Officialdom Unmasked

Officialdom Unmasked

Author: T.L. Yang

Publisher: Hong Kong University Press

Published: 2001-06-01

Total Pages: 647

ISBN-13: 9622095437

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It has been said that the downfall of the Qing dynasty was due not so much to the 1911 Revolution as to the pervasive corruption and weakness within the Qing administration. The regime was rotting from within, and it did not take much to topple the three-hundred-year-old dynasty. Officialdom Unmasked (官場現形記) was written by Li Boyuan in the early years of the twentieth century as the dynasty crumbled. Bizarre though they may seem, the stories told in the novel are based on true stories. From senior ministers to junior clerks, few were immune from taking bribes, stealing, philandering, dereliction of duty, or other wrongdoings. Here the writer portrays an official class who placed their selfish interests above that of the state, and who were so devoid of any moral rectitude that one could but wonder how a once mighty empire had fallen into so complete a decline. Unlike most satires, often written with a degree of humour which evoke a chuckle here and there, this work came from a broken heart; it brings only tears, not smiles.


Book Synopsis Officialdom Unmasked by : T.L. Yang

Download or read book Officialdom Unmasked written by T.L. Yang and published by Hong Kong University Press. This book was released on 2001-06-01 with total page 647 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It has been said that the downfall of the Qing dynasty was due not so much to the 1911 Revolution as to the pervasive corruption and weakness within the Qing administration. The regime was rotting from within, and it did not take much to topple the three-hundred-year-old dynasty. Officialdom Unmasked (官場現形記) was written by Li Boyuan in the early years of the twentieth century as the dynasty crumbled. Bizarre though they may seem, the stories told in the novel are based on true stories. From senior ministers to junior clerks, few were immune from taking bribes, stealing, philandering, dereliction of duty, or other wrongdoings. Here the writer portrays an official class who placed their selfish interests above that of the state, and who were so devoid of any moral rectitude that one could but wonder how a once mighty empire had fallen into so complete a decline. Unlike most satires, often written with a degree of humour which evoke a chuckle here and there, this work came from a broken heart; it brings only tears, not smiles.

Merry Laughter and Angry Curses

Merry Laughter and Angry Curses

Author: Juan Wang

Publisher: UBC Press

Published: 2012-10-23

Total Pages: 248

ISBN-13: 0774823410

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The end of the Qing dynasty in China saw an unprecedented explosion of print journalism. By the turn of the twentieth century, not only had Chinese-owned newspapers become more influential than anyone could have anticipated, but it was the supposedly frivolous xiaobao, the “little” or “minor” papers, that captivated and empowered the public. Merry Laughter and Angry Curses reveals how the late-Qing-era tabloid press became the voice of the people. As periodical publishing reached a fever pitch, tabloids had free rein to criticize officials, mock the elite, and scandalize readers. Tabloid writers produced a massive amount of anti-establishment literature, whose distinctive humour and satirical style were both potent and popular. This book shows the tabloid community to be both a producer of meanings and a participant in the social and cultural dialogue that would shake the foundations of imperial China and lead to the 1911 Republican Revolution.


Book Synopsis Merry Laughter and Angry Curses by : Juan Wang

Download or read book Merry Laughter and Angry Curses written by Juan Wang and published by UBC Press. This book was released on 2012-10-23 with total page 248 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The end of the Qing dynasty in China saw an unprecedented explosion of print journalism. By the turn of the twentieth century, not only had Chinese-owned newspapers become more influential than anyone could have anticipated, but it was the supposedly frivolous xiaobao, the “little” or “minor” papers, that captivated and empowered the public. Merry Laughter and Angry Curses reveals how the late-Qing-era tabloid press became the voice of the people. As periodical publishing reached a fever pitch, tabloids had free rein to criticize officials, mock the elite, and scandalize readers. Tabloid writers produced a massive amount of anti-establishment literature, whose distinctive humour and satirical style were both potent and popular. This book shows the tabloid community to be both a producer of meanings and a participant in the social and cultural dialogue that would shake the foundations of imperial China and lead to the 1911 Republican Revolution.

