- Appendix: Chinese Texts -- Notes -- Glossary of Chinese Characters -- Bibliography -- Index.