Qing Research Articles

From the Mandate of Heaven to the modern state: the nation according to Wei Xiaobao

Abstract This paper analyzes the Jin Yong novel The Deer and the Cauldron through the lens of Etienne Balibar's theory of super-nationalism and supranationalism. The novel employs a pan-Asian racial ideology to expand national identity from Han Chinese to other ethnic groups (supranationalism) by introducing a racial Other, white Europeans, to unify warring groups. Simultaneously, Han culture is consistently uplifted as superior (super-nationalism). A critical sequence features the Kangxi Emperor asserting his legitimacy as the ruler of China to the protagonist Wei Xiaobao by claiming the Mandate of Heaven has passed from the Ming to the Qing dynasty. However, Han Chinese gallants and intellectuals constantly challenge his legitimacy because, as a Manchu, he is considered foreign. To resolve this issue, Wei Xiaobao begins constructing a racial national framework that includes Manchus. This paper further argues that Wei Xiaobao's moral relativism, unusual for a protagonist in martial arts fiction, enables the flexibility to redefine Chinese identity on racial grounds instead of moral or cultural. The Deer and the Cauldron illustrates the transition from the Mandate of Heaven to modern nation-state ideology in China, in the form of an irreverent martial arts fiction novel, crafted by the genre's greatest master.

The Spatial Form of the Traditional Residences of Shanxi Merchants: A Case Study of Pingyao Ancient City, China

The Shanxi merchants were one of the top ten merchant groups in Chinese history. From the Ming and Qing Dynasties to the Republic of China, they contributed significantly to the prosperity of China’s financial industry while also developing traditional residences adapted to the local living environment. Nevertheless, current research lacks a thorough investigation into how Shanxi merchant culture influenced the spatial forms of these residences. This study aimed to analyze the spatial forms of three types of Shanxi merchant residences in Pingyao Ancient City through a case study approach, exploring the factors influencing their spatial forms and their relationship with local culture. The focus is on how the shop residence, workshop residence, and courtyard residence types reflect the interplay between commercial activities and the sociocultural background through their spatial arrangements. The findings indicate a high degree of integration between commercial and residential functions, highlighting the profound impact of Shanxi merchant culture on social hierarchy and family structure. This research provides new insights into the spatial forms of Shanxi merchant residences, offering implications for the adaptive reuse of residences in modern urban planning and architectural design, as well as providing a theoretical basis and reference for the preservation and regeneration of architectural heritage.

Interpretation and Gene Extraction of Typical Patterns in Palace Costumes of the Mid Qing Dynasty

This article explores in depth the characteristics of typical patterns in mid Qing dynasty palace costumes, the problems in gene extraction, and optimization strategies. Firstly, it provides a detailed analysis of the typical pattern characteristics of mid Qing dynasty palace costumes from three aspects: pattern types and composition features, cultural and symbolic meanings, and production techniques and technological inheritance. The second point is to point out the problems faced in the process of pattern gene extraction, and propose optimization measures such as strengthening data organization and protection, deepening gene extraction and interpretation, and promoting the integration of inheritance and innovation. The aim is to provide theoretical support and practical guidance for the protection and inheritance of the pattern genes of palace costumes in the mid Qing Dynasty.

Confucian culture, public education expenditure, and economic growth

Confucian culture has been found to have significant effects on economic outcomes, yet current studies seldom delve into its impact on regional economic growth in China and the role of government behavior as a mechanism. From the perspective of government response to public demands for education, this paper examines whether Confucian culture fosters economic growth by driving up public education expenditure. Using panel data at the prefecture-level over 2003–2018 and taking the historical population density of jinshi in the Ming and Qing Dynasties as the proxy of the Confucian culture, the empirical analysis is done mainly through pooled OLS and IV analysis. Results show that Confucian culture has a significant and positive effect on economic growth, which can be partially explained by its positive influence on public education expenditure. The channel still holds after controlling human capital in regression. Further discussion of the clan culture and local governors’ cultural backgrounds suggests that higher public education expenditure results from the local government’s passive response to public demands for education. Thus, local governments are suggested to widen and improve the channels for expressing public demands and increase public education expenditure while balancing public demands and the need to boost economic growth.

