Cartooning China: Punch, Power, and Politics in the Victorian Era

This book explores the series of cartoons of China and the Chinese that were published in the popular British satirical magazine __Punch__ over a sixty-year period from 1841 to 1901. Filled with political metaphors and racial stereotypes, these illustrations served as a powerful tool in both reflecting and shaping notions and attitudes towards China at a tumultuous time in Sino-British history. A close reading of both the visual and textual satires in __Punch__ reveals how a section of British society visualised and negotiated with China as well as Britain's position in the global community. By contextualising __Punch__'s cartoons within the broader frameworks of British socio-cultural and political discourse, the author engages in a critical enquiry of popular culture and its engagements with race, geopolitical propaganda, and public consciousness. With a wide array of illustrations, this book in the Global Perspectives in Comics Studies series will be an important resource for scholars and researchers of cultural studies, political history and Empire, Chinese studies, popular culture, Victoriana, as well as media studies. It will also be of interest to readers who want to learn more about __Punch__, its history, and Sino-British relations. This book explores the series of cartoons of China and the Chinese that were published in the popular British satirical magazine Punch over a sixty-year period from 1841 to 1901. Filled with political metaphors and racial stereotypes, these illustrations served as a powerful tool in both reflecting and shaping notions and attitudes towards China at a tumultuous time in Sino-British history. A close reading of both the visual and textual satires in Punch reveals how a section of British society visualised and negotiated with China as well as Britain’s position in the global community. By contextualising Punch’s cartoons within the broader frameworks of British socio-cultural and political discourse, the author engages in a critical enquiry of popular culture and its engagements with race, geopolitical propaganda, and public consciousness. With a wide array of illustrations, this book in the Global Perspectives in Comics Studies series will be an important resource for scholars and researchers of cultural studies, political history and Empire, Chinese studies, popular culture, Victoriana, as well as media studies. It will also be of interest to readers who want to learn more about Punch, its history, and Sino-British relations. Cover 1 Half Title 2 Series 3 Title 4 Copyright 5 Dedication 6 Table of Contents 8 List of illustrations 9 Series editor’s preface 12 Acknowledgements 14 1 Introduction 16 2 “Gentlemen, the cartoon!”: the men behind the magazine 41 3 “Punch is an English Institution”: the attitude of the magazine 64 4 “A Chinese Puzzle”: the trajectory of negating China 86 5 “A Legacy of Discord”: war and rebellion 129 6 Conclusion 167 Bibliography 174 Index 183 Punch,Magazine;,Political,Satire;,British,Empire;,Victoriana;,Racial,stereotypes;,Sino-British,relations;,Cartoons,and,popular,culture Punch Magazine,Political Satire,British Empire,Victoriana,Racial stereotypes,Sino-British relations,Cartoons and popular culture This book explores the series of cartoons of China and the Chinese that were published in the popular British satirical magazine Punch over a sixty-year period from 1841 to 1901. Filled with political metaphors and racial stereotypes, these illustrations served as a powerful tool in both reflecting and shaping notions and attitudes towards China at a tumultuous time in Sino-British history. A close reading of both the visual and textual satires in Punch reveals how a section of British society visualised and negotiated with China as well as Britain's position in the global community. By contextualising Punch 's cartoons within the broader frameworks of British socio-cultural and political discourse, the author engages in a critical enquiry of popular culture and its engagements with race, geopolitical propaganda, and public consciousness. With a wide array of illustrations, this book in the Global Perspectives in Comics Studies series will be an important resource for scholars and researchers of cultural studies, political history and Empire, Chinese studies, popular culture, Victoriana, as well as media studies. It will also be of interest to readers who want to learn more about Punch , its history, and Sino-British relations.