The Manchu Way: the Eight Banners and Ethnic Identity in Late Imperial China Pdf

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Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. Want to Read saving…. Want to Read Currently Reading Read. Other editions. Enlarge cover. Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Open Preview See a Problem? Details if other :. Thanks for telling us about the problem. Return to Book Page. This problem has fascinated scholars for almost a century, but until now no one has approached the question from the Manchu point of view. This book, the first in any language to be based mainly on Manchu documents, supplies The Manchu Way: The Eight Banners and Ethnic Identity in Late Imperial China radically new perspective on the formative period of the modern The Manchu Way: The Eight Banners and Ethnic Identity in Late Imperial China nation. The author argues that as rulers of China the Manchu conquerors had to behave like Confucian monarchs, but that as a non-Han minority they faced other, more complex considerations as well. Get A Copy. Paperbackpages. More Details Original Title. Other Editions 1. Friend Reviews. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. To ask other readers questions about The Manchu Wayplease sign up. Lists with This Book. Community Reviews. Showing Average rating 3. Rating details. More filters. Sort order. Mar 18, Mary Catelli rated it really liked it Shelves: history-modernhistory-far-east. A study of the practices of the Qing dynasty with regard to the Manchus, as conquerors, and the Han whom they ruled. Not that it was ever that simple. There were Mongols in the Eight Banners system all along, and Chinese bannermen were only briefly dispensed with. Someone The Manchu Way: The Eight Banners and Ethnic Identity in Late Imperial China to wrangle the artillery. A subject matter that includes the eight banners that Manchus and some others were classified and the larger but subordinate purely Han Green Standard, the importance of hunts, the strength of a A study of the practices of the Qing dynasty with regard to The Manchu Way: The Eight Banners and Ethnic Identity in Late Imperial China Manchus, as conquerors, and the Han whom they ruled. A subject matter that includes the eight banners that Manchus and some others were classified and the larger but subordinate purely Han Green Standard, the importance of hunts, the strength of a bow that a soldier should be able to pull, the less formal communications between Manchu officials and emperors sometimes with the emperor going so far as to refer to "us" -- shocking for a Chinese emperorthe walled garrisons where Manchu bannermen lived and which were, in theory, only temporary postings for people whose true home was Beijing causing much conflict about where people should be buried for proper ritesand more Apr 03, Lloyd rated it really liked it. Who were the Manchu, and how did this obscure frontier tribe take control of and govern a country from with a population three hundred times their own? This is the first academic treatment written from the perspectice of the Manchu themselves, and the first work in English to draw extensively from Manchu-language original sources. As with too many books by academics, this is actually a monograph that was needlessly extended by pages. The main points of the author are that the Eight Banners were an integral identifier and institutional bulwark for defining the Manchus, that the definition of "Manchuness" changed over time, and that typical identifiers for ethnicity such as a separate language, defined homeland, and distinct cultural practices might not apply to the Manchus. However, this book tends to the repetitive w As with too many books by academics, this is actually a monograph that was needlessly extended by pages. However, this book tends to the repetitive with the consequence that a hopeful start does not yield to substantial discoveries in subsequent pages. At the end, the reader is left with the distinct feeling that precious little additional light has been cast on the history of the Manchus during the Qing Dynasty. In addition, the extra pages reveal a wooden prose and a tendency to mistake opaque writing for insightful observations. For the best writing in the book, you should look through the notes at its end. All of this is rather unfortunate as the history of the Manchus is an interesting topic in its own right, and the author's use of Manchu-language archival material must be lauded. Feb 07, Marissa rated it really liked it Shelves: ceushistory. In this book, Mark Elliot aims to address two weak points in the scholarly literature on Qing Dynasty China --the under-utilization of a vast amount of documents in the Manchu language, and the cursory