Concise Reader of Chinese Literature History

Concise Reader of Chinese Literature History

Author: Yuejin Liu

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2023-10-26

Total Pages: 566

ISBN-13: 9819958148

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This book includes the history of Chinese literature before 1949. It firstly outlines the development process of Chinese literature and basic features and then discusses them according to the literary genre, for the literature of each era. This book gathers established scholars in the field and presents their latest research in the Chinese literature history studies. Moreover, it has included the literature history of different nationalities in the history of China and the records of folk literature history, reflecting literature from different classes. In the limited space of this book, the writers who have been loved by the Chinese people for three thousand years are discussed, such as Qu Yuan, Tao Yuanming, Li Bai, Du Fu, Su Shi, Xin Qiji, Yuan Haowen, Nalan Xingde, and so on. Careful elaborations are made on each writer together with quotations and analysis of their work.


Book Synopsis Concise Reader of Chinese Literature History by : Yuejin Liu

Download or read book Concise Reader of Chinese Literature History written by Yuejin Liu and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2023-10-26 with total page 566 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book includes the history of Chinese literature before 1949. It firstly outlines the development process of Chinese literature and basic features and then discusses them according to the literary genre, for the literature of each era. This book gathers established scholars in the field and presents their latest research in the Chinese literature history studies. Moreover, it has included the literature history of different nationalities in the history of China and the records of folk literature history, reflecting literature from different classes. In the limited space of this book, the writers who have been loved by the Chinese people for three thousand years are discussed, such as Qu Yuan, Tao Yuanming, Li Bai, Du Fu, Su Shi, Xin Qiji, Yuan Haowen, Nalan Xingde, and so on. Careful elaborations are made on each writer together with quotations and analysis of their work.

The Oxford Handbook of Chinese Cinemas

The Oxford Handbook of Chinese Cinemas

Author: Carlos Rojas

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2013-04-25

Total Pages: 730

ISBN-13: 019976560X

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What does it mean for a cinematic work to be "Chinese"? Does it refer specifically to a work's subject, or does it also reflect considerations of language, ethnicity, nationality, ideology, or political orientation? Such questions make any single approach to a vast field like "Chinese cinema" difficult at best. Accordingly, The Oxford Handbook of Chinese Cinemas situates the term more broadly among various different phases, genres, and distinct national configurations, while taking care to address the consequences of grouping together so many disparate histories under a single banner. Offering both a platform for cross-disciplinary dialogue and a mapping of Chinese cinema as an expanded field, this Handbook presents thirty-three essays by leading researchers and scholars intent on yielding new insights and new analyses using three different methodologies. Chapters in Part I investigate the historical periodizations of the field through changing notions of national and political identity — all the way from the industry's beginnings in the 1920s up to its current forms in contemporary Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the global diaspora. Chapters in Part II feature studies centered on the field's taxonomical formalities, including such topics as the role of the Chinese opera in technological innovation, the political logic of the "Maoist film," and the psychoanalytic formula of the kung fu action film. Finally, in Part III, focus is given to the structural elements that comprise a work's production, distribution, and reception to reveal the broader cinematic apparatuses within which these works are positioned. Taken together, the multipronged approach supports a wider platform beyond the geopolitical and linguistic limitations in existing scholarship. Expertly edited to illustrate a representative set of up to date topics and approaches, The Oxford Handbook of Chinese Cinemas provides a vital addition to a burgeoning field still in its formative stages.


