The Qing Dynasty and Traditional Chinese Culture

Review

In this comprehensive history of Qing China (1636–1912), Smith offers an insightful interpretation of the empire’s successes, the Manchu rulers’ multiculturalism, and the dominant Han Chinese culture’s enduring vigor. Organized both chronologically and thematically, the survey starts with an engaging overview of the political trajectory of China from the 14th century to the dawn of the 20th century, followed by an in-depth discussion of the Qing Empire’s essential institutions. A renowned expert on Chinese cosmology and thought, historian Smith provides lucid discussions in the remaining pages on the major facets of the dynasty’s cultural landscape, as well as the mechanisms that sustained its dynamics. The systematic attention that the survey gives to the mental world of the Qing Chinese supplements the dominant emphasis on political and socioeconomic history in other authoritative overviews of the dynasty. . . . Smith’s work is up-to-date, providing synopses of recent debates and new findings in the field. An indispensable resource for teachers and students of late imperial and modern China, as well as for those who labor in the vineyards of world history courses. Summing Up: Essential. All levels/libraries. ― Choice

At once magisterial and engaging. . . . [In this] rich synthesis . . . Smith has provided us with a stimulating portrait of a complex civilization over a three hundred-year period. The Qing Dynasty and Traditional Chinese Culture is well worth reading now and will merit reconsulting in the future, as China’s progress on the global stage continues, and as our students face a world increasingly subject to the realization of Chinese interests and Chinese influences. ― Education About Asia

The Qing Dynasty and Traditional Chinese Culture goes far beyond the boundaries of, and expectations for, a conventional textbook. It is an introduction to the history and culture of the Qing period that assumes no background, but the breadth of the subjects covered and the sophistication of their interpretation render this a valuable resource for scholars and teachers as well as for their students.Smith’s erudition and experience derived from a lifetime of teaching and scholarship are abundantly displayed in the book.... Both the author and the publisher are to be commended for incorporating so many materials that will be of use to both beginning students and their teachers and to other researchers. ― The Chinese Historical Review

A must-read for students, as well as scholars, who desire a convenient guide to Late Imperial China. One of its greatest strengths is certainly the way the author ably provides a multilayered representation, carrying the reader from the New Qing debates to traditional histories based on events, from political institutions to social and economic behaviors, patterns of beliefs and structure of language, artistic realization and their diffusion . . . . If one single word could summarize the appreciation felt for such an accomplished work, it would be Imperial. It is Imperial because it is a majestic piece of art. It is Imperial because the main topic is the core values of Qing dynasty’s imperial system. But more importantly, it is Imperial because of the author’s mastery of the fundamental political attitude of all Chinese emperors: divide et impera. ― Frontiers of History in China

This book, all in all, has three impressive strengths that will benefit readers who are interested in the evolution of the Qing dynasty. First, it is very readable and the cited primary sources are abundant. Second, Smith cites a great deal of up-to-date English-language research on Qing history, with which readers can acquire considerable knowledge of the Qing dynasty. (In my opinion, this is the greatest contribution of Smith’s book.) Third, the comprehensive discussions of pecific topics make this book suitable for graduate students who are interested in onducting research on the Qing dynasty. For these reasons, I