Mourning in Late Imperial China: Filial Piety and the State (Cambridge Studies in Chinese History, Literature and Institutions)

As a conquest dynasty, Qing China's new Manchu leaders desperately needed to legitimize their rule. To win the approval of China's native elites, they developed an ambitious plan to return Confucianism to civil society. Filial piety, the core Confucian value, would once again be upheld by the state, and laborious and time-consuming mourning rituals, the touchstones of a well-ordered Confucian society, would be observed by officials throughout the empire. In this way, the emperor would be following the ancient dictate that he 'govern all-under-heaven with filial piety'. Norman Kutcher's study of mourning looks beneath the rhetoric to demonstrate how the state - unwilling to make the sacrifices that a genuine commitment to proper mourning demanded - quietly but forcefully undermined, not reinvigorated, the Confucian mourning system. With acute sensitivity to language and its changing meanings, Kutcher sheds light on a wide variety of issues that are of interest to historians of late Imperial China. The New Manchu Rulers Of Qing Dynasty China (1644-1912), As The Conquering Regime, Desperately Needed To Legitimize Their Rule. To Win The Approval Of China's Native Elites, They Developed An Ambitious Plan To Return Confucianism To Civil Society. Filial Piety, The Core Confucian Value, Would Once Again Be Upheld By The State, And Officials Throughout The Empire Would Observe The Laborious And Time-consuming Mourning Rituals That Were The Touchstone Of A Well-ordered Confucian Society. In This Way, The Emperor Would Be Following The Ancient Dictate That He Govern All Under Heaven With Filial Piety. Norman Kutcher's Pioneering Study Of Mourning In Late Imperial China Looks Beneath The Rhetoric To Demonstrate How The State - Unwilling To Make The Sacrifices That A Genuine Commitment To Proper Mourning Demanded - Quietly But Forcefully Undermined, Rather Than Reinvigorated, The Confucian Mourning System. This Book Will Interest Not Only Those Concerned With Late Imperial China, But Anyone Seeking To Understand The Role Of Ritual And Filial Piety In Chinese Society.--book Jacket. Death And The State In Imperial China: Continuities -- The Reorientation Of Ming Attitudes Toward Mourning -- The Early Qing Transformation Of Mourning Practice -- The Bureaucratization Of The Confucian -- The Death Of Xiaoxian And The Crisis Of Qianlong Rule -- Death And Chinese Society. Norman Kutcher. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 195-204) And Index. To win the approval of China's native elites, Qing China's new Manchu leaders developed an ambitious plan to return Confucianism to civil society by observing laborious and time-consuming mourning rituals, the touchstones of a well-ordered Confucian society. The first to do so in any language, Norman Kutcher's study of mourning looks beneath the rhetoric to demonstrate how the state--unwilling to make the sacrifices that a genuine commitment to proper mourning demanded--quietly but forcefully undermined, not reinvigorated, the Confucian mourning system. Norman Kutcher's study of mourning looks beneath the rhetoric to demonstrate how Qing China's Manchu leaders - unwilling to make the sacrifices that a genuine commitment to proper mourning demanded - quietly but forcefully undermined, not reinvigorated, the Confucian mourning system. As early as the Shang dynasty (traditionally dated 1766-1122 B.C.E.), ancestors in China were believed to control people's destinies, and had to be consulted through divination on the course of action their descendants should follow.