{"product_id":"concubinage-and-servitude-in-late-imperial-china-9780739198407","title":"Concubinage and Servitude in Late Imperial China","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn the long course of late imperial Chinese history, servants and concubines formed a vast social stratum in the hinterland along the Grand Canal, particularly in urban areas. Concubinage and Servitude in Late Imperial China is a survey of the institutions and practice of concubinage and servitude in both the general populace and the imperial palace, with a focus on the examination of Ming-Qing political and socioeconomic history through the lives of this particular group of distinct yet associated individuals. The persistent theme of the book is how concubines, appointed by patriarchal polygamy, and servants, laboring under the master-servants hierarchy, experienced interactions and mobility within each institution and in associating with the other. While reviewing how ritual and law treated concubines and servants as patriarchal possessions, the author explores the perspectives available for individual concubines and servants and the limitations in their daily circumstances, searchin\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHsieh’s book examines concubinage and servitude in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, first among Chinese society in general and then in the imperial court…. In this study, however, Hsieh ambitiously expands her discussions to include the Qing, which means necessarily addressing the issues involving not only Han Chinese, but also Manchu and other ethnic groups, especially men and women in the banner system. Moreover, she addresses not only concubinage but a wide variety of servitude involving women, men, and eunuchs…. In fact, some of the best discussions in the book come from Hsieh’s comparison of how the differences between the Ming and Qing palace women would have contributed greatly to understanding the functioning of the inner courts of the two dynasties and the political power struggles that affected the entire country. * Nan Nü: Men, Women and Gender in China *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTable of Contents\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePART I: CONCUBINES AND SERVANTS IN THE GENERAL POPULACE Chapter One: The Dimension of Human Trafficking Chapter Two: The Path of a Concubine Chapter Three: Domestic Servants, Office Attendants, and Apprentices PART II: IMPERIAL CONSORTS AND SERVANTS  Chapter Four: Booi Elite and Harangga Chapter Five: Ming Serving-Women Chapter Six: Qing Serving-Women and Eunuchs Chapter Seven: Ritual Canon and Imperial Harem Conclusion","brand":"Lexington Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51037558145367,"sku":"9780739198407","price":50.4,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780739198407.jpg?v=1750936251","url":"https:\/\/bookcurl.com\/products\/concubinage-and-servitude-in-late-imperial-china-9780739198407","provider":"Book Curl","version":"1.0","type":"link"}