The Qing dynasty (1636-1912)-a crucial bridge between "traditional" and
"modern" China-was remarkable for its expansiveness and cultural
sophistication. This engaging and insightful history of Qing political,
social, and cultural life traces the complex interaction between the
Inner Asian traditions of the Manchus, who conquered China in 1644, and
indigenous Chinese cultural traditions. Noted historian Richard J. Smith
argues that the pragmatic Qing emperors presented a "Chinese" face to
their subjects who lived south of the Great Wall and other ethnic faces
(particularly Manchu, Mongolian, Central Asian, and Tibetan) to subjects
in other parts of their vast multicultural empire. They were attracted
by many aspects of Chinese culture, but far from being completely
"sinicized" as many scholars argue, they were also proud of their own
cultural traditions and interested in other cultures as well. Setting
Qing dynasty culture in historical and global perspective, Smith shows
how the Chinese of the era viewed the world; how their outlook was
expressed in their institutions, material culture, and customs; and how
China's preoccupation with order, unity, and harmony contributed to the
civilization's remarkable cohesiveness and continuity. Nuanced and
wide-ranging, his authoritative book provides an essential introduction
to late imperial Chinese culture and society.
