Constructing the Family in Republican China: Shandong, 1944

Abstract

This research is based on a short hand-written genealogy (shou chaoben 手抄本) of the kind that are appearing in flea markets in China these days. I surmise it was written in Shandong in 1944. Although its entries are brief, an analysis reveals much about the family, including female family members (often omitted from family genealogies), inter-family marriages practiced over hundreds of years, status markers used by the family such as the taking of second wives, the prevalence of patriarchal views. The Japanese occupation of Shandong in 1944 plays a role in my analysis of how this manuscript was compiled.

Keywords

Republican era / genealogy / generation / status marker / Shandong / hand-written book / popular culture

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2014 Higher Education Press and Brill