treatment of the Qing's The Manchu Way: The Eight Banners and Ethnic Identity in Late Imperial China distinctive institution: the Eight Banners. A system arising out of the Manchu conquest of China, the banners sought to organize the dynasty's military forces and preserve their elite status. Elliot describes this process in a thorough and detailed way, and In this book, Mark Elliot aims to address two weak points in the scholarly literature on Qing Dynasty China --the under-utilization of a vast amount of documents in the Manchu language, and the cursory treatment of the Qing's most distinctive institution: the Eight Banners. Elliot describes this process in a thorough and detailed way, and many of the topics he discusses are frankly fascinating. For example, he enters the debate on whether a Qing occupation of Chinese cities was premeditated or ad hoc, thus immersing the reader in the creation of walled enclaves of hereditary soldiers and the complex social tensions that resulted. Readers will especially enjoy his quotes pulled from imperial correspondence between the Qing Emperor and his Manchu bannermen, which gives an intimate and sometimes hilariously acerbic view into the administration of the empire. He also handles economic aspects of the Eight Banners system in a way which is both meaningful and accessible--casual readers can skim the tables on military expenditure, but specialists will appreciate the care he takes with estimates and his awareness of limitations in our sources. The most distinguishing feature of Elliot's approach, however, is his insistence on ethnicity as the defining characteristic of Qing rule and the function of the Eight Banners. He develops a comparative concept of 'ethnic sovereignty' to explain why minority The Manchu Way: The Eight Banners and Ethnic Identity in Late Imperial China rule over a vast Han Chinese population took the shape it did, and examines how the Eight Banners served this aim. As an institution, it was supposed to uphold the major values of the 'Manchu Way,' such as archery, equestrian skills, and simple living. He argues that even when acculturation meant that most Manchus no longer adhered to these ideals, the institutional privileges and distinctive patterns of life in the banners preserved a sense of Manchu otherness, of ethnic difference, that is essential to understanding the Qing period. Unlike other reviewers, I don't think this book was too long or repetitive, but I do wish that it's comparisons were less cursory and more diverse the Norman conquest elite may have functioned similarly to the Qing, but surely the Mughal Empire did too, and is more comparable in wealth and scope? But this is a small complaint, and I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about the Qing, about Chinese empires in comparative perspective, or about how ethnicity can be investigated by historians outside the modern context. The Manchu Way: The Eight Banners and Ethnic Identity in Late Imperial China 15, Corry Lee rated it it was amazing Shelves: non-fiction. This book has a lot of quotes from period sources and is filled with excellent detail describing the lives of the Manchus in Qing China and their attempts both successful and not at retaining a separate ethnic identity and governing a country as a small, alien minority. As an author interested in learning about other cultures, and as a person who rarely reads history texts, I found this both engaging and highly readable. Sep 20, Jessica Zu rated it it was amazing Shelves: ge. Rereading it again for my research, but I remember really enjoying it the first time around. Ghassan rated it really liked it Aug 16, Rae rated it really liked it May 03, Stephen Garrett rated it it was amazing Dec 28, Rick rated it it was ok Jul 01, Allison rated it it was ok Dec 26, Ray rated it liked it Jul 29, Henry Antenen rated it it was amazing Oct 08, Jessica rated it really liked it Apr 12, Kevin Kind rated it it was amazing Jan 07, Sense Hofstede rated it really liked it Mar 21, Andrew Daniels rated it really liked it Mar 21, Vincent Leung rated it really liked it Aug 08, John rated it really liked it Sep 23, Susan Burdelski rated it it was amazing Oct 18, Daniel Burton- Rose rated it really liked it May 03, Evan Procknow rated it liked it Dec 10, Patricia rated it liked it Dec 12, Patrick rated it liked it Mar 24, Rumor rated it did not like it Aug 22, Peter rated it really liked it Dec 10, TianLi rated it really liked it May 01, There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Readers also enjoyed. About Mark Elliott. Mark Elliott. Books by Mark Elliott. Escape the Present with These 24 Historical Romances. You know the saying: There's no time like the present In that case, we can't Read more No trivia or quizzes yet. Welcome back. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. The Manchu Way: The Eight Banners and Ethnic Identity in Late Imperial China | Mark C. Elliott

