Were the Miao Kings “Prophets of Renewal”? The Case of the 1795–1797 Hunan Miao Revolt

Abstract

This essay considers the concept of “prophets of renewal” introduced by James Scott in The Art of Not Being Governed: An Anarchist History of Upland Southeast Asia (2009), as seen in the context of the 1795–97 Miao revolt along China’s Hunan-Guizhou border. The appearance of a “Miao King” and four “Wu kings” centering anti-Qing resistance in an intractable highland—utilizing native legends, spirit possession, investment of officials, and multi-ethnic recruitment—suggests a case of “Zomia” (the vast Southeast Asian Massif) prophets in action, as Scott himself suggests. Closer examination, however, reveals a more complex and uncertain picture, characterized by division between rival lords and an overall dearth of institutional, ideological, or cosmological elaboration, all further obscured by a paucity of historical sources. The Miao kings might be seen as prophets of renewal in a general sense, but the fit is inexact. There is still value, however, in considering Scott’s model in the study of this event. It enables a sharper conceptualization of the agency of the Miao people, while offering a case for comparison with analogous instances of religiously-based native resistance on other Qing frontiers.

Keywords

James Scott / prophets of renewal / Miao Frontier / Miao / 1795–97 Hunan Miao revolt / Miao King / Wu King

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Higher Education Press and Brill