A GLOBAL TECHNOLOGICAL DIFFUSION-TRADITIONAL CHINESE TEA TECHNOLOGY and ITS CONTRIBUTION to MODERN TEA PRODUCTION in the 19Th CENTURY
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
A GLOBAL TECHNOLOGICAL DIFFUSION-TRADITIONAL CHINESE TEA TECHNOLOGY AND ITS CONTRIBUTION TO MODERN TEA PRODUCTION IN THE 19th CENTURY by (Kenny) Chun Wai Tang B.A. in History, Simon Fraser University, 2006 THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS In the Department Of History © (Kenny) Chun Wai Tang 2008 SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY Fall 2008 All rights reserved. This work may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopy or other means, without permission of the author APPROVAL Name: (Kenny) Chun Wai Tang Degree: Master of History Title of Thesis: IIA Global Technological Diffusion-Traditional Chinese Tea technology and its Contribution to Modern Tea Production in the 19th Century." Examining Committee: Chair: Dr. Jeremy Brown Assistant Professor of History Dr. Jacob Eyferth Senior Supervisor Assistant Professor, Simon Fraser University until December 31,2007 Assistant Professor of History, University of Chicago Dr. Luke Clossey Supervisor Assistant Professor of History, Simon Fraser University Dr. Timothy Cheek External Examiner Professor, Louis Cha Chair of Chinese Research, Centre for Chinese Research, Institute of Asian Studies, University of British Columbia Date Defended/Approved: SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY LIBRARY Declaration of Partial Copyright Licence The author, whose copyright is declared on the title page of this work, has granted to Simon Fraser University the right to lend this thesis, project or extended essay to users of the Simon Fraser University Library, and to make partial or single copies only for such users or in response to a request from the library of any other university, or other educational institution, on its own behalf or for one of its users. The author has further granted permission to Simon Fraser University to keep or make a digital copy for use in its circulating collection (currently available to the public at the "Institutional Repository" link of the SFU Library website <www.lib.sfu.ca> at: <http://ir.lib.sfu.ca/handle/1892/112>) and, without changing the content, to translate the thesis/project or extended essays, if technically possible, to any medium or format for the purpose of preservation of the digital work. The author has further agreed that permission for multiple copying of this work for scholarly purposes may be granted by either the author or the Dean of Graduate Studies. It is understood that copying or publication of this work for financial gain shall not be allowed without the author's written permission. Permission for public performance, or limited permission for private scholarly use, of any multimedia materials forming part of this work, may have been granted by the author. This information may be found on the separately catalogued multimedia material and in the signed Partial Copyright Licence. While licensing SFU to permit the above uses, the author retains copyright in the thesis, project or extended essays, including the right to change the work for subsequent purposes, including editing and publishing the work in whole or in part, and licensing other parties, as the author may desire. The original Partial Copyright Licence attesting to these terms, and signed by this author, may be found in the original bound copy of this work, retained in the Simon Fraser University Archive. Simon Fraser University Library Burnaby, BC, Canada Revised: Fall 2007 ABSTRACT This thesis will use the tea processing technique in late imperial China as a case study to argue that China was not technologically stagnant, and that Europe was not technologically superior to China until the mid-nineteenth century. The Chinese tea industry experienced technological breakthroughs in tea-processing and preserving techniques during the later imperial period. As soon as we shift our focus away from the machine, look at other aspects of development from a long-term perspective, and transcend the negative Eurocentric view of China, we will see the technological dynamism in late imperial China. This thesis seeks to present China's technological contribution to the world within a global and comparative historical framework, by arguing that modern European technological and scientific progress was neither unique nor exclusively home-grown, but attributable to the global diffusion of knowledge, especially Chinese biochemical knowledge and agricultural technology in the case of modern tea planting and processing. iii DEDICATION For my dear parents, brother, Cindy, and teachers. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS By the amazing grace of the Lord, and the support, love, and encouragement of many people, I have eventually completed my Master thesis and successfully defended it on November 5, 2008. Time is flying when I look back. Two years of M.A. program is over. I would like to take this opportunity to express my deepest gratitude to and share my achievement with all those who have helped and supported me during my studies and research. First and foremost, I must thank my respectable parents Peter Chi Cheung Tang ~5tB~ and Fanny Ming Chu Yuen ~aJ.l~ who always love and support me to the fullest extent unconditionally. Their determination to provide me with the best environment to live and study is indispensable for my intellectual and moral development. I am so grateful that they offer me a valuable opportunity to study and live in Ireland and Canada so that I can expand my horizon and be exposed to different cultures. Although my parents are neither rich nor well-educated (my father is a hairdresser and my mother is a cleaner at YMCA), they understand that education is much more important and precious than money for the development of a good person. Even after working for a whole day, my father would prepare a big dinner (always with a big pot of good soup) every night to ensure that I always eat well and have enough nutrients and cholesterol for my brain. He cooks for me so happily every night and never gets tired or makes any complaints. My mother, the super-hard-working woman, works 7 days a week at YMCA, only hopes that I can have a higher education and be a happy and v good person. I am so happy that I can complete my M.A. degree and share my achievement with them. I would also like to thank Cindy Xingxian Chen III i!:Hili my former girlfriend for loving and supporting me selflessly, whole-heartedly, tirelessly, and continuously in the past eight years in spite of my childishness, immaturity, selfishness, and insensitivity. I feel very sorry that I neglected her emotional and physical needs when we were together. I will never forget everything that she did for me and my family members in the past and I sincerely wish her a happy, healthy, and meaningful life in the future, no matter what will happen between me and her. I am sure God will prepare the best way and best partner for her. She will forever be a very important part of my life. Now I should turn to all my respectable teachers at SFU. I want to thank Dr. Jacob Eyferth for introducing me to China studies and for training me since I was an undergraduate student. He always encourages me to move beyond China and pushes me to think more broadly and critically by urging me to read European economic history and challenging me during discussion or in his written comments on my works. Many of the European economic history books that I read for his Directed Reading course prove to be extremely useful to me in the later stage of my research. His seriousness and enthusiasm in academic research and teaching impress me tremendously. I am very grateful for his willingness to continue to supervise me through frequently exchanging emails with me and giving serious and detailed comments on my thesis draft even after leaving SFU. Thank you for not abandoning me haha! His guidance, advices, support, and encouragement offered me the greatest comfort during the difficult period of adjusting to new surroundings and different system in Guangzhou. It would be impossible for me to vi count everything that Dr. Eyferth did for me and his influence on me as my mentor. All I can say is danke Jacob! The second teacher that exerts an immense influence on me at SFU is Dr. Luke Clossey, the young, energetic, and daring global historian. He is the person who first draws me to look at Chinese history from a broad global perspective and think about history globally. His kindness and support for his students is unusual, yet his toughness and meticulousness in marking papers often scares every student and sometimes I got frightened to death after handing in my paper to him! Thank you for encouraging me to present papers at the World History Association Conference and for everything that you have taught me and done for me in the past. I really enjoy talking and playing erhu with you. I also want to thank the new, bright, and very young SFU Professor of Chinese history Dr. Jeremy Brown for his careful reading of my thesis draft, his enlightening comments, and his willingness to serve as the chair for my oral defense. Though I only know Dr. Brown for a few months, he is so kind and willing to share his thoughts and teach me how to be a better TA. We spent plenty of time together chatting during his office hour at the Renaissance Cafe in the AQ. I am so delighted that I can have the opportunity to work as his TA and learn from him. I am also very grateful to him for arranging a post-defense celebration dinner at Shaolin for me. His Okanagan Champaign was indeed a surprise for me! Thank you Dr.