Popular Culture in Late Imperial China

Popular Culture in Late Imperial China delves into the vibrant and multifaceted world of non-elite Chinese culture during the late imperial period, spanning roughly from 1550 to 1920. This collection of essays challenges the overemphasis on elite narratives in Chinese historical studies, highlighting the importance of exploring the values, ideas, and cultural expressions of the broader populace. Drawing on an array of texts—scriptures, plays, almanacs, novels, and oral traditions—the contributors investigate how popular culture was produced, consumed, and transmitted across social strata. Through this lens, the book reveals a cultural landscape that was both deeply diverse and intricately integrated, reflecting shared values and beliefs despite differences in class, region, and literacy.

The essays explore topics such as local drama, sectarian religious practices, and the interplay between oral and written traditions, emphasizing how these cultural elements served as conduits for communication and the diffusion of values. The book also examines how popular culture intersected with state ideologies and policies, with some essays detailing the state's role in promoting or suppressing certain religious and cultural practices. From the transformation of folk deities into national symbols to the use of simplified explanations of imperial edicts for public instruction, Popular Culture in Late Imperial China illustrates the dynamic interaction between elite and non-elite spheres. This work is an essential resource for understanding the cultural richness of late imperial China and the social forces that shaped its historical trajectory.

This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1985.