Fragmented Records of the Late Qing

Name: Fragmented Records of the Late Qing
ISBN: 9787510891984

易强Jiuzhou Press · ChinaNov 2020

3.5

Word count: 185K words
Chapters: 70
ISBN: 9787510891984

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Summary

From the Qing dynasty onward, China came into frequent contact and collision with Western countries. Beginning with the Macartney mission to China in 1793, Western countries gathered a large amount of intelligence on Qing politics, economy, and society through trading companies, missionaries, diplomats, and other channels, and applied it in later military conflicts (such as the Opium War and the Anglo-French expedition) to achieve their aggressive aims. Drawing on rare Western media reports spanning a century and combining them with primary Chinese historical sources such as the Veritable Records of the Qing and the Imperially Commissioned Collected Statutes of the Great Qing, the author tells the story of how Qing China gradually fell behind the Western powers in their dealings, declined, and finally collapsed.

Editor's review

Late Qing Fragments is a rigorous yet vivid work of modern history. Drawing on solid historical sources, the author Yi Qiang focuses on the seven decades of the late Qing (1840–1911), examining China's collision and intermingling with the Western world. Rather than a simple listing of events, the book analyzes the Qing Empire's predicaments and struggles at the dawn of globalization through multiple threads—diplomacy, military affairs, economy, and social thought. Its core value lies in moving beyond the simple narrative of 'backwardness invites attack' to explore in depth the complexity and limitations of the Qing ruling group, the scholar-official class, and ordinary people in their cognition, strategy, and action when faced with 'a transformation unseen in three thousand years.' Its portrayals of key figures such as Lin Zexu, Empress Dowager Cixi, and Li Hongzhang avoid stereotype and strive to present their real logic within the historical context. For readers who wish to go beyond textbook frameworks and understand the hardships and tortuous roots of China's modern transformation, this book offers rich detail and profound insight. It is like a prism, refracting the multiple figures of a traditional empire on the threshold of modernity, and prompting deep reflection.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers with a strong interest in late Qing history who wish to go beyond textbook frameworks
Those concerned with the roots of China's modern transformation and social change
Readers who enjoy interpreting history through multiple dimensions such as diplomacy, institutions, and social mentality
Knowledge enthusiasts seeking to understand the complexity of the conflict between tradition and modernity

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking light entertainment or novel-like historical stories
Readers expecting absolute conclusions or a single historical evaluation

Reading tips

Read alongside a map to clearly grasp the geographical and strategic locations mentioned in the book
As you read, consider: given the cognitive limitations of the time, were there other possible choices for historical figures?
Compare the book's views with other works on late Qing history (such as those by Immanuel Hsu and Te-Kong Tong)

About the publisher

Jiuzhou Press China · Founded in 1993

Jiuzhou Press is a comprehensive publisher with humanities, social sciences, and classic works as important publishing directions, maintaining a sustained focus on philosophy, history, literature, and social culture. Its catalogue includes works by modern literary masters such as Xiao Hong and Lu Xun, as well as intellectual and art history works by Xu Fuguan, including A History of Chinese Theories of Human Nature: Pre-Qin Volume, A History of Han Thought, and The Spirit of Chinese Art: A Study of Shitao. It also translates and introduces overseas academic works such as Peter H. Wilson's The Thirty Years War: Europe's Tragedy and Peter Suber's The Case of the Speluncean Explorers, and covers cross-cultural exchange themes such as From Dunhuang to Samarkand. Its publishing character lies in balancing the organization of original texts with academic translation, forming relatively stable author and title resources in categories including philosophy, military affairs, theory, and social culture. More complete information about the press's publishing history and plans is limited in publicly available sources; this summary is based only on the titles in the catalogue.

版权信息
前言
第一章风雨欲来
无形的鸿沟
双城记
东印度公司
情报网络
第二章事出粤海
海王星事件
肆虐的海盗
澳门危机
第三章情报战争
广州体制
商人的苦恼
禁烟纪事
林则徐致信英女王
英伦战争动员
信息不对称
大不列颠的荣誉
第四章暗流涌动
共识
顾盛的遗产
密谕外泄
三合会与天地会
天京：最伟大的奇观
第五章祸入北京
可悲的君臣
换约冲突
顺从的国人
圆明园之劫
贫困的北京
西方人得到的经验
第六章太平天国
李秀成的困惑
通商口岸的利益
弃儿天国
第七章中兴纪事
借夷剿贼
魔鬼战士
卫三畏的预见
“李鸿章不懂海军”
第八章东亚新局
失策的朝鲜战略
被放弃的台湾
顺势者
军力比较
海权领域的好学生
谎报军情
在美中日侨民的迥然反应
东亚新秩序
第九章皇室观察
忙碌的祭司
幻想的酒宴
外交难题
同治大婚
觐见皇帝
慈禧传说
第十章王朝末日
瓜分中国
变法
康有为的逃亡
海外维新
南国反满
媒体的宠儿孙中山
袁世凯印象
破旧而疯狂的巨舰沉没
后记
再版后记
参考书目
出版后记

FAQ

Is the book's historical perspective traditional or novel?

The book's arguments are based on solid historical sources, and its narrative style is plain, emphasizing process analysis. It does not deliberately advertise a novel historical perspective, but through multi-dimensional detail it naturally challenges some traditional simplified historical conclusions, and is closer to recent historical research approaches that emphasize 'immediacy' and 'complexity.'

Is the content too specialized and difficult?

The author writes fluently and is skilled at clarifying complex historical threads. Although it involves specialized content such as diplomatic documents and economic data, all is explained in accessible terms; readers with high-school-level historical knowledge can read it smoothly, and it is not abstruse.

How does this book differ from works such as The Collapse of the Heavenly Dynasty?

Late Qing Fragments spans a longer period, covering the entire seven decades of the late Qing; it focuses not only on the Opium War but also systematically traces the chain reactions of subsequent domestic and foreign affairs. In perspective, it places more emphasis on the Qing court's cognitive adjustment and logic of action in the face of sustained shocks, making it an extension and expansion of the former.

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About the author

易强 Author

Yi Qiang is a Chinese author of history books for general readers, though public information about him is limited: his background, nationality, and dates of birth and death are not clearly recorded. Judging from the three works held in the collection, he focuses on turning points in Chinese history and on institutional detail, writing for a broad readership with an emphasis on accessibility and inquiry. His representative work, Rise and Fall: Revealing the Reasons for the Collapse of the Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties (three volumes), traces how the three dynasties declined from prosperity and seeks to explain their collapse through political, social, and institutional factors. The Embroidered Uniform Guard examines the Ming dynasty's secret police institution, its operations, and its historical impact, while Late Qing Remnants turns to the people and events of the late Qing transformation. All three are classified as history books, showing a style that combines narrative with analysis and approaches grand themes through specific institutions and historical episodes, offering readers an accessible entry point for understanding dynastic rise and fall.