Title

The Social and Political Context of Gazetteer Writing in Early Qing Dynasty Suzhou and Songjiang: A Case Study of Ziti Xiaozhi

Author

Hoi Wai Hang

Genre

Article

Pages

347-384

DOI

10.6503/THJCS.202406_54(2).0004

Download

PDF

Language

Chinese

Key words

township gazetteer, Qing Dynasty, Ziti xiaozhi 紫隄小志, Ziticun xiaozhi 紫隄村小志, Wang Yong’an 汪永安

Abstract

This article examines Ziti xiaozhi 紫隄小志 and Ziticun xiaozhi 紫隄村小志, compiled by Wang Yong’an 汪永安 in the early Qing Dynasty. Through the analysis of the genesis context and content changes of these local gazetteers, this paper shows how local social conditions and changes in the political environment affected the content of local gazetteers. In particular, I first demonstrate that Wang Yong’an’s inclusion of a large number of good deeds of the Hou 侯 family of Shanggu 上谷 and the Wang 汪 family of Pingyang 平陽 in his gazetteers had two purposes. On one hand, it was an attempt to influence compilers of official gazetteers to include members of their own clans. On the other hand, it reflected his belief that narratives of loyalty and righteousness could change the declining moral standards of Ziti villagers. Second, this paper also points out that in Ziticun xiaozhi, Wang Yong’an deleted sensitive content that expressed nostalgia for the Ming Dynasty and that affirmed the legitimacy of the Southern Ming regime. This reflects the latent self-censorship that emerged among literati during the Yongzheng 雍正 period and illustrates the profound impact of political changes on how local elites wrote township gazetteers.