Book Synopsis The Oxford Handbook of Chinese Cinemas by : Carlos Rojas

Download or read book The Oxford Handbook of Chinese Cinemas written by Carlos Rojas and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2013-04-25 with total page 730 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What does it mean for a cinematic work to be "Chinese"? Does it refer specifically to a work's subject, or does it also reflect considerations of language, ethnicity, nationality, ideology, or political orientation? Such questions make any single approach to a vast field like "Chinese cinema" difficult at best. Accordingly, The Oxford Handbook of Chinese Cinemas situates the term more broadly among various different phases, genres, and distinct national configurations, while taking care to address the consequences of grouping together so many disparate histories under a single banner. Offering both a platform for cross-disciplinary dialogue and a mapping of Chinese cinema as an expanded field, this Handbook presents thirty-three essays by leading researchers and scholars intent on yielding new insights and new analyses using three different methodologies. Chapters in Part I investigate the historical periodizations of the field through changing notions of national and political identity — all the way from the industry's beginnings in the 1920s up to its current forms in contemporary Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the global diaspora. Chapters in Part II feature studies centered on the field's taxonomical formalities, including such topics as the role of the Chinese opera in technological innovation, the political logic of the "Maoist film," and the psychoanalytic formula of the kung fu action film. Finally, in Part III, focus is given to the structural elements that comprise a work's production, distribution, and reception to reveal the broader cinematic apparatuses within which these works are positioned. Taken together, the multipronged approach supports a wider platform beyond the geopolitical and linguistic limitations in existing scholarship. Expertly edited to illustrate a representative set of up to date topics and approaches, The Oxford Handbook of Chinese Cinemas provides a vital addition to a burgeoning field still in its formative stages.

Proceedings of the 2023 5th International Conference on Literature, Art and Human Development (ICLAHD 2023)

Proceedings of the 2023 5th International Conference on Literature, Art and Human Development (ICLAHD 2023)

Author: Elisabetta Marino

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2023-12-29

Total Pages: 1199

ISBN-13: 2384761706

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This is an open access book. The 5th International Conference on Literature, Art and Human Development (ICLAHD 2023) was held on October 20-22, 2023 in Chengdu, China. Literature is an art that reflects the social life and expresses the author's thoughts and feelings by shaping images with language as the means. Art is a social ideology that uses images to reflect reality but is more typical than reality. It includes literature, painting, sculpture, architecture, music and so on. Literature is one of the forms of expression belonging to art. Literature and art are difficult to separate by a clear boundary, but also for people to create more infinite imagination space. ICLAHD 2023 is to bring together innovative academics and industrial experts in the field of Literature, Art and Human Development research to a common forum. The primary goal of the conference is to promote research and developmental activities in Literature, Art and Human Development research and another goal is to promote scientific information interchange between researchers, developers, engineers, students, and practitioners working all around the world. The conference will be held every year to make it an ideal platform for people to share views and experiences in Literature, Art and Human Development research and related areas.


Book Synopsis Proceedings of the 2023 5th International Conference on Literature, Art and Human Development (ICLAHD 2023) by : Elisabetta Marino

Download or read book Proceedings of the 2023 5th International Conference on Literature, Art and Human Development (ICLAHD 2023) written by Elisabetta Marino and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2023-12-29 with total page 1199 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is an open access book. The 5th International Conference on Literature, Art and Human Development (ICLAHD 2023) was held on October 20-22, 2023 in Chengdu, China. Literature is an art that reflects the social life and expresses the author's thoughts and feelings by shaping images with language as the means. Art is a social ideology that uses images to reflect reality but is more typical than reality. It includes literature, painting, sculpture, architecture, music and so on. Literature is one of the forms of expression belonging to art. Literature and art are difficult to separate by a clear boundary, but also for people to create more infinite imagination space. ICLAHD 2023 is to bring together innovative academics and industrial experts in the field of Literature, Art and Human Development research to a common forum. The primary goal of the conference is to promote research and developmental activities in Literature, Art and Human Development research and another goal is to promote scientific information interchange between researchers, developers, engineers, students, and practitioners working all around the world. The conference will be held every year to make it an ideal platform for people to share views and experiences in Literature, Art and Human Development research and related areas.