This problem has fascinated scholars for almost a century, The Manchu Way: The Eight Banners and Ethnic Identity in Late Imperial China until now no one has approached the question from the Manchu point of view. This book, the first in any language to be based mainly on Manchu documents, supplies a radically new perspective on the formative period of the modern Chinese nation. The author argues that as rulers of China the Manchu conquerors had to behave like Confucian monarchs, but that as a non-Han minority they faced other, more complex considerations as well. It is engagingly, even elegantly written, with enviable clarity and nice touches of ironic humor. Formidable in its learning, it is very lucidly written, makes its arguments clearly, and is full of vivid descriptions and quotations. Elliot offers a rich fund of material and a new and powerful argument that is vital reading for anyone interested in the transition from empire to nation around the world. Furthermore, it is written in a lively, accessible style. It will also be stimulating for readers interested in ethnicity, identity, and the creation of empires. Overall, it is undoubtedly a scholarly achievement of the highest order. The Manchu Way. Description Desc. Reviews Finance. Mark C. More in Finance. The Manchu Way: The Eight Banners and Ethnic Identity in Late Imperial China by Mark Elliott

Identity in the Eight Banners considers the subject of how identity was interpreted in China prior to and during the Manchu -led Qing dynasty — China consisted of multiple ethnic groups, primarily HanMongol and Manchu. Identity, however, was defined much more by culture, language and participation in the military the Eight Banners until the Qianlong Emperor resurrected the ethnic classifications. The Eight Banners represented military organisation and served as the primary organisational structure of Manchu Jurchen society. The banner armies gradually evolved over time to include members from non-Jurchen ethnic groups such as the Mongols and Han Chinese. Beginning in the late s, the Jurchens started incorporating Mongol tribes, which they either conquered or were allied with, into the Eight Banners system. The Han Chinese who first joined the Eight Banners were replacements for Jurchen soldiers in existing banners who were killed in battle. However, over time, as more Han soldiers joined the banners, the Jurchens decided to form a separate group for them. Ina separate Han artillery corps was formed. Four more Han banners were created in Bythe full eight Han banners were established. Since many of these Han men were single, they married Jurchen women. Over time, there were more and more Han Chinese joining the banners, such that they started to outnumber the Jurchens. Many bannermen forged genealogies for themselves or decided whether to join a Jurchen or Han banner. The Eight Banners were then created from the old Han and Jurchen banners, which were given equal status. The Mongol banners were also created around this time. Anyone who was not sorted into either a Han or Mongol banner became Manchu, an ethnic group created by Huangtaiji. The three principal ethnic groups in Manchu society were the ManchuHan and Mongol. The country had many other smaller ethnic groups, such as the XibeDaurRussians [2]Nanai [2] The Manchu Way: The Eight Banners and Ethnic Identity in Late Imperial China Evenks such as Solon. During the Qing dynasty —bannermen and civilians were categorised into ethnic groups based on language, culture, behaviour and way of life. Men were grouped into Manchu and Han banners on the basis of their culture and language. The Qing government regarded Han bannermen [3] and the Han civilian population as distinct. Some descendants of sinicised Jurchens spoke the Han language and had served under the Ming Empire — On the other hand, some ethnic Jurchens actually had Han ancestry but had defected to the Jurchen side, assimilated into Jurchen culture, and lived among the Jurchens in present- day Jilin Province before Han Chinese who deserted the Ming Empire and moved to Nurgan in present-day Jilin Province before and assimilated with the Jurchens were known as transfrontiermen. They adopted Jurchen culture, spoke the Jurchen languageand became part of the Manchu banners. Those who were considered Jurchen adopted a Jurchen lifestyle, spoke the Jurchen language, and inhabited the eastern part of present-day Jilin Province. On the other hand, those who lived in the west and spoke the Han language were regarded as nikaneven though some The Manchu Way: The Eight Banners and Ethnic Identity in Late