Ancient Household Registration
Tags
Summary
Editor's review
The book's value lies in its distinctive angle of approach. From the "shushe" system of the pre-Qin period to the "registered commoners" of the Qin and Han, from the "shuji dingyang" of the Sui and Tang to the Yellow Registers and baojia of the Ming and Qing, the authors analyze every major change in the household registration system within its specific historical context, clearly showing how state power gradually penetrated and shaped grassroots society through this vehicle. Readers learn not only the formats, contents, and administrative organs of household registers across dynasties but also gain a deep understanding of why household registration became the cornerstone of rule in ancient Chinese dynasties.
Especially valuable is the authors' interweaving of vivid historical details and case studies—how the collection of the Han dynasty "suanfu" tax depended on household records, how the status difference between "guest households" and "host households" in the Tang affected social standing—which bring cold historical institutions to life. For readers who wish to go beyond the surface of dynastic change and understand at the institutional level how ancient Chinese society maintained and operated over the long term, this book provides a substantial knowledge framework and path of thought. Its discussion is plain and restrained, its materials solid; it is an excellent work of popular history that combines scholarship with readability.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- History enthusiasts interested in ancient Chinese social structure and mechanisms of state governance
- University students or young faculty seeking a cross-disciplinary perspective between institutional and social history
- Readers of cultural works hoping to deepen their understanding of ancient China through specific institutions
- Writers or planners in related fields who need reliable historical background knowledge
Not a good fit for
- Casual readers expecting novelistic narrative or exotic anecdotes from unofficial history
- Readers who want only fragmented knowledge and lack patience for systematic institutional exposition
Reading tips
- Reading in chapter order is recommended to grasp the continuous historical logic of household registration's evolution
- Readers may consider the economic and military background of each dynasty to understand the deeper causes of institutional change
- If questions arise about institutional terms or historical events, consult reference works or basic general histories as appropriate to aid understanding
About the publisher
Founded in 1982, Modern Press is a Chinese publisher that serves general readers across a diverse range of subjects. Judging from its catalog, its publishing focuses on classical poetry, Eastern philosophy, psychological research and application, popular science, and modern poetry, along with history, biography, and children's books. The Book of Songs, the illustrated vernacular edition of the Classic of Mountains and Seas, The Complete Poems of Dai Wangshu, and Buddhism in the Vegetable Roots reflect efforts to make traditional culture and poetry accessible; works by Carl Gustav Jung such as The Development of Personality and Understanding Your Psychological Type, together with titles from the Ivy International Education Alliance, show sustained attention to psychology and educational reading; and Stephen Hawking's works and the illustrated two-volume Brief History of Everything and A Brief History of Time indicate a commitment to popular science. Its authors include figures such as Qu Wanli, Xu Ke, Dai Wangshu, and Jung, and its publishing emphasizes retelling classics and accessible, illustrated presentation. Because public information is limited, this summary is based only on the titles in our catalog.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 序言 古代户籍
- 上古时期——裂土分茅
- 夏代地理中心及行政联盟
- 商代区域划分与人口
- 周代疆土区划和人口
- 春秋战国行政区划
- 春秋战国户籍制度
- 中古时期——建章立制
- 秦代在全境推行郡县制
- 秦代比较完备的户籍制度
- 两汉时期州郡县三级建制
- 汉代户籍制度及演变
- 魏晋南北朝的州郡县制
- 魏晋南北朝户籍制度
- 隋代地方行政的二级制度
- 隋代的户籍制度改革
- 唐代行政区划的大变革
- 唐代较严密的户籍制度
- 近古时期——铸新淘旧
- 五代十国时期的行政区划
- 宋代路州县三级行政区划
- 宋代以财定等的户籍制度
- 辽代行政区划与户口类型
- 西夏的行政区划与户籍制度
- 金代的行政区划与户籍管理
- 元代行省制的创设与完善
- 元代的户籍分类管理制度
- 近世时期——别开生面
- 明代行政区划设置三司制
- 明代人口管理的黄册制度
- 清代的三级行政区划系统
- 清代开放的户籍保甲制度
FAQ
Is this book highly academic? Is it suitable for general readers?
Which dynasties does the book mainly cover?
Apart from the household registration system itself, what else does this book offer?
Comments
Find this book
This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.
About the author
Xiao Dongfa (1949–2016), whose ancestral home was Tianjin and who was born in Shenyang, was a professor and doctoral supervisor at the School of Journalism and Communication, Peking University, and director of its Institute of Modern Publishing. An important scholar in editing and publishing studies, he focused on the history of Chinese books, publishing history, and yearbook studies. He edited the History of Chinese Editing and Publishing and Chinese Libraries of Book Collecting, and led the National Social Science Fund key project A General History of Chinese Publishing, laying a solid foundation for the organization and narration of Chinese publishing history. Beyond academic writing, he attended to Peking University's institutional history and humanistic traditions, writing works such as Character: From the Imperial University to Old Peking University, Exemplars: Former Residences and Anecdotes of Peking University Notables, and Scenes: Yanyuan Landscapes and Cultural Heritage, which recount campus memories and personal stories with warmth. His works also touch on the four treasures of the study, garden architecture, and academic writing standards. Some 491 of his titles are held in the library, spanning language and culture, biography, and architecture, and combining scholarly rigor with accessible readability.
Xing Jianhua is an author about whom little public information is available. Judging from the ten works held in the collection, his writing covers a notably wide range of subjects, including history and culture, biography, inspirational personal growth, and agriculture and forestry. In the field of history and culture, he focuses on specific topics such as the ancient household registration system and ancient city towers and historic sites, approaching ancient society through institutions and architectural remains to present its forms of organization and spatial character. His biographical works include volumes on Sartre and Michelangelo, reflecting an interest in Western thinkers and artists. Works on the history of agriculture, rural areas, and farmers further indicate his attention to rural society and agricultural history. Overall, his writing leans toward informative popularization and thematic compilation, with concrete subjects and a practical approach, making it suitable for readers seeking an introduction to or reference material on these fields.