Qing Dynasty清代 Story 26-50 V2020

Qing Dynasty清代 Story 26-50 V2020

Author: DAVID YAO

Publisher: Legoo Mandarin

Published: 2020-11-01

Total Pages:

ISBN-13:

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This book is one of the Chinese Culture Story Series. The whole set of Chinese Culture Stories Series, 41 books @ $ 2.4/BOOK ONLY!, 1050 articles, 18 categories. Chinese-English bilingual, Detailed explanations and expansions of Vocabularies, Perfect for HSK 4-6, IGCSE Chinese, IB Chinese & School extra readings. Find the QR code on the first page for the best price for the whole set of books. New launching BEST price at http://edeo.biz/26749 The Qing dynasty, officially the Great Qing, was the last imperial dynasty of China. It was established in 1636, and ruled China proper from 1644 to 1912. It was preceded by the Ming dynasty and succeeded by the Republic of China. The dynasty was founded by the Manchu Aisin Gioro clan in Manchuria. (Wikipedia) Qing Dynasty清代 Story 26-50 V2020 -- HSK Chinese History Story Intermediate Reading Chinese History Story中国历史故事 Volume 13/14 Contents 26 序编 Preface 1 序言 2 Preface 2 序言 3 Preface 3 27 林则徐和禁烟节 Lin Ze Xu and Opium Prohibition Day 28 鸦片战争 Opium War 29 魏源与-海国图志 Wei Yuan-The Plan for a Maritime Nation 30 英法联军 Anglo-French Alliance 31 火烧圆明园 The Burning of Imperial Gardens 32 慈禧太后和辛酉政变 Empress Dowager Cixi and Xin-you Coup 33 洪秀全与太平天国 Hong Xiuquan and Taiping Heavenly Kingdom 34 曾国藩与湘军 Zeng Guofan and Xiang militia 35 捻乱 The Nien bandits 36 同治中兴 Tong Zhi Restoration 37 天津教案 The Tian Jin Massacre 38 曾纪泽与中俄伊犁交涉 Zeng Jize handling of the negotiations between China and Russia over Yili 39 黑旗军刘永福与中法战争 Black Banner Regiment Liu Yongfu and the Sino-French War 40 刘铭传与台湾建设 Liu Mingchuan and Taiwan’s development 129 识人用人 Know people and employ people 41 中日甲午战争 First Sino-Japanese War 42 台湾抗日 Taiwan Anti-Japanese resistance 43 公车上书 The Official Carriage Memorial 44 百日维新 Hundred-Day Reform 45 儒林外史 The Scholars 官场现形记 46 光绪皇帝的瀛台落日 Emperor Guangxu's Yingtai sunset 47 义和团 The Boxer Rebellion 48 八国联军和辛丑和约 Siege of the International Legations and Boxer Protocol 八国联军之役 Siege of the International Legations 49 华人移民美国的开始 The beginning of Chinese immigration to the United States 50 美国排华运动 The Anti-Chinese Movement in American