Ethnic Boundaries and Identity Fluidity of Bannermen and Civilians in the Qing Dynasty

Abstract The Qing dynasty enforced a policy of separate governance for the people of the Eight Banners, ruling that bannermen were neither to be administered under the regular civilian administrative system, nor listed on the civilian register. Institutionally and legally, the labels “Banner” (qi 旗) and “civilian” (min 民) marked a fundamental divide between different social groups in the Qing. However, in actual practice, the boundary between the two was less rigid. An ambiguous area existed within the seemingly strict legal and administrative regime, providing opportunists with an abundance of loopholes to exploit. Some changed their status from “civilian commoner” to “bannermen” to acquire land, while others moved from “bannermen” status to “civilian commoner” status to pursue promotion in the civil service. Shedding light on the everyday lives of these people, this article delves into the intricate Banner–civilian classification of the Qing dynasty, with a focus on the overlapping area between the parallel systems. It aims to rectify the conventional binary perspective that strictly dichotomizes Banner and civilian status. By doing so, it highlights the multifaceted nature and diversity inherent in Qing ethnic relations and local society.

Laws of the Land: Fengshui and the State in Qing Dynasty China by Tristan G. Brown (review)

Laws of the Land: Fengshui and the State in Qing Dynasty China by Tristan G. Brown (review)

Xihuang pill suppresses breast cancer malignancy by inhibiting TGF-β signaling and acquires chemotherapy benefits

Ethnopharmacological relevanceBreast cancer (BC) has an extremely high global incidence rate. The Xihuang pill (XHP), a traditional Chinese formula, originates from Hongxu Wang's “Life-Saving Manual of Diagnosis and Treatment of External Diseases” written during the Qing Dynasty. In this book, XHP, was first suggested as an anticancer treatment for BC. However, the regulatory mechanism of XHP on BC requires further investigated. Aim of the studyTo assess the effects of XHP on BC and elucidate the underlying associated signaling network. Materials and methodsThe influence of XHP on cellular viability, proliferation, and apoptosis of MDA-MB-231 and BT-549 cells were examined. The ability to metastasize was evaluated using Transwell invasion and wound healing tests. Western blotting was used to examine the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers expression. RNA sequencing and bioinformatic analysis were utilized to investigate the regulation mechanism of XHP. A subcutaneous tumor model was developed to study the tumor-inhibitory effects of XHP or/and Doxorubicin (Dox) on BALB/c nude mice, and the EMT marker levels in tumor tissues were determined using immunohistochemical labeling. ResultsXHP demonstrated anticancer effects on BC cells by suppressing cell proliferation, inducing cellular apoptosis, and inhibiting EMT progression. XHP may regulate the EMT via the TGF-β axis, as shown by RNA sequencing and Western blotting analysis. Furthermore, the combination of XHP and Dox had a stronger therapeutic effect on BC cell proliferation, apoptosis, and metastasis in both cellular and animal models. ConclusionsWe were the first to reveal that XHP abrogated EMT progression via modulating the TGF-β axis. Furthermore, the combination therapy of XHP and Dox presents a promising novel therapeutic candidate for BC patients.

Preliminary Study on ‘Replication-Expression’ Mechanism of Traditional Hakka Walled Village Adapted to Region: A Case Study of Nanhua Village of the Qing Dynasty in Western Guangdong

Preliminary Study on ‘Replication-Expression’ Mechanism of Traditional Hakka Walled Village Adapted to Region: A Case Study of Nanhua Village of the Qing Dynasty in Western Guangdong

Domestic Space Structure and Abandonment Behavior: The Ye Family Complex at Baomei, Tong An District (Fujian, P.R. China)

Anthropological archaeology strives to recover, understand and explain past social dynamics. It relies on the uncovered material record to highlight past behavior patterns. For such a research agenda to be successful, one needs to fully understand all aspects of the processes involved in the formation of the archaeological record. It is undisputed that “Abandonment” is the condition _sine qua none_ for the formation of archaeological sites. Fieldwork conducted at the Ye Family high ranking Qing Dynasty office-holder housing complex, outlines the “use-history” of the investigated architectural complex and its adjustment to China recent contemporary history. The housing complex shifted from an initial prestigious imperial office-holder family to a “commune” housing for disadvantaged families during the cultural revolution, to be finally either progressively abandoned and/or re-cycled as storage complex. Combining informant input and field archaeology methodologies, the study of an abandoned elite traditional vernacular house provides the opportunity to decipher abandonment processes and contribute to the theoretical agenda of anthropological archaeology.