Imperial China them had Jurchen or Korean ancestry. The Manchu, Mongol and Han labels referred to their original composition. Both ethnic Han and sinicised ethnic Jurchens ended up in Han banners. People from both sides moved between Liaodong and Nurgan. Han soldiers and peasants moved into Nurgan while Jurchen mercenaries and merchants moved to Liaodong, with some lineages on both sides. From tothe Han Chinese from eastern Liaodong who joined the Eight Banners were known as " tai nikan "; the Han Chinese who defected to the Manchus at Fushun were known as Fushan Nikan and were considered part of the tai nikan. Descendants of sinicised Jurchens were conquered by the Jianzhou Jurchen Khanate under Nurhaci 's rule after At that time, these descendants of sinicised Jurchens moved to Liaodong, adopted Han culture and family names, swore loyalty to the Ming Empire and spoke the Han language. They eventually became part of the Han banners. Han Chinese in Ming-ruled Liaodong who defected to the Jurchens after they conquered Liaoding were called "frontiersmen" since they had lived on the frontiers of Ming territory. The transfrontiersmen became part of the Jurchen elite and were assimilated into Jurchen culture to the point where their ancestry was the only thing that differentiated them from Jurchens. When Nurhaci conquered Liaodong, he wanted to win over the allegiance of the Han Chinese, so he ordered Jurchens and Han Chinese to be treated equally. He also seized property and resources owned by Jurchens and redistributed them to Han Chinese, and expanded the Jurchen aristocracy to include Han elite families. However, the Jurchens oppressed Han Chinese for labour and stationed Jurchens in Han households to prevent rebellions. As a result, some disgruntled Han Chinese started a revolt in by sabotaging and killing Jurchens. In response, Nurhaci introduced a practice of discriminating against Han Chinese. For example, Han Chinese might be executed for committing certain offences whereas Jurchens who committed the same offences might be pardoned. However, Nurhaci exempted the tai nikan — Han Chinese who had joined the Jurchens between and — from this discriminatory practice. The Han Chinese who joined the banners between and came from western LiaodongShanxiShandong and Zhili. They were known as " fu xi baitangga ". The Qing dynasty used " Hanjun " as an adjective for individual bannermen while the Jin dynasty used its literal meaning, for the collective "Han Army". Nurhaci and Huangtaiji both viewed ethnic identity in terms of culture, language and attitude: Mongols were associated with the Mongol languagenomadism and horses; Manchus were associated with the Manchu language and participation in the banners; Han Chinese were associated with Liaodongthe Han languageagriculture and commerce. Banner membership depended on the primary language of the bannermen. It has been suggested that the Han banners were not familiar with the exact meaning of "Hanjun", as the Qing government constantly changed its definition. Huangtaiji included Han Chinese in his government and adopted the Han style of government. Manchu banners inducted non-bondservant Han families, such as the family of Bordered Yellow Banner member Zhang Wenxing, the governor of Gansu Province in The Manchus attracted Han military officers to their banners by offering them brides from the Aisin Gioro clan, the imperial clan of the Qing dynasty. Huangtaiji said that "since the Han generals and Manchu women lived together and ate together, it would help these surrendered generals to forget their motherland. Inthe Manchu banners ejected their Han companies and placed them in Han banners, since the members were mostly not assimilated to Manchu culture. Some Han bannermen and their lineages became successful members of Qing nobility and their descendants continued to be awarded noble titles, such as Li Yongfangwho was ennobled by Nurhaci as a third class viscount and enrolled in the Plain Blue Banner and whose descendants remained as nobles. In the early Qing dynasty, the Qing government made distinctions between Han bannermen and Han civilians. Nurhaci also allowed transfrontiersmen to identify themselves as Manchu after assimilation. Han bannermen such as Geng Zhongming rose to powerful positions and prominence under the Shunzhi Emperor. They "were barely distinguishable from Manchu nobility. As such, The Manchu Way: The Eight Banners and Ethnic Identity in Late Imperial China were both distinguished from Han Chinese who joined the Qing Empire after Manchu bannermen in Beijing ended up in poverty just decades after the Manchu conquest The Manchu Way: The Eight Banners and Ethnic Identity in Late Imperial China Chinaliving in slums and falling into debt, with signs of their