Book Synopsis Qing Dynasty清代 Story 26-50 V2020 by : DAVID YAO

Download or read book Qing Dynasty清代 Story 26-50 V2020 written by DAVID YAO and published by Legoo Mandarin. This book was released on 2020-11-01 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is one of the Chinese Culture Story Series. The whole set of Chinese Culture Stories Series, 41 books @ $ 2.4/BOOK ONLY!, 1050 articles, 18 categories. Chinese-English bilingual, Detailed explanations and expansions of Vocabularies, Perfect for HSK 4-6, IGCSE Chinese, IB Chinese & School extra readings. Find the QR code on the first page for the best price for the whole set of books. New launching BEST price at http://edeo.biz/26749 The Qing dynasty, officially the Great Qing, was the last imperial dynasty of China. It was established in 1636, and ruled China proper from 1644 to 1912. It was preceded by the Ming dynasty and succeeded by the Republic of China. The dynasty was founded by the Manchu Aisin Gioro clan in Manchuria. (Wikipedia) Qing Dynasty清代 Story 26-50 V2020 -- HSK Chinese History Story Intermediate Reading Chinese History Story中国历史故事 Volume 13/14 Contents 26 序编 Preface 1 序言 2 Preface 2 序言 3 Preface 3 27 林则徐和禁烟节 Lin Ze Xu and Opium Prohibition Day 28 鸦片战争 Opium War 29 魏源与-海国图志 Wei Yuan-The Plan for a Maritime Nation 30 英法联军 Anglo-French Alliance 31 火烧圆明园 The Burning of Imperial Gardens 32 慈禧太后和辛酉政变 Empress Dowager Cixi and Xin-you Coup 33 洪秀全与太平天国 Hong Xiuquan and Taiping Heavenly Kingdom 34 曾国藩与湘军 Zeng Guofan and Xiang militia 35 捻乱 The Nien bandits 36 同治中兴 Tong Zhi Restoration 37 天津教案 The Tian Jin Massacre 38 曾纪泽与中俄伊犁交涉 Zeng Jize handling of the negotiations between China and Russia over Yili 39 黑旗军刘永福与中法战争 Black Banner Regiment Liu Yongfu and the Sino-French War 40 刘铭传与台湾建设 Liu Mingchuan and Taiwan’s development 129 识人用人 Know people and employ people 41 中日甲午战争 First Sino-Japanese War 42 台湾抗日 Taiwan Anti-Japanese resistance 43 公车上书 The Official Carriage Memorial 44 百日维新 Hundred-Day Reform 45 儒林外史 The Scholars 官场现形记 46 光绪皇帝的瀛台落日 Emperor Guangxu's Yingtai sunset 47 义和团 The Boxer Rebellion 48 八国联军和辛丑和约 Siege of the International Legations and Boxer Protocol 八国联军之役 Siege of the International Legations 49 华人移民美国的开始 The beginning of Chinese immigration to the United States 50 美国排华运动 The Anti-Chinese Movement in American

After Empire

After Empire

Author: Peter Zarrow

Publisher: Stanford University Press

Published: 2012-03-28

Total Pages: 413

ISBN-13: 0804781877

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From 1885–1924, China underwent a period of acute political struggle and cultural change, brought on by a radical change in thought: after over 2,000 years of monarchical rule, the Chinese people stopped believing in the emperor. These forty years saw the collapse of Confucian political orthodoxy and the struggle among competing definitions of modern citizenship and the state. What made it possible to suddenly imagine a world without the emperor? After Empire traces the formation of the modern Chinese idea of the state through the radical reform programs of the late Qing (1885–1911), the Revolution of 1911, and the first years of the Republic through the final expulsion of the last emperor of the Qing from the Forbidden City in 1924. It contributes to longstanding debates on modern Chinese nationalism by highlighting the evolving ideas of major political thinkers and the views reflected in the general political culture. Zarrow uses a wide range of sources to show how "statism" became a hegemonic discourse that continues to shape China today. Essential to this process were the notions of citizenship and sovereignty, which were consciously adopted and modified from Western discourses on legal theory and international state practices on the basis of Chinese needs and understandings. This text provides fresh interpretations and keen insights into China's pivotal transition from dynasty to republic.


Book Synopsis After Empire by : Peter Zarrow

Download or read book After Empire written by Peter Zarrow and published by Stanford University Press. This book was released on 2012-03-28 with total page 413 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From 1885–1924, China underwent a period of acute political struggle and cultural change, brought on by a radical change in thought: after over 2,000 years of monarchical rule, the Chinese people stopped believing in the emperor. These forty years saw the collapse of Confucian political orthodoxy and the struggle among competing definitions of modern citizenship and the state. What made it possible to suddenly imagine a world without the emperor? After Empire traces the formation of the modern Chinese idea of the state through the radical reform programs of the late Qing (1885–1911), the Revolution of 1911, and the first years of the Republic through the final expulsion of the last emperor of the Qing from the Forbidden City in 1924. It contributes to longstanding debates on modern Chinese nationalism by highlighting the evolving ideas of major political thinkers and the views reflected in the general political culture. Zarrow uses a wide range of sources to show how "statism" became a hegemonic discourse that continues to shape China today. Essential to this process were the notions of citizenship and sovereignty, which were consciously adopted and modified from Western discourses on legal theory and international state practices on the basis of Chinese needs and understandings. This text provides fresh interpretations and keen insights into China's pivotal transition from dynasty to republic.