Sagang Sechen, The Precious Summary. A History of the Mongols from Chinggis Khan to the Qing Dynasty. Translated by Johan Elverskog. New York, Columbia University Press 2023

Sagang Sechen, The Precious Summary. A History of the Mongols from Chinggis Khan to the Qing Dynasty. Translated by Johan Elverskog. New York, Columbia University Press 2023

Care of the Self or Pursuit of a Better World? The Transformation of Vegetarianism in Yiguandao Discourses from the Late Qing Period to the Global COVID-19 Pandemic

Care of the Self or Pursuit of a Better World? The Transformation of Vegetarianism in Yiguandao Discourses from the Late Qing Period to the Global COVID-19 Pandemic

Analysis of the story of St. Joseph in books of Chinese western learnings of the Ming and Qing Dynasties: Focusing on Dias’ Sheng Ruose xing shi

Analysis of the story of St. Joseph in books of Chinese western learnings of the Ming and Qing Dynasties: Focusing on Dias’ Sheng Ruose xing shi

명성황후의 국정 개입 실태와 권력 행사 방식 연구 - 황후의 편지를 중심으로

As a result of classifying 146 Korean letters written by Empress Myeongseong, the contents regarding Empress’ involvement in personnel issues and overall state affairs, letters concerning international issues while understanding trends of Qing, and letters that attempted to eavesdrop on the Daewongun’s trends and news account for 63% of the total letters. As for characteristics, first, the Empress’s letters were mainly written from immediately after the Im-O Military Revolt in 1882 to the period when the Donghak Peasant Revolution broke out in 1894. Second, the Empress indiscriminately intervened in personnel issues including major central government posts, local government posts. The Empress received requests combined with money through Min Yeong-so and people around him, and then consulted with Emperor Gojong to decide and inform the positions and approvals of such posts. The Empress’s way of exercising her power was limited and could only be done with Emperor Gojong’s consent, permission, and implicit agreement. Third, the empress was very sensitive to political issues enough to receive the petitions submitted to the court on the same day. Fourth, the empress maintained conflicting relationship with Daewongun amid tensions over power. Fifth, Empress Myeongseong also quickly understood and responded to the international situation surrounding Joseon. She observed the movements of people such as Yuan Shikai, Li Hongzhang, Ma Jianzhong, and Wang Shichang, and tried to analyze immediate political situations by keeping track of major events in the Qing Dynasty. Sixth, the empress provided the information and data she had earned to her family, the Min clan so that they could use them as guidelines for their actions, while she was very anxious to stabilize the Gojong regime.

조선 후기 <해도(蟹圖)> 연구 - 조선시대 게 그림

Crab paintings referred to as Haedo(蟹圖) were mainly drawn with auspicious meanings such as congratulations on passing the state examination. Its origins date back to the Five Dynasties and Northern Song periods in China, and Haedo became popular during the Ming Dynasty when Wu or Wumen School, including Shen Zhou and Xu Wei, started drawing them in the style of literary painting. Literary style Haedo refers to a crab painting with poetic sentiment produced by an ink-and- wash/boneless brush technique for the light-and-shade effect; it greatly influenced East Asian Haedo from the Qing Dynasty of China to modern times and even to Joseon. Exactly when Haedo was first introduced into Korea is unknown, but it is thought that crabs were drawn along with various fish icons at the latest during the Goryeo Dynasty. However, Haedo was drawn in earnest after the introduction of the literary style Haedo during the Ming Dynasty, and painters representing the late Joseon Dynasty, such as Kim In-gwan, Shim Sa-jeong, Choi Buk, and Kim Hong-do, enjoyed drawing them. In particular, Kim Hong-do left behind many works with strong pictorial qualities by adding original elements under the influence of Xu Wei, which greatly influenced the paintings of later painters. Popular throughout the late Joseon Dynasty, the literary style Haedo expanded as far as folk paintings, and the tradition was passed down from the late Joseon Dynasty to modern times. Meanwhile, apart from how the literary style Haedo was developed, a new style of realistically depicting the subject with fine brushes, intertwined with various social and cultural backgrounds, was attempted by Jang Han-jong, a painter at the Dohwaseo (court painting institution), in the 19th century. Jang Han-jong accurately captured the appearance and ecology of each fish species with a hyper-realistic painting style based on detailed sketches that were even reminiscent of a collection of illustrations, and he also created fish and crab paintings in the form of folding screens, which inspired later painters.

Financial Innovation in East-West Trade in Ming and Qing Dynasties

Financial Innovation in East-West Trade in Ming and Qing Dynasties

Spatial Expansion, Planning, and Their Influences on the Urban Landscape of Christian Churches in Canton (1582–1732 and 1844–1911)

Canton (present-day Guangzhou, China) has a long history as a trading port and serves as a window for studying the history of Sino-Western cultural exchanges. Canton was a city built under Confucian orders, leading to significant differences (when compared to Christian cities) in urban functional zoning, layout, urban landscape, and methods for shaping spatial order. Therefore, the churches constructed by Christian missionary societies in Canton merit particular attention in missionary history research and urban planning history. Based on local gazetteers, historical maps, export paintings, Western travelogues, and archives at that time, from a cultural landscape perspective, this article compares and analyzes the spatial expansion of Christian churches and their influences on the urban landscape in Canton in two stages. In the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, the spatial layout of the churches indicated an active integration into Canton City. After the Opium War, churches were not only used for religious purposes but also served as symbols asserting the presence of Christians and Western powers (which made the situation more complicated). Missionary societies attracted believers through the construction of public facilities, building Christian communities centered around churches, thereby competing with authorities for spatial power and influencing the urban functional system and spatial layout controlled by the authorities. Comparatively, the Roman Catholic Cathedral has profoundly changed the traditional landscape order in Canton, while the Protestant Dongshan Church interacted more closely with the city.

Analysis and Research on the Turning Points in the Development of Chinese and Western Civilizations

The 17th century was a significant stage in global history, with the West ushering in the Scientific Revolution and the rise of Enlightenment thinking, and China experiencing the transformations of the Ming and Qing dynasties. These advances have had a profound impact on the development of contemporary society. However, most of the existing studies focus on a single civilization, and there are fewer comprehensive studies on the interaction between Chinese and Western civilizations. The study examines the development of civilisation in ancient China and the West (Europe) through the analysis of existing historical data on China and the West and compares the performance of civilisation in China in the 17th century with that of the West during the same period through a horizontal comparison of the historical processes of the Middle Ages, including the change of polity, the development of the economic system, and the way of education. The results show that China's level of civilisation was higher than that of the West before the 17th century, but the West's civilisation gradually surpassed China's after that. Despite the different paths and speeds of development between China and the West, the turning point in the 17th century had a profound impact on the course of world history (turning point: the 17th century, when China's civilisational development gradually lagged behind that of the West, i.e. the West's entry into a capitalist society).

Research on the art and folk meaning of wedding clothes in Shanxi in the Qing Dynasty

Research on the art and folk meaning of wedding clothes in Shanxi in the Qing Dynasty

Chartalism in Ancient China: A Retrospective of Monetary Thought

Abstract Chartalism is an influential and continuous tradition of monetary thought in ancient China. It dates back to the earliest Chinese text on monetary thought and continued into the Qing Dynasty. A vast body of related literature can be found across ancient Chinese dynasties. Chartalism in ancient China had the following main propositions. First, money originated as an invention of ancient monarchs and is a creature of the state. The second is the nominal theory of money: useless metal can function as money and become a tool of state intervention in the economy through state support. Third, the right to issue money should be monopolized by the state; otherwise, the state's monetary policy will be interfered with by other currencies. Fourth, an important monetary policy is the government's buying and selling of commodities countercyclically by issuing and receiving money, thus stabilizing prices. Fifth, the circulation process of sovereign money consists of two parts: the state's minting of coins (or issuing of paper money) and spending are the outflow of money, and levying monetary taxes (or selling goods) is the inflow of money. The state stabilizes the value of money by intervening in the circulation process.

The Christian interpretations on the nature of heaven’s mandate in late Ming and early Qing dynasties

This paper aims to examine in detail the Christian interpretations on the Confucian concept of the nature of the heaven’s mandate [天命之性] during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties from historical and textual perspective. Neo-Confucians of the Song Dynasty interpret the nature of the heaven’s mandate as human nature, believing that heaven endowed humans with reason, known as the heavenly principle [天理]. In the late Ming period, Christian missionaries such as Jesuits in China used Confucian classics to convey Christian thoughts, interpreting the heaven’s mandate as God’s mandate and the nature of the heaven’s mandate as the spirituality bestowed by God, which is equated with the soul. They also used the nature of the heaven’s mandate as a criterion for determining the authenticity of a teaching (religion[教]), asserting that Christianity is the true teaching (religion). Thus, Christianity in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties provides a new interpretation on the nature of the heaven’s mandate and promotes the integration of Christian and Confucian thoughts through this interpretation.Contribution: The paper provides a detailed review of the history of Christian interpretations on the nature of the heaven’s mandate during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. Currently, there is limited scholarly research on the theological thoughts of Christianity during this period. This study not only enhances the understanding of the new interpretations by Christianity but also aids in comprehending the theological ideas of Christianity during the late Ming and early Qing periods. By reinterpreting Confucian classics, Christianity endowed them with new meanings, offering valuable references for the localisation of Christian theology and the study of cross-cultural exchange.