Tears from Iron: Cultural Responses to Famine in Nineteenth-Century China (Volume 15) (Asia: Local Studies / Global Themes)

This multi-layered history of a horrific famine that took place in late-nineteenth-century China focuses on cultural responses to trauma. The massive drought/famine that killed at least ten million people in north China during the late 1870s remains one of China's most severe disasters and provides a vivid window through which to study the social side of a nation's tragedy. Kathryn Edgerton-Tarpley's original approach explores an array of new source materials, including songs, poems, stele inscriptions, folklore, and oral accounts of the famine from Shanxi Province, its epicenter. She juxtaposes these narratives with central government, treaty-port, and foreign debates over the meaning of the events and shows how the famine, which occurred during a period of deepening national crisis, elicited widely divergent reactions from different levels of Chinese society. This Multilayered History Of A Horrific Famine That Took Place In Late-nineteenth-century China Focuses On Cultural Responses To Trauma. The Catastrophe In Question, A Massive Drought-famine That Killed At Least Ten Million People In North China During The Late 1870s, Remains One Of China's Most Severe Disasters And Provides A Particularly Vivid Window Through Which To Study The Human And Social Side Of A Nation's Tragedy. Kathryn Edgerton-tarpley's Original And Stimulating Approach Explores An Array Of New Or Unexploited Source Materials, Including Songs, Poems, Stele Inscriptions, Folklore, And Oral Accounts Of The Famine From Shanxi Province, Its Epicenter. She Juxtaposes These Local Narratives Against Central Government, Treaty-port, And Foreign Debates Over The Meaning Of The Related Events And Shows How The Famine, Which Occurred During A Period Of Deepening National Crisis, Elicited Widely Divergent Reactions From Different Levels Of Chinese Society. Her Analysis Contributes A Broader And Deeper Understanding Of The Incredible Famine Than Has Previously Been Available In English And Situates The Tragedy Alongside Irish And Indian Famines To Provide A Truly Global Comparison Of Cultural Responses To Famine In The Nineteenth Century.--book Jacket. Shanxi, Greater China, And The Famine -- Experiencing The Famine : The Hierarchy Of Suffering In A Famine Song From Xiezhou -- The Wrath Of Heaven Versus Human Greed -- Qing Officialdom And The Politics Of Famine -- Views From The Outside : Science, Railroads, And Laissez-faire Economics -- Hybrid Voices : The Famine And Jiangnan Activism -- Family And Gender In Famine -- The Feminization Of Famine And The Feminization Of Nationalism -- Eating Culture : Cannibalism And The Semiotics Of Starvation, 1870-2001 -- Epilogue. New Tears For New Times : The Famine Revisited. Kathryn Edgerton-tarpley ; With A Foreword By Cormac Ó Gráda. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 301-317) And Index. Contents List of Illustrations Explanation of Commonly Used Chinese Terms Acknowledgments Foreword Introduction Part I. Setting the Scene 1. Shanxi, Greater China, and the Famine 2. Experiencing the Famine: The Hierarchy of Suffering in a Famine Song from Xiezhou Part II. Praise and Blame: Interpretive Frameworks of Famine Causation Introduction 3. The Wrath of Heaven versus Human Greed 4. Qing Officialdom and the Politics of Famine 5. Views from the Outside: Science, Railroads, and Laissez-Faire Economics 6. Hybrid Voices: The Famine and Jiangnan Activism Part III. Icons of Starvation: Images, Myths, and Illusions Introduction 7. Family and Gender in Famine 8. The “Feminization of Famine” and the Feminization of Nationalism 9. Eating Culture: Cannibalism and the Semiotics of Starvation, 1870–2001 Epilogue: New Tears for New Times; The Famine Revisited Glossary of Chinese Characters Notes Bibliography Index The massive drought/famine that killed at least ten million people in north China during the late 1870s remains one of China's most severe disasters and provides a window through which to study the social side of a nation's tragedy. This book presents the history of a horrific famine that took place and focuses on cultural responses to trauma. This multi-layered history of a horrific famine that took place in late-19th century China focuses on cultural responses to trauma