The Cultural Roots of Strategic Intelligence

The Cultural Roots of Strategic Intelligence

Author: Gino LaPaglia

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Published: 2019-11-20

Total Pages: 265

ISBN-13: 1498588328

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Strategic Intelligence is a form of meaning that promises the possibility of strategic advantage, dignity, the achievement of objective, and the fulfillment of potential in hostile environments. In The Cultural Roots of Strategic Intelligence Gino LaPaglia demonstrates that the strategic aspect of reason—arising in human experience, encoded as value, and born by culture as a strategic resource—has been encoded as values that have been memorialized in culturally authoritative sources in various Eurasian cultures for thousands of years. These sources have validated a strategic orientation in the world, legitimized the strategist as a heroic identity, and transmitted a coherent world view that enables the practitioner of strategy to overcome asymmetric threat. By excavating the provenance of strategic thought expressed in the cultural identity of the strategist in the most culturally authoritative mythological, literary, philosophical and religious sources, and excavating the underlying strategic values expressed in cultural products, LaPaglia demonstrates that the strategic aspect of human rationality is one of the most basic structural dynamics of human meaning, and that the transmission of this strategic way of being and acting in the world offers hope for life’s underdogs.


Book Synopsis The Cultural Roots of Strategic Intelligence by : Gino LaPaglia

Download or read book The Cultural Roots of Strategic Intelligence written by Gino LaPaglia and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2019-11-20 with total page 265 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Strategic Intelligence is a form of meaning that promises the possibility of strategic advantage, dignity, the achievement of objective, and the fulfillment of potential in hostile environments. In The Cultural Roots of Strategic Intelligence Gino LaPaglia demonstrates that the strategic aspect of reason—arising in human experience, encoded as value, and born by culture as a strategic resource—has been encoded as values that have been memorialized in culturally authoritative sources in various Eurasian cultures for thousands of years. These sources have validated a strategic orientation in the world, legitimized the strategist as a heroic identity, and transmitted a coherent world view that enables the practitioner of strategy to overcome asymmetric threat. By excavating the provenance of strategic thought expressed in the cultural identity of the strategist in the most culturally authoritative mythological, literary, philosophical and religious sources, and excavating the underlying strategic values expressed in cultural products, LaPaglia demonstrates that the strategic aspect of human rationality is one of the most basic structural dynamics of human meaning, and that the transmission of this strategic way of being and acting in the world offers hope for life’s underdogs.

A Dictionary of Chinese Literature

A Dictionary of Chinese Literature

Author: Taiping Chang Knechtges

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2017-09-14

Total Pages: 90

ISBN-13: 0192513931

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A Dictionary of Chinese Literature provides more than 250 entries on the lengthy and remarkable literary tradition of China, from its earliest literary genres such as the 6th century gongti wenxue (palace-style literature), to contemporary forms, such as wanglu wenxue (internet literature). Covering notable writers, works, terms, trends, schools, movements, styles, and literary collections, as well as including a useful list of further reading at the end of most entries, this dictionary is a key reference point for students of Asian literature and languages, and those studying world literature in general.