plight appearing as soon as Their poverty forced them to sell their property to Han Chinese, in violation of the law. In the early Qing dynasty, the emperors took some Han women as concubines. A decree from the Shunzhi Emperor allowed The Manchu Way: The Eight Banners and Ethnic Identity in Late Imperial China men to marry Manchu women with the permission of the Board of Revenue if the brides were registered daughters of officials or commoners, or with the permission of the banner company captain if they were unregistered commoners. Han bannermen were permitted to marry Han civilian women. However, the emperors were distressed to find that the women followed Han civilian customs in clothing and jewellery when they were drafted for palace service. They then banned daughters of common Han bannermen from serving in the imperial palace as maids and consorts, exempting them from the draft, out of concern for to the economic plight of Han bannermen. Another possible reason was the Qing government's alarm over Han banner girls following Han civilian customs such as wearing robes with wide sleeves, feet binding and wearing a single earring, contrary to Manchu custom. Daughters of Manchu and Mongol bannerman had to submit to the draft where they could be selected to serve in the imperial palace as maids or consorts. Manchu bannermen typically used their given rather than lineal name to address themselves, while Han bannermen used their both in normal Chinese style. Han bannermen also adopted Manchu naming practices such as naming their offspring with numbers. They joined the "upper three" Manchu banners. According to Qing government policy, the immediate family members e. Such transfers typically occurred in cases of intermarriage between Han Chinese and the Manchu imperial clan. The Qianlong Emperor reclassified the Han banners, saying that they were to be regarded as having the same culture and ancestral extraction as Han civilians. This replaced Nurhaci and Huangtaiji 's position of classifying them according to culture. The Qianlong Emperor's view influenced historians and overshadowed their views. The Qianlong Emperor held that loyalty was the most important trait, labelling the Ming defectors as traitors. He compiled the book Record of Those Martyred for Their Dynasty and Sacrificed for Puritywhich contained unfavourable biographies of prominent Han banner defectors and biographies which glorified Ming loyalists who were martyred in battle against the Qing Empire. Some of the emperor's inclusions and omissions on the list were political, such as including Li Yongfang to undermine his descendant Li Shiyao and excluding Ma Mingpei to protect his son Ma Xiongzhen 's image. Bannermen were segregated from Han civilians in their own garrisons. Manchu and Han bannermen were allowed to take Han civilian women as concubines, but Manchu and Han The Manchu Way: The Eight Banners and Ethnic Identity in Late Imperial China were punished with expulsion from the banners if they married Han civilian men. Bannerwomen were allowed to marry only bannermen. Since Han bannermen were treated as semi-Manchus according to the law, Manchu bannerwomen were allowed to marry Han bannermen. In Xi'an during the Xinhai Revolutionimpoverished Han soldiers took young Manchu women as wives after seizing the banner garrison. During the Republican eraintermarriage began to occur between Han civilians and Manchus, mostly involving Han men marrying Manchu women, since poverty diminished the The Manchu Way: The Eight Banners and Ethnic Identity in Late Imperial China prospects of Manchu men. Afterthe aha enslaved Jurchens, Koreans, Han and Mongolsbecame part of the booi bondservants and were attached to Manchu banners. No evidence suggests that aftermost of the booi were Han Chinese. Instead they included Koreans and ethnic Manchus. Manchus integrated with some of the captured Han Chinese and Koreans. The term "Manchu" varies in meaning; various groups within the Eight Banners are considered Manchu. One definition of Manchu was the "Old Manchu" including the Aisin Gioro clan, The Manchu Way: The Eight Banners and Ethnic Identity in Late Imperial China the original founding populations who spoke Manchu and who were the basis of the banner system. The Qing Empire relied most on this group. Afterthe Manchu banners incorporated other Tungusic peoples such as the SibeEvenki, Oroqen and Nanaiwho became the new Manchus. This became more pronounced until the Xinhai Revolution. All bannermen and their descendants were recognised as ethnic Manchus by the People's Republic of China. Edward Rhoads asserted that the Manchu ethnic group was synonymous with the Eight Banners from the Boxer Rebellion until the People's Republic of China recognised the Manchu ethnic group.