Victor Cunrui Xiong received his Ph. D. in Asian History from Australian National University (1989), taught history at the University of Iowa, and is at present professor of history at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan.Among his numerous publications are two monographs, "Sui-Tang Chang'an: A Study in the Urban History of Medieval China" (U of Michigan) and "Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty: His Life, Times, and Legacy" (SUNY), and "Historical Dictionary of Medieval China" (Scarecrow). His annotated translation of the 8th century Chinese masterpiece on historiography, the "Shitong," will be published by U of Wash. Press.He also appears in a documentary by NHNZ and Discovery Channel entitled "Man Made Marvels: China's Forgotten City," which is in part based on his book on Chang'an.His first novel, "Heavenly Khan: Biography of Emperor Tang Taizong (Li Shimin)," was published in 2014 (http://www.airitipress.com/bookedm.aspx?PublicationID=201504300001).