Book Synopsis A Dictionary of Chinese Literature by : Taiping Chang Knechtges

Download or read book A Dictionary of Chinese Literature written by Taiping Chang Knechtges and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2017-09-14 with total page 90 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A Dictionary of Chinese Literature provides more than 250 entries on the lengthy and remarkable literary tradition of China, from its earliest literary genres such as the 6th century gongti wenxue (palace-style literature), to contemporary forms, such as wanglu wenxue (internet literature). Covering notable writers, works, terms, trends, schools, movements, styles, and literary collections, as well as including a useful list of further reading at the end of most entries, this dictionary is a key reference point for students of Asian literature and languages, and those studying world literature in general.

The Suicide of Miss Xi

The Suicide of Miss Xi

Author: Bryna Goodman

Publisher: Harvard University Press

Published: 2021-07-13

Total Pages: 353

ISBN-13: 0674248821

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A suicide scandal in Shanghai reveals the social fault lines of democratic visions in China's troubled Republic in the early 1920s. On September 8, 1922, the body of Xi Shangzhen was found hanging in the Shanghai newspaper office where she worked. Although her death occurred outside of Chinese jurisdiction, her US-educated employer, Tang Jiezhi, was kidnapped by Chinese authorities and put on trial. In the unfolding scandal, novelists, filmmakers, suffragists, reformers, and even a founding member of the Chinese Communist Party seized upon the case as emblematic of deep social problems. Xi's family claimed that Tang had pressured her to be his concubine; his conviction instead for financial fraud only stirred further controversy. The creation of a republic ten years earlier had inspired a vision of popular sovereignty and citizenship premised upon gender equality and legal reform. After the quick suppression of the first Chinese parliament, commercial circles took up the banner of democracy in their pursuit of wealth. But, Bryna Goodman shows, the suicide of an educated "new woman" exposed the emptiness of republican democracy after a flash of speculative finance gripped the city. In the shadow of economic crisis, Tang's trial also exposed the frailty of legal mechanisms in a political landscape fragmented by warlords and enclaves of foreign colonial rule. The Suicide of Miss Xi opens a window onto how urban Chinese in the early twentieth century navigated China's early passage through democratic populism, in an ill-fated moment of possibility between empire and party dictatorship. Xi Shangzhen became a symbol of the failures of the Chinese Republic as well as the broken promises of citizen's rights, gender equality, and financial prosperity betokened by liberal democracy and capitalism.


Book Synopsis The Suicide of Miss Xi by : Bryna Goodman

Download or read book The Suicide of Miss Xi written by Bryna Goodman and published by Harvard University Press. This book was released on 2021-07-13 with total page 353 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A suicide scandal in Shanghai reveals the social fault lines of democratic visions in China's troubled Republic in the early 1920s. On September 8, 1922, the body of Xi Shangzhen was found hanging in the Shanghai newspaper office where she worked. Although her death occurred outside of Chinese jurisdiction, her US-educated employer, Tang Jiezhi, was kidnapped by Chinese authorities and put on trial. In the unfolding scandal, novelists, filmmakers, suffragists, reformers, and even a founding member of the Chinese Communist Party seized upon the case as emblematic of deep social problems. Xi's family claimed that Tang had pressured her to be his concubine; his conviction instead for financial fraud only stirred further controversy. The creation of a republic ten years earlier had inspired a vision of popular sovereignty and citizenship premised upon gender equality and legal reform. After the quick suppression of the first Chinese parliament, commercial circles took up the banner of democracy in their pursuit of wealth. But, Bryna Goodman shows, the suicide of an educated "new woman" exposed the emptiness of republican democracy after a flash of speculative finance gripped the city. In the shadow of economic crisis, Tang's trial also exposed the frailty of legal mechanisms in a political landscape fragmented by warlords and enclaves of foreign colonial rule. The Suicide of Miss Xi opens a window onto how urban Chinese in the early twentieth century navigated China's early passage through democratic populism, in an ill-fated moment of possibility between empire and party dictatorship. Xi Shangzhen became a symbol of the failures of the Chinese Republic as well as the broken promises of citizen's rights, gender equality, and financial prosperity betokened by liberal democracy and capitalism.