Legitimate Domination in the Early Modern World: Temple, Ritual, and Symbolic Power in Late Imperial China

What is it about?

This article examines imperial expansion in the early modern world with a focus on rural areas in late imperial China. While scholars have long explored the growth of military and political power in early modern states and empires, less attention has been given to why early modern actors accepted new arrangements and the legitimizing practices that enabled them to do so. Taking a single village in southern China as a case study, this article argues that ritual played a key role in constructing new social and political practices. Drawing on local documents and fieldwork, the article traces the emergence of local temples and rituals surrounding the temple deities to show the work of ritual in integrating new groups and eventual absorption into the Ming and Qing empires.